Selling outside the auction

sce37

I have just put up some furniture for sale today. I quickly received an enquiry about its quality, to which I replied. I have now received from the same person asking if I would accept an offer on the item outside of the auction. I haven't replied as yet. Not sure whether I can do this? Should I do this? Is someone just trying to get a quick bargain? Would welcome some advice. The item has had about 60 hits and now had a bid of 99p and still 9 days to go.

wirm

hmmm! My advice is that if the price is what your looking for, then go for it! Save on the final ebay fees if its high etc.

wirm

Those 60 hits could be the same person checking its price all the time!

soolin

One thing to remember, most items don't get bids until the last moment so you have no idea as to what you could get for the furniture if you end the listing early. Have you got any 'watchers' on it?

However you sell it make sure you are comfortable with the payment method. There was a scam recently where buyers were told they would be paid in cash on collection then the buyer turned up with stories of how the cash point machine ate his bank card etc, and gave a cheque instead, even wrote the card number on the back. Of course it turned out to be a con. If you want cash then insist on cash and don't let the furniture go without it.

Soo

ashmit

I'm fairly sure this is against eBay's t&cs, but I suppose it's down to whether you're OK with that....

(Don't have time now but will try and look it up later)

robnye

this is against ebay's t&c's

a few pointers:

1) you have listed an item on their system, when you sell the item they make more money, if you dont sell on ebay then they dont!

2) they claim that you are not covered by them if the item is sold outside ebay...... ie fraudulent payments etc

3) is the price being offered up to or more than the amount you would like to receive?

4) check old auctions on ebay for final prices!

5) whilst i dont condone being contacted and selling outside of an auction. I admit i have done it myself, but only after already having sold an item to someone, i then offered something else and then did a private transaction.

alexj2002

eBay say it's against their t&c's else they don't make their $$$ from Final Value Fee.

In reality it's a free trading world and just because it's on eBay doesn't mean it has to be sold there.

eBay T&C's say you can pull an item because it's no longer available for sale i.e. it was sold elsewhere so the two are contradicatory to each other.

sce37

Thanks all for your replies. In the event I left the item on the auction and got double what was offered. Having read the pointers I have learnt that I can close listings early which I did with another item that was not getting any bids. This saved me on the reserve price list of £1.

I have read somewhere maybe on this site that some people sell for a low price but hike up the postal and packaging to what they want. This avoids FVF with e bay. Surely they are wise to this.

soolin

Re hiking up post and packing ebay don't monitor the auctions so unless someone reports a seller with excessive charges nothing will be done.

However, having said that it is worth watching auctions as the vast majority of buyers are wise to the practice so if they see someone charging an excessive amount they just don't bid, or alternatively they bid lower than they would on another auction.

I've recently been buying a collection of similair items that cost approx 42p to post..if i see a seller with post and packing charges up to about £1.50 I'll bid, at £2 p and p I'll bid low and at £2.50 or above I won't bother. Just looking at the finishing auctions now there are a lot of items going unsold at a low start price and I suspect that is because the post and packing is extraordinarily high..I saw one last night that had £5 p and p!

Obviously if a seller doesn't show a post and packing charge in the auction then don't touch the auction with a bargepole unless you confirm the amount by e mail before the auction ends. Don't accept a 'probably about...' type of reply, if you don't get a confirmed post and packing figure don't bid.

Soo

sce37

Thanks for that information. I haven't attempted at buying as yet. From this feedback I will stick to what I do now and just sell on cash on collection. I think all in all it is safer and you tend to get genuine buyers.