is it against ebay rules to contact bidders...

[peskipixie]

... of ended items to let them know you have the same item for sale?

YES

no, I don't think it is at all.
It is against the rules to contact a buyer and try to sort a transaction outside of ebay.

Surely if they really wnat one they will search again ?

I think it may be againist the rules, howver if a potential buyer has placed an advert in the 'wanted list' then you can contact them , as they obviouly wish to be contacted and that is the point of that list.

Otherwise I would tread very carefully and check it out .

think i will prob not, i dont think i have seen anything to say its against the rules but id rather not risk it. i wouldnt want to sell it outside ebay so not dodgy in that sense. i know they will search again but i want them to buy mine not someone elses! lol

I was looking at some jewellery today on ebay.com and it appears that at the end of the auction, you can only see the bidders' names as the first and last letters (e.g. a**e) and then their feedback rating as a number only (nothing you can click through to). I don't know if this is the case on the UK site or if it's just for relatively high-value auctions. I think it was to stop fake second-chance offers.

Sorry, but I am pretty sure what you are proposing to do is against the rules.

sorry, cross-posted with you there. I am sure buyers will find you, don't worry.