Watch list glitch?

Flyonthewall

I'm watching a fair few items, but last night the one ending soonest said over 16 hours and this was at about 11/12pm. I looked at the watch list numerous times throughout the day yesterday so I know for sure it wasn't due to end until the next day. There were also a few items ending soon after.

However, this morning I've found that the item due to end in 16 hours had already ended at about 12.45pm and there's also some others that have ended that weren't due to end for hours yet.

I know for sure what the top two items that were due to end first were. One has ended, the other is still active and yet other items have ended inbetween.

They all ended with no bids and they are all different sellers. Is it possible that people ended their listings early? It just seems weird that so many would suddenly end their listings around the same time (two within 1 minute of each other).

Plus there are other ended listings that I'm fairly sure weren't in the watch list in the final hours, but I know they were there before.

Is it possible there is a glitch with the watch list or have a number of sellers weirdly all decided that they just don't want to sell? Anyone else noticed anything like this?

Flyonthewall

Actually looking into it a bit more, 3 listings that ended early do all have cancelled bids. Weird that they'd all end like that though lol.

I'm still fairly sure some items aren't appearing on the watch list in the final hours though so I still think the watch list isn't completely reliable.

Norma_Desmond

It sounds like one of my greatest bugbears - sellers ending their items early because they've accepted a buy it now offer.

If you put an item on Ebay as a regular auction then it should fairly run its course - I've been disappointed several times due to an item being pulled - even when it has bids on.

There should be sanctions against this happening, but I won't hold my breath.

Flyonthewall

Norma_Desmond wrote: »

It sounds like one of my greatest bugbears - sellers ending their items early because they've accepted a buy it now offer.

If you put an item on Ebay as a regular auction then it should fairly run its course - I've been disappointed several times due to an item being pulled - even when it has bids on.

There should be sanctions against this happening, but I won't hold my breath.

It doesn't seem like that's the case. One had a buy it now, no sale.

Another is for a pre-order for a very very popular video game (collectors edition). It was starting at a few pence so probably would have gone stupidly high in the end so doesn't seem worth accepting any offer. They don't even own the item yet.

The third is possibly because of that, although it was one that would most likely have gone stupidly high in the end.

I agree though, auctions should be allowed to run their course and it's not right that people can just end them.

porto_bello

Undoubtedly Norma's suggestions are true in many cases, but in others, sometimes the seller loses their nerve and pulls the item, fearing it will sell for a fraction of what they want - ignorant of the fact or unwilling to take the risk that there will be a list minute bidding frenzy!

Actually, whenever I have received an offer, I've stuck to my guns and seen through the listing to the end. The very fact that someone is willing to offer more money up front, to avoid competing for the item shows that for some reason, they desperately want that item.

On one occasion, I had an item on sale for £30 and received offers from two people desperately wanted the item - things were looking up!

The two desperate bidders went head to head in the last few minutes and the item eventually sold for £182 ... there's a lesson to be learned about being tempted into closing listings early!

Flyonthewall

porto_bello wrote: »

Undoubtedly Norma's suggestions are true in many cases, but in others, sometimes the seller loses their nerve and pulls the item, fearing it will sell for a fraction of what they want - ignorant of the fact or unwilling to take the risk that there will be a list minute bidding frenzy!

Actually, whenever I have received an offer, I've stuck to my guns and seen through the listing to the end. The very fact that someone is willing to offer more money up front, to avoid competing for the item shows that for some reason, they desperately want that item.

On one occasion, I had an item on sale for £30 and received offers from two people desperately wanted the item - things were looking up!

The two desperate bidders went head to head in the last few minutes and the item eventually sold for £182 ... there's a lesson to be learned about being tempted into closing listings early!

True, but it seems to be just a weird case of listings ended for no real reason. They had bids, they're all popular items and there's no doubt the prices would have gone up far more.

I agree with the offers. It shows people want the item, as your listing proved lol. Most of the time they're willing to bid far more than what they offered. What I can't understand though is when they bid that high and yet there are BIN listings for less (and in some cases, new items).

porto_bello

Flyonthewall wrote: »

What I can't understand though is when they bid that high and yet there are BIN listings for less (and in some cases, new items).

Yes! Weird, isn't it? I think the will/desperation to win an auction takes over and they lose sight of the price - I've seen some really bizarre examples.

However, when the winner finds that they could have got the same item for less, they sometimes either fail to pay or even end up leaving a negative for the seller... impulsive bidders often refuse to take responsibility for their own actions!

Flyonthewall

porto_bello wrote: »

Yes! Weird, isn't it? I think the will/desperation to win an auction takes over and they lose sight of the price - I've seen some really bizarre examples.

However, when the winner finds that they could have got the same item for less, they sometimes either fail to pay or even end up leaving a negative for the seller... impulsive bidders often refuse to take responsibility for their own actions!

Indeed. Good point, it's not good when they fail to pay or leave negative. Many do pay and are very happy though. Daft thing is half the things are even cheaper than the BIN elsewhere. Course it's great if you're the seller, but I hate to think how much some people spend on items lol.

mrcol1000

I like to bid near the end of the auction. I have had an item at 99p with no bids vanish 60 seconds before the end of the auction