Question from a first time seller. Can you help?

[MaureenMLove]

I've put my washing machine on and it finishes on Monday night. Someone has asked if I would be prepared to end the auction early and take my starting price for collection right now!

Am I allowed to end early? Should I? I have 3 watchers and I only put it on a 3 day listing at midnight last night, so chances are it hasn't a lot of veiwers yet. Oh what to do and how to do it?

What do you think?

Maureen, as a general rule, unless you are in a hurry, do not end your auction early. And if you do, the buyer should not just be paying the starting price but a higher price - I assume you put it on at a lowish starting price rather than the price you were hoping to get.

You have a day or 2 to run. Most traffic will come in the last 2 days of the auction so you might get more watchers and bids.

I think people ask to end early only because they see a bargain and want to pip others to the post at a low price - it is unlikely yours is the only washing machine listed around your area which ends this weekend.

It is up to you. If you want to accept this offer (ideally negotiating a higher price), you can end early and then put this item on BIN for the agreed price - I think you end up paying additional BIN listing fees. You do take the risk that this person plays you out and does not buy the BIN though!

oh, a tip for future, try to list for longer - there is no difference in listing fees between a 3-day listing and a 10-day listing. And end your listing on a Sunday evening, when most people are in.

But of course, luck comes into this as well. Hope you get a good price for your washing machine.

Thanks blueshoes. I didn't agree to end early in the end. I figured, like you say, I may get a better offer. I'm quite happy for it to go for the price the guy is offering, so as long as he has some clean clothes until Monday, we might be OK!

I needed to do a quick sale on this one. Its 2 weeks til payday and I'm skint!