Bidder wants to retract bid

Greentea

I recently put an item on ebay. It ended yesterday, the winning bidder emailed me a few times before the auction ended saying they didnt want to win the item as they had already got one. (i didnt see the emails until after the auction ended).

Its only a small item under £5. So what should I do now? Im a bit concerned the bidder is new - has only one feedback - should I just tell them its ok and forget the won the item and relist? I could offer them it at a lower price, but then they might just say they didnt get it?

kprigg

Did anyone else bid on the item? If so then you cando a second chance offer to them.
With regards to the buyer then you can start a non payer process via ebay so you can get your fees back & the buyer gets a strike.
Or you can go for a mutual withdrawal so you get your fees back but they dont get a strike.
Its up to you which way you go. On one hand I dont think buyers should be able to get away with bidding & not paying, but on the other - at least this one tried to contact you & every one does make mistakes sometimes.

StaffsSW

Second chance offer to the next highest bidder, and unpaid item strike for the time waster. You can't force them to pay, and if they "accidently" bid on something they already own, I'd have no faith in them having the ability to press the right button to cancel the sale.

It will help focus their mind the next time they bid on something.

Harsh, but fair.

mikey72

Depends how long you want to wait to re-list it, and get your fees back.
Mutual is faster, or you could drag it out with a NPB. Or you could re sell it, put in an unpaid item strike, and have them pay you then. (only good if you have two of the items though)
Don't offer it to them cheaper though.

Greentea

I have a number of these items, so i have already offered to the second bidder.

Im not sure if there are any ebay fees since i started the bidding at 99p. So if i tell the winning bidder to just foget about the sale, then is that it? Or do I have to go though a formal process?

I get the impression they are new to ebay and i tend to have some sympathy, so dont want to give them a strike.

TurkishDelight

Greentea wrote: »

Im not sure if there are any ebay fees since i started the bidding at 99p.

You will still have to pay final value fees of 10% of the item price to ebay unless you recover them with a dispute of some kind (either NPB or mutual, as discussed above)

StaffsSW

Greentea wrote: »

I have a number of these items, so i have already offered to the second bidder.

Im not sure if there are any ebay fees since i started the bidding at 99p. So if i tell the winning bidder to just foget about the sale, then is that it? Or do I have to go though a formal process?

I get the impression they are new to ebay and i tend to have some sympathy, so dont want to give them a strike.

There is a 10% final value fee that you will have had to pay at the end of the sale, so you'll be wanting that back.

The problem with doing nothing is that this "buyer" may think it is acceptable practice and keep doing it.

Issuing the strike will focus their mind. It will have no long lasting damage on their account UNLESS they make a habit of it - in which case they do not deserve an eBay account IMO.

mikey72

Greentea wrote: »

I have a number of these items, so i have already offered to the second bidder.

Im not sure if there are any ebay fees since i started the bidding at 99p. So if i tell the winning bidder to just foget about the sale, then is that it? Or do I have to go though a formal process?

I get the impression they are new to ebay and i tend to have some sympathy, so dont want to give them a strike.

Do a mutual withdrawal, and you can get your fee back.

soolin

mikey72 wrote: »

Do a mutual withdrawal, and you can get your fee back.

Only if the buyer agrees, and a buyer too dim to realise they can retract their own bid if they do it in time is difficult to trust with a mutual.