eBay auction... strange "bidder" behavior...

I've sold a few things on ebay in the past, but this is a first for me:

I'm selling a "big ticket" item: my Apple Titanium Powerbook. I started it at $1, it's up to $660. I expect it to go for somewhere between $1700-$2000.

Here's what's strange to me: people are emailing me left and right asking me to end the auction early. I've gotten 8 emails so far, and the auction has only been up for about 10 hours.

I don't get it? If I wanted to sell it for a fixed amount, I'd have put a buy it now on it with a high reserve.

I've never had this response before - not from the music equipment things I've sold, or the cds or dvds.

Is this normal for expensive items?

 

When I put up sliding glass doors I was also getting emails asking me to end the auction and sell for a fixed price. Not as many as you though.

 

People are hoping to get your item cheaper than the price it will ultimately reach by the end of the auction. They also hope you'd rather take a lower selling price because you won;t have to give e-bay it's cut if you just pull the auction.

 

Don't give the game up, Jeff. They try to crack people like that when they REALLY want something. It's just stupid.

 

Exactly right. Stay with this one, Jeff; ignore the e-mails. Some jokers want it that bad, they can ride it out. Doesn't matter to them that if you wanted a fixed price, it would have been a BIN.


ED

 

I have had people email me, ask for my phone number, and then be down right abusive in their communications about ending an auction early.

It seems that everyone is out to get a "deal". I have to explain to them that part of the "fun" of eBay is watching the bidding (esp at the last minute or two (), yet some folks don't get it.

If I wanted to sell it outright, I would have used BUY IT NOW.

Stand fast, ignore the emails, and let it ride!

PS - I have a nice form email I created, something like "Thank You for your interest in my auction. Blah - Blah - Blah - consequently, I do not end auctions early." It usually works, however, I always get a mean spirited reply or two.

 

I'd sent it from an address nobody can reply to. Sort of like the mailers I get from some online sites.

Yeah, Jeff, stick with it. I'm thinking of adding that to my standard auction template in fact. You can still go in and edit your auction's description, I think, if time remaining is greater than 12 hours. Take the pesky questions and answer them in your description..."I will NOT end the auction early!" Or put a twist on it: "I WILL end the auction early ONLY if you Buy It Now for $2,750, and I'll throw in free shipping!"

Of all things, I had the silliest questions on a set of 8-track tapes I was selling. I made it clear that I wanted to sell all of them in one lot, sealed. I had one person ask me to please quote him a price for shipping on just the outer sleeves. I ignored the e-mails, and when I relisted, I put it quite plainly in there that they were being sold as they are, no changes!

I like eBay's bidder blocking feature. I put one on for a notorious buyer of TJB CDs...he's famous for driving the prices up, buying up all copies he can find, and then relisting on eBay or selling on half.com. NO way I want this person bidding on my auctions. I would rather have a legitimate person who WANTS this music to buy it, and enjoy it, rather than have it turn over to a price-gouging opportunist. [/vent]