loosecannon
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posted on September 15, 2000 10:50:07 PM
This person just retracted his bid on a very expensive item of mine (hundreds of dollars) and gave the reason "overpriced for condition". That's not true, in my opinion, but now the auction is trashed when they look at that statement.
I've got the idea just to cancel the damn thing. Doubtful I'll get another bid now.
Can this #*@! say that?
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noteye
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posted on September 15, 2000 10:55:43 PM
The only thing you can do is end the auction and start over, but first contact the 'retractor' and inform them to never bid on your auctions again and copy to safe harbor - and pull their contact info, so you know who they are.
Had a bidder once, they retracted and left the explaination that I had emailed them and told them there was a large tear in the item. This was so unture and I informed eBay of the problem, they suggested ending the auction as there is no way to respond to retraction statements. I feel it is a 'sneaky' way to sabotage another persons auction. Also, it is a problem I have only ever encountered in the last 6 months - but I have heard of others.
noteye
Well, THAT'S attractive!
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Glenda
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posted on September 15, 2000 10:56:15 PM
Yeah, he can say that, regardless of whether it's accurate or not. But I wonder how many people look at the Bid History when bidding on an item - I've very rarely looked at it, but usually only after it's over.
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loosecannon
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:03:22 PM
This "retractor" was the second bidder and he had the high bid. Now the original first bidder has the high bid again and he's sure to look at the bid history to find out the reason for the retraction. It's gotta give someone second thoughts.
I feel I would be within my rights to cancel under these circumstances. Am I right or wrong?
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furkidmom
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:15:41 PM
What noteye said......right on....
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noteye
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:17:33 PM
For me it would depend on a lot of factors - how much time left in the auction? how high the price? how much would I be making to let it continue? how confindent am I that there will be last minute bidders?
I think it would just depend on the circumstances.
You don't have to answer all the questions here, just follow your 'gut' - I have rarely gone wrong when I followed my gut.
noteye
Well, THAT'S attractive!
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mybiddness
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:23:18 PM
Considering your retractor's bogus comment I'd lean toward cancelling and starting over. What a rotten thing for someone to do.
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sparkz
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:24:45 PM
Personally, when I see a retracted bid after an auction has closed, the first thing that comes to mind is bid shielding. I know I'm probably usually wrong, but that's the first impression I get. In that respect, the auction may be tainted in the eyes of a prospective bidder. I would end the auction, tell the present bidder why and relist. Tell the jerk to stay away from your auctions with a cc to safeharbor. How is his feedback profile with respect to retracted bids?
The light at the end of the tunnel will turn out to be an oncoming train.
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loosecannon
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posted on September 15, 2000 11:27:38 PM
Thanks mybiddness--I feel exactly the same. It was rotten.
Sparkz, Zero feedback and now one bid retraction.
The thing is, he could have made up any lame-O excuse. He didn't have to say that.
[ edited by loosecannon on Sep 15, 2000 11:28 PM ]
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bonval
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posted on September 16, 2000 05:12:56 AM
I had one bid retraction on a vintage Troll -- the bidder stated she researched it and I was misleading on dating and information! So I posted link to the Company who made the trolls - there he was in all his wooden glory with date and serial numbers! Another bidder came in and bid -- from Norway! Paid more than original bidder -- plus almost double bid on mail to Norway! It was an extrmemly successful sale for me! Have heart!
 
[ edited by bonval on Sep 16, 2000 05:14 AM ]
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dejavu
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posted on September 16, 2000 05:31:58 AM
I would cancel the auction. Sometimes people put bogus info in a retraction in order to get it cheaper, for example under another user name. If its an unusual item I would cancel. If it is common, I would let it go.
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mballai
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posted on September 16, 2000 09:26:09 AM
Bid retraction doesn't necessarily wreck an auction, but that sort of misleading statement probably would. People are more careful on expensive items. The nerve of some people! Definitely safeharbor and blacklist that bidder!
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amy
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posted on September 16, 2000 12:49:28 PM
Could your retractor be a competitor?
Sounds like a great way to trash the competitor's merchandise..bid and retract with bogus statement about quality/condition of item. 
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loosecannon
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posted on September 16, 2000 01:03:19 PM
I don't know if the person was a competitor. I looked up his ID of course to see if he was selling anything and the answer to that is no. Not on that ID anyway.
Can someone please explain "cc to safeharbor" for me? Is it really a good idea to pull his contact info?
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Glenda
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posted on September 16, 2000 01:26:12 PM
Loosecannon: IF you email the bidder not to bid on your items again, you're supposed to cc that email to SafeHarbor and keep an electronic copy of it. If they do bid again, let SafeHarbor know and they will warn or suspend the person. Bidding when you've been asked/told not to is a violation of eBay policy.
I can't see any reason to pull the contact info, unless you think you'd recognize his real name or something.
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amalgamated2000
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posted on September 16, 2000 01:33:00 PM
If there is a bid retraction, doesn't eBay's EOA state that the high bidder is not obligated to complete the transaction? I believe this is true, and if so, that's something else to consider.
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CAgrrl
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posted on September 16, 2000 07:08:15 PM
Are you serious Amalgamated? That sucks! I just had a bid retraction on one of my auctions. It was an early bidder & the bidding has gone way up since then. I'd be bummed if the high bidder didn't have to complete the transaction. Especially since the current high bidder placed his/her bid after the bid retraction took place.
I disagree with whoever said that people rarely check the bidding history. I frequently check it on both items that I'm selling & items that I'm bidding on. I like to know the identities of both my competition & my potential customers whenever possible.
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amalgamated2000
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posted on September 16, 2000 09:04:33 PM
OK, upon further research here's how I think it works:
If "bidder 1" has been outbid by "bidder 2", but then "bidder 2" retracts his bid and the auction closes with "bidder 1" as the high bidder, that bidder is not obligated to complete the transaction.
This is conveyed to the bidder in the notice that they receive after the retraction letting them know that they are, once again, the high bidder.
Again, I could be wrong here, but this is my understanding.
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mouseslayer
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posted on September 17, 2000 02:19:34 AM
No, bidder #1 is obligated to complete the transaction. That is why it is suggested that if you get outbid on an item to wait until it's over to bid on another in case something like this happens.
~~MouseSlayer is not a cat =^..^= ~~
Yes, I'm MouseSlayer everywhere. It's a great name, so I use it! 
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amalgamated2000
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posted on September 17, 2000 08:17:55 AM
MouseSlayer,
After a little more research, I see that you are correct.
The notice that "bidder 1" receives after a retraction says NOTHING about not being obligated to complete the transaction.
(Who's the fool been tellin' me those lies???)
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sg52
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posted on September 17, 2000 11:40:38 AM
No, bidder #1 is obligated to complete the transaction.
Well, no, but first...
Cancelled bids and shill bids on high priced items are strongly correlated. As a buyer of a high priced item, I always check for cancelled bids. If they have markings of a shill bid, I avoid the auction (and the seller).
There's different kinds of "obligation". By eBay rules, if seller changes the description of the item from "100 years old worth $1000" to "modern replica worth $12", and high bidder doesn't notice that, high bidder is "obligated" by eBay rules to purchase the thing at the high bid of $1000.
But in real life, it doesn't work that way. eBay does take into account what has gone on, and we've not heard a credible report of them punishing any high bidder who was exposed by a cancelled bid.
I have had one experience of refusing to complete a transaction which arrived upon me at the last minute 3 days after I had been outbid, eBay flat said "due to the cancelled bid, we are not.." (I forget the exact words).
Bottom line: no one is ever obligated to proceed into a scam, regardless of any promise made before the scam became apparent.
Bottom line for seller: if there's one good thing about this comment, it's that it doesn't look like a shill bid. That said, by rule you can cancel the remaining bid and then the auction for any reason whatsoever, and that's likely what you should do.
sg52
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loosecannon
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posted on September 17, 2000 11:49:46 AM
sg52
I can guarandamntee you this was not a shill bid on my auction. I don't play games like that. Any one that knows me can check that out.
After the bidder canceled that bid and left a comment like that I did cancel the remaining bid and shut down the auction.
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