Seller cancels bid on E-Bay

I've taken hits selling on ebay. Not saying I lost money but I didn't make any. But I kept my end of the bargain. In the long run I made return customers that spend more & more. Just because its been done to me doesn't make it right to do to others. Somewhere on this earth there's got to be some honor left.

 

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eBay will flat out tell you that they prefer the buyer/seller work the issue out on their own before getting them involved. I lost out on a $25,000 coin because the seller realized what I'd won and paid for. He was smart/evil enough to avoid writing any of our communication through the eBay messaging system, though (called me on the phone.)

Rules exist solely for those who are willing to abide by them.

 

On ebay I'm a seller, not usually a buyer so I want to give my 2c on this seller. If he is so brazen as to admit he canceled the listing because of the low price, he doesn't deserve any business. Being a coin seller isn't about playing games, it's about selling coins. I start every listing at the least amount I'm willing to accept. If it sells I'm happy, if it doesn't sell I'm still ok. To lure someone in with a low price then cancel the listing is underhanded and unprofessional. Sad that there are shysters like this. If I were a buyer I'd never shop with that seller again. Plus, my days are so jam packed frantic busy all day that I can't imagine having enough free time to monitor auctions that are ending. Usually I don't know what they sell for until it's being shipped. Recently I listed a Roseville vase that I wanted to sell for 69.99. Somehow I put the wrong amount and it got listed for 29.99...and of course I didn't realize until it was sold and paid for. I'm a big boy and I took my lumps. I shipped it out and hope the person enjoys the bargain and will shop with me again.

Too bad you had this experience, sadly ebay is a home to skeazeballs like that guy but there's many many good sellers there too.

 

Sad but true!!!

 

Well said. That's why I hope the op contacts eBay. I sure would like to know what they would or would not do with a reply message like that

 

25k?? Good Lord, tell us about this!

 

This is the exact coin I "won" on eBay...now the example for the variety on PCGS website HERE. Was at $9 until the last ten seconds of the auction, when someone tried to snipe me out (except I'd expected that.) Paid for it immediately. Next day, was marked shipped.

Got a call on Monday from the seller. Told me different parts of three different stories that didn't line up or make sense when added together. Was obvious he was lying, and I told him so. He responded that he was a millionaire who didn't need to bother with people like me. Also that he didn't care, because there was nothing I could do about it...so he blocked me from bidding on his future shady auctions. Contacted eBay and their response was complete indifference (I mean, he's a much, much bigger fish on eBay than I am.)

$20-25k is my estimate of what the coin could have gone for at auction. (I could be completely off on that one, or not.) An AU58 sold on Heritage for $10,281 back in 2013. There is ONE higher at PCGS (an MS64) valued at $26,000.

Here is PCGS' writeup of the variety:



There used to be a thread here on CoinTalk discussing it - either it's been deleted or I just can't find it.

Think I'm making it up? Oh...I'm not. I have proof. I've blocked out the eBay seller's name and location so Peter doesn't get in trouble (or get angry at me.)



Here's what his photos looked like:

 

Lol sounds like the buyer may have done you a favor

 

@stldanceartist Sick to my stomach...

 

Don't fret. It's just how the world works.

 

Yup. As my dad likes to say, "another bus always comes along"

And usually millionaires don't use their wealth as an overstatement to make a point in an argument. My grandfather or any of his friends never would have. Hell, you wouldn't even have known it by looking at them or talking with them

 

I've been on that side of things too... that really sucks!

 

Unfortunately, there are sellers out there looking to rip people off, and there are also buyers out there looking to rip sellers off. It's definitely one of the most frustrating things that eBayers have to deal with. Honesty is always the best policy, whether you're a seller or a buyer.

 

If you want to save Peter, perhaps you should have also blocked out the photo. You know, the one that CLEARLY displays the seller's name?

That said, and the only one who can answer this is you (to yourself, not us), what would you do? Most everyone here would likely claim that they'd take the noble high road and honor the sale, but let's be honest here.... nine out of ten or more would be lying through their teeth. By your own estimation you're expecting him to leave $24k on the table. That's a hell of a lot of scratch, and unless you, again being honest with YOURSELF (not us) can truthfully say that you'd have taken the loss, you've no right to complain. It's one thing to sell a $69 base for $30 and use it as an excuse to pat one's self on the back, but something else altogether to leave what he would've on the table. Let's be real here...

 

My screen does not show the sellers name...

EDIT: Yep. Saw where it was hiding under the "SOLD" image on the left. Fixed.

 

What would I do?

Well, for starters, I probably would have paid attention to what I was selling.

And what I would do makes no real difference. Because it wasn't me who actually did something sketchy.

The important points here are:

1) Sellers/dealers should know what they are doing. If they fail to educate themselves on their inventory, or fail to pay attention to running their own business, that is not the responsibility of the buyer. But putting an item up for an online auction that is supposed to be a legally binding contract and then pulling the item because you figured out (too late) that you made a huge mistake...IMO that is shifting the responsibility for knowing the product to the buyer, and if the buyer happens to uncover an expensive item, the seller can just say "Sorry Charlie, nothing you can do about it."

This seller has a documented history of doing this exact type of shenanigan...and getting away with it. He cheats someone out of a coin that is more valuable than what they paid, then bans them from his auctions.

2) eBay will only enforce their "rules" or "policies" on the little guys. Golden rule - whoever has the gold, rules. We've seen numerous examples of counterfeits being sold by volume sellers in China that are not properly described or stamped COPY - and those sellers still find ways to get those counterfeits right back on eBay (if they are even removed in the first place.)

Now, am I still bent out of shape about this? No. There is literally nothing that ruminating over this deal gone wrong that will help me, just like there was nothing I could do at the time to get the coin that should rightfully be mine.

Now, what would I do if I ever came face to face with this guy at a show? That's an interesting question...

 

@stldanceartist

First, I want to make it VERY clear that it was nothing personal, Benjamin, nor am I in any way implying anything, one way or the other, regarding how you'd handle the shoe being in the other foot. Your unfortunate story is simply a vehicle to push the issue of how some expect or demand others to do what they themselves would not.



That said, I respectfully disagree and believe it actually makes every "real difference" what you (or I should say whatever individual in your situation) would do, and for the simple fact that unless they would've happily handed over and swallowed such a loss, they've no right or reason to point fingers. Again, I'm certainly not saying that you would or wouldn't, but simple decency demands that we cannot hold others to a different standard than we hold ourselves. If you would have (and we'll never know for sure) taken your lumps, God bless you for it; I could say with great confidence that you would be one of the very, very, very few who would. I will also admit that if put in that situation, I would probably have a hard time leaving that much on the table, especially if an eBay offering and for the very reasons stated earlier by @baseball21. I cannot say, one way or the other with absolute certainty, that I would be able to stomach it, even with my firm and long-rooted sense of fair play, so it's hard for me to automatically condemn this person even if I'd like to.


1) Personally, I couldn't agree more that dealers, real or wannabe, and sellers have the absolute responsibility to KNOW what they have, and this includes every single entity or individual offering anything on the bay. This is something I've written on this many times here as I do feel that strongly about it. The moment ANYONE lists an item for sale in said retail setting, any pass they may have deserved due to a lack of knowledge instantly disappears as far as I'm concerned. Unfortunately, eBay politics are a reality, and as long as there's an uneven playing field, the should be and is will remain two totally different things.

As for the "supposed to be a legally binding contract", ideally you're right, but the sad reality is much, much different. It cannot rightly be "legally binding" to sellers when buyers are allowed to free reign to bid, break, ignore, and avoid their side of the deal. I can only assume that you, as a seller yourself, can understand this and possibly relate.

2) I certainly cannot argue against that even if I wanted to. It's true and we both know it to be so.

You've displayed a fine attitude about this whole thing and it is commendable. Kudos.

 

Thinking from a long term strategy-based viewpoint, IMO the best option is as follows:

(I am hypothetically the seller.)

Call the buyer. Tell them that the failure to recognize the valuable variety was an oversight, and that the sale cannot be completed as a result...but offer the buyer (as a sort of finders fee of sorts) a significant (but not outrageous) portion of the proceeds when the coin is sold. At this point you are being honest with the buyer, which shows both a respect for them as a human being and for the business relationship between you and the ethics involved. You are also protecting your own financial survival.

If buyer accepts this, you have hopefully rewarded someone in a meaningful way, all while being honest and fair. One would hope (if the find were significant enough) the buyer would be happy enough to spread the word of their expertise in cherry picking...and you can walk with your eyes off the pavement.

Just my initial thoughts. And no offense taken...

 

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