First off, I think this can be extended towards all ebay auctions.
Second off, I am not free of guilt on this. I once had an item for sale (a cheap espresso machine) but ended bidding early, not for a high bid but because a friends espresso machine blew up and I gave him mine as a gift. Guilty as charged.
But I believe there is an ethical way to do this, namely if no one has bid on it yet. This hurts no one, exept those "watching" this item, who, on the other hand, could have placed a bid.
As a lawyer buddy of mine pointed out, no sale is final until the auction is ended, so theorhetically you are not shafting anybody, although it is like showing a baby candy and then eating it yourself. Not polite.
hm.
greets, kim klakow berlin, germany
> 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
> _______________________________________________
>
-- Kim Klakow Diplom Grafik Designer Akimbo71@gmx.net +49172-1786481
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