If someone emails you to offer you a price on something you have on ebay...

[Aimsmum]

Message withdrawn

No, go through Ebay. If he were genuine he would go through Ebay too. It is against the rules to contact sellers in this way and you should report him. He probably wants you to take it off the site and then send it to him but he'll not pay for it.

I agree with Rhubarb......this is against the rules and should be reported.

Message withdrawn

Does that mean that you shouldn't contact a seller to ask if they would put a buy-it-now price on an item?

I assumed he emailed you through eBay (i.e it came up in My Messages).

If he did, that side of it's OK. eBay do provide an option called 'Best Offer.' If you've selected that option, he's perfectly within his rights to approach you.

If you haven't, I would probably leave it alone, but on the facts you've given, I can't see too much wrong with his request. Follow your instinct.

Message withdrawn

A buyer can contact you and ask for a BIN price. You agree a price and get them to bid on your item so they are the highest bidder. You then end your auction early, at the winning bid (there's an option in end auction early) and send an invoice with an increased postage amount to cover the difference. It saves on final value fees but I am sure it's perfectly acceptable in Ebay rules. Hope that helps.

Oh and that way you are still obliged to leave feedback for each other, as you would if it ended as usual - it's the safest way. Or you can end the item early and set up a private auction on Ebay.

ginger - you can't add extra onto the P&P - it's classed as fee avoidance and against rules.

Best thing to do is add a BIN option to your listing and tell this guy you have done so - if he still it wants it at the price you put he simply clicks the BIN. All will be normal ebay buying/selling stuff from now on.

he hasn't broken any rules in asking for a BIN price

you can do the private auction though, can't you, monkey? (I haven't done either - my stuff only ever sells for a couple of quid so hardly worth the bother,lol!!!)

I know you used to be able to do a private auction - using pre-approved bidder or something??
I'm sure I've read recently that this has been stopped now.... so I don't know.

Whenever i get requests like this I just add a BIN - so far it's always worked out ok.

Know what you mean about only selling stuff for a couple of quid!?

Oh, and I'm not too sure about the fact that this guy is trying to get you to sell to him by mentioning scammers I'd simply add the BIN at the price you want and make sure you send it recorded (signed for ) delivery