dtriggs

I was trying to bid for a new exhaust for my bike. Two were for sale and bidding up to similar levels. I was bidding on both but making sure I was only the highest bidder on one item at a time. Finally I bid on one and was told I was outbid, so then bid on the other, which I became the highest bidder on. But 6 hours later I was told the bid above me had been retracted and I was now the highest bidder on that one too. I immediately told the seller the situation and he just got shirty.

It ended up with me winning both (But I refuse to pay for both). Now I cannot see that is my fault but Ebay say any bid is live even if you are outbid, and if the bids above you are retracted then you become the highest bidder. This seems stupid - if I am outbid I do not consider myself involved anymore, unless I bid again. Surely it runs like any real auction - if you are outbid, you are no longer liable for the item.

Worst case I think is they give bad feedback and I get a 'Strike' from Ebay on my account - but still, it all seems ridiculous.

hail-hail

Can't you just retract your bid aswell?

Tiggs

"it all seems ridiculous."

as far as bloke with the exhaust is concerned...you won and refused to pay.....i expect he thinks you are ridiculous for bidding on something without understanding the terms of the auction.

newbies on ebay are a pain in the butt.

T

dtriggs

Unfortunately I went on holiday just as this was happening and I assumed by emailing the seller he would understand - but he didnt. He suggested he cancel my bids but then didnt and let me win the item knowing I wasnt in a position to buy it. So his fault I think.

OllyK

Everybody is a newbie to start with, think about it!

dtriggs

I'm not a newbie - been buying and selling for a while. This hasnt happened before. The retraction was allowed 36 hours after the bid - so how come that is allowed ? Surely that is against the rules, as far as I understand.

I am sure the seller thinks it is ridiculous too - it is ebay who I think are running it badly.

Tiggs

to make it clear!

nebies that dont bother to read how ebay works!

Funkii Munkii

You really are a grumpy old f*ck Tiggs

When was the last time you posted anything light hearted

gsm1

The seller could have been hyping his own auction with an alias.

Matt Classic

Alternatively the seller might have been getting a freind to bid up the price of his exhaust just to see how much you'd be prepared to go. You then dont bid anymore coz you've found the item somewhere else, he realises it and retracts the 'ghost' bid.
Not saying thats what happened, but there does seem to be some very odd bids for stuff,especially when the other 'winning' bidder only ever has 1 or 2 feedback.

paulr

If he gives you a negative can you not give him one too then ddo a mutual retraction

Matt Classic

Beat me to it !

paulr

You've noticed as well.

Tiggs

i have friends and family for light hearted.....i just use SN to vent my frustration at dim ppl doing dim things

gsm1

I was accused by a winning bidder of having done this once. I had cancelled the highest bid (in the last 5 minutes of the auction) because the user was zero rated and under 30 days and had not emailed first for permission to bid. The winning bidder then refused to cough up!

Alas

Tell the seller to p*ss off, take the one negative feedback and explain it in your comment reply. If you have a high feedback rating then should not be a problem.
Alas.
PS if the price was low for the exhausts put one on ebay but watch out for donuts retracting their bids