[CR]The ethics of ending auctions early on vintage items on eBay.

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

From: <OROBOYZ@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2003 09:24:53 EST
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]The ethics of ending auctions early on vintage items on eBay.

I just had a question from a list member about this (troubling in my opinion) tendency of late for sellers of old bike parts stopping auctions to accept a (presumably high) offer from a buyer, thereby nipping in the bud all standing offers from others.

I have copied my response below, in order to elicit your opinions and comments. I think it is on topic because so many of us find the bits and pieces for our old bikes through eBay.......

<< I (believe) that canceling an eBay auction before it is allowed to run it's course is unethical on the part of the seller, and by logical extension, to the buyer.

In my opinion, when one offers an item for sale in an eBay auction, that constitutes an agreement to enter into a pre-established defined system of trade, a set process, agreed upon "terms of sale".

To allow someone (in this case, you) to make an offer that changes those agreed upon term or conditions. and remove all the bidders efforts to jointly bid, is a violation of this agreement and of ethics. If the other bidders were made aware of the "behind the scenes" offer and given a chance to beat it, that would be fair. But then we would be right back in an auction context as eBay allows.

Ending an auction to accept a particular person's offer, to the detriment and elimination of all other bidders, eliminates the promised competition to buy at a highest bid. It simply is not playing fair.

I personally would cease bidding on items placed for sale by sellers who ended auctions early to accept out-of-auction offers.

That's my opinion.....

Dale Brown
Greensboro, NC