eBay - is this cheeky?

markwilkinson

I was interested in an item on eBay recently, a heavy item that was collection only. Unfortunately, I guess due to a free listing weekend the starting price was more than what the item was worth. I kept it on my watch list and it didn't sell and it hasn't been relisted. I'm tempted to send the seller a message and making a cheeky offer for it. Is this impolite in any way? I don't want to upset anyone but if the roles were reversed I wouldn't be offended and would probably be quite pleased at having the chance of a sale.

Any opinions welcome!

Meadows

They are not meant to transact out of eBay. You could ask them to re list and then purchase that way. If the sell out of eBay they run the risk of forfeiting their account if anyone was to find out and neither buyer or seller are protected if they do a private sale!

Loanranger

Mark, yes, I have done this but have offered just below or at asking price. You run the risk of seller saying NO in a strop. Or why not ask what he wants for it and would he consider an offer.
When I have offered a cheeky offer I have got a big fat no so tread a bit carefully if you really want the thing.
Let us know what happens.

oldone_2

Meadows wrote: »

They are not meant to transact out of eBay. You could ask them to re list and then purchase that way. If the sell out of eBay they run the risk of forfeiting their account if anyone was to find out and neither buyer or seller are protected if they do a private sale!

Surely this only applies whilst the auction is live. If the item doesn't sell, the seller has a perfect right to sell wherever to whom-ever they please.E-Bay does not have a monopoly on the sale of the item forever more.

Crowqueen

They did find the seller the buyer though - without eBay's advertising power OP would not have found the item for sale.

I would happily relist - I would feel it more ethical to do so given the above opinion - particularly if an item didn't sell first time round and I might have overvalued it. A sale is a sale and as long as I made enough on something to cover eBay/Paypal fees - and those are a % so I would do so - I'd feel it was worth it to get a customer. It would depend on the offer, but I've done this in the past and had no problems, both as buyer and seller - so there's no harm in asking.

markwilkinson

Well, I did ask, with an apology in advance if they found my message 'out of order'. I didn't make an offer, just asked if they would be willing to listen to an offer. Got a very nice reply from the seller but unfortunately they had already sold it. Bum, the search continues!

Thank you for all your replies!