Newbie at ebay - can't believe how stupid I am, buyer must think I'm potty!

ally18

Hiya,
This is just a bit of a feel stupid moment, I've recently added some items to ebay to sell after not doing it for some years and then it was only a couple of items sold!

Put everything in for auction and then someone asks me what is my buy it now figure. Please don't laugh but I said the same amount as I put it at auction for which they were very happy with, of course they would be. This was before the item suddenly had lots of watches. Because I agreed to this figure, then I wasn't going to change my mind as it wouldnt be fair on the buyer. (Obvously more would be nice though).

Well today, I tried to put in the bin figure for this buyer but the system states it must be 40% higher than you originally stated which means the buyer must pay a higher figure. Doh! Talk about me being and now feeling stupid.

I've had to email my potential buyer now to say I couldn't do the bin figure for what I did agree on. I have a feeling they must be thinking I'm trying it on now because I want more money. I genuinely made a stupid mistake.

If I were to put the bin figure on, it would not be the price I would be getting for it and my sellers fees would be much higher than they should be too.

What would anyone else do in this situation (not that you would be daft enough in the first place)?

System

If its any consolation i did the same thing on Saturday. Item was up at auction at £7.50. Someone asked me the buy it now price so i said £9.50. Went to add the buy it now price and the only way i could let her have it at £9.50 was to lower my auction price (to £4 or thereabouts). Even then she didnt buy it immediately and i knew if someone put the first bid in it would cancel the BIN price. So i sat there glued to the screen praying that no one would start the auction off at £4 and i would risk losing the profit i had made. She did buy it but it was a lesson learned.

scheming_gypsy

can't you do a 40% discount on the invoice?

chocolate_buttons_2

Why not get them to bid and then once they've bid end the auction early with them as the only bidder?

Personally I would have let the auction run its course, but like you say, you've made the promise now.

ally18

Judi - why did you have to drop the price to £4, I don't understand?

Scheming-gypsy - how does that work, I thought when the invoice is sent out, it is for the amount that the auction/bin was set at?

chocolate buttons - Is that possible then, I thought the auction had to run its course? There are quite a few watches on this item though.

Thanks for all your replies.

I can't see what my potential buyer has had to say to my email as yet because I can't access it from work.

Pembroke

The Ebay approved way ('cos they get more fees) is to end the auction early, which you can only do if you don't have any bids (watchers don't count). Then put up a new BIN item with the agreed price and email the item number to the buyer so they can find it. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, you don't need a picture or anything. I usually title the item "BIN for name of the buyer" and put in the text not to bid unless you are the named buyer.

The non approved method would be to end the auction early then invoice the buyer direct through Paypal for 'goods', so no further Ebay fees to pay.

lifebeginsat...

Hi there, if you haven't actually put a 'buy it now' onto the item then don't worry about it. The buyer will understand that you didn't understand the process. Until you actually change your item to display a 'buy it now' figure, you are under no obligation or contract with the potential buyer. I suggest you just let the auction run its course, unless you're happy to accept the amount that 40% extra would be and put a buy it now on.

If you really wanted to sell it to her for what she offered, you would have to cancel the auction, and relist with the 'buy it now' tab and not the auction tab.

Hope this helps

System

ally18 if i remember correctly the BIN price had to be 40% higher than the auction price and the only way i figured i could do that was to drop the starting price. I never thought about ending the auction early and i'm still all very new to this Ebay stuff and i havent had the experience of fiddling around with the invoice yet (guess it will come give it time).

I guess the buyer must have thought i was a numpty too.:o

I will probably let the auction run if the same question crops up again as it took more than the one brain cell that i already have.

Simplicity is the key i recon (and risk losing the sale).

ally18

Hi there and thank you for all your replies.

I am quite happy to accept the 40% increase and put the bin figure in but I have a feeling the buyer won't want to pay this now as I agreed to let it go at the min amount.

I just don't want to be thought of as ripping people off.

I will wait and see what the reaction is to my email this morning.

Thanks again.

chocolate_buttons_2

ally18 wrote: »

J
chocolate buttons - Is that possible then, I thought the auction had to run its course? There are quite a few watches on this item though.

.

Yes, you can end the auction at any time. I did this a couple of weeks ago, buyer emailed to ask my BIN price, I was pleased with the start price anyway as it hadn't sold or had any watchers on a previous occasion. Buyer bid, I ended the auction with her as sole bidder.

If you've got watchers then may be an idea to let it run its course

Hope it works out ok whatever you choose x

hermum

You could leave the auction to run & add another listing as a BIN, at the price you're happy to accept, don't forget though that it will cost 40p in most categories. If they BIN then cancel the auction.
Or you could send an invoice for ebay goods through Paypal, once they pay cancel the auction.
Don't cancel the auction though until they've paid.
Personally I would just apologise & explain that you can't list on BIN as it has to be 40% higher than your start price & suggest that they bid.