eBay help - I've been asked to end auction early

[spandit]

I've got some bits listed on eBay (not Bushcraft related, really - my username there is spandit so you can see what I'm selling). For one of the items, I've been contacted and asked to end the auction early (i.e. today). I rejected his initial offer and he's come back saying "how much would you accept" (value is about £20 - not huge) but I'm naturally suspicious. He's got a good eBay record, both buying and selling (about 750 transactions). I've currently got no bids and start price is £0.99 with 7 watchers with 5 days to go.

What do you think?

 

[Barn Owl]

If it was a good offer, i'd personally take it.

I've done it myself asking a seller if they would accept an offer and end their auction.

Just my opinion.

 

[Shewie]

I've done it a few times, both selling and buying. As long as you get the cash up front and it's cleared in your account there won't be a problem.

You won't be able to receive feedback though

I did it a Christmas on a leather jacket the wife wanted, the girl selling agreed, she gave me a price which I paid with Paypal and she then closed the listing.

 

[plastic-ninja]

If he has a 100% feedback rating he's probably ok and if you have no bids you can end with no problems from admin.
Just name the price you would like ; if he wants it that much he can put his money where his mouth is.
On the other hand it is early days so you may want to leave it to run to term and just tell him to bid what he thinks its worth.
I only get suspicious if they want to come to my house to collect & give me cash.
Cheers , Simon

 

[swright81076]

I'd just edit your listing before you accept. Something like, 'this item is advertised elsewhere and may be removed before end of auction' just to cover yourself with eBay.

touched by nature

 

[LittleChief]

This is my rule of thumb when I list an item

im willing to end it if the item hasnt received any bids, as soon as it has a valid bid i let the auction run to its end

 

[EarthToSimon]

If you end an auction early you're not charged the 10% eBay take either.

 

[ebt.]

...if you end it early and trade off ebay, you avoid fees but you also lose a bit of your 'protection'. If you're not happy with that, the other option is it to edit the listing to include a 'buy it now' option. You suffer fleabays fees, but are then within their protection.

Whichever method you choose, do not post to anything other than the registered paypal address.

 

[Bodge]

I would end early for that kind of money. As a word of warning though I sold some vintage engineering equipment a while ago and was offered £75 to pull it from ebay and end early. I declined and it sold for over £1k through bids.
Add a buy it now if there are no bids and you want to go through Ebay. I have had people in the past not bother going through with the sale when not through Ebay after I have finished the item early. I tend to look at feedback and time registered on Ebay.

 

[Ed Edwards]

If you've got no bids and its an offer you feel is fair then why not. I would stick a few quid on as a counter offer though!

 

[knifefan]

Just make sure he pays you before you remove the listing!! even if you get a bid you can still remove a listing upto 24hrs before the auction end

 

[ally]

if you're worried on the protection side you can create a buy-it-now for him, yes you pay fees but you won't have any worries and it's all 'legal' on the ebay side

most bidding happens in the last few seconds, check the listing to see if you have lots of watchers, if yes I'd probably leave it up, if no then take the offer

 

[WULF]

I ve done it many times,just get money up front.
you'll save ebay fees too.

 

[spandit]

Too late now, it's had a couple of bids. Let's hope I get a better price!

 

[spandit]

Well, it's currently running at higher than the offer he made and higher that the counter offer I was considering