What do you guys think?

I don't know the value of the item, but it seems like a good deal to me.

i personally let it go till the end....
i have lost some money by not ending early, i have also got alot more by not ending early

Glen...just accept my offer dammit.

never. guys trolling for sellers to end early are always looking for a bargain. common sense. why would they ask you to end it except they don't want to participate in the bidding process?

I agree with TIM! It also makes many others in this community that are watching the item mad. Everyone should have an equal chance at the item, and the person who wants it most and is willing to pay wins.

I have bought some items by offering an end early amount because I knew I wouldn't be around for the last few seconds, but I hate doing that as well.

I had one fair offer and ended a cruiser early, but generally, no. (ps, it was new school)

Never...because the offers are always, always, always, always, ALWAYS!!!! lower than what the final bid will be if you let the auction run its course. This has been true every time I've received an offer during my 7+ years on eBay.

true confession...

i've done the opposite on many occasions. emailed the seller and begged them NOT to end the auction early, promising to be there at the end with a winning bid.

i've also emailed sellers who DID end their auctions early, telling them i hoped they got $xxx for their item because that was my esnipe bid already loaded and ready to go.

[ May 18, 2006, 05:19 PM: Message edited by: TIM ]

I recently emailed a seller to end his item early at my price, slightly lower than the reserve+shipping.

He agreed but we both thought better of it and went ahead thru the normal process. I felt much better afterwards and probably wouldn't do that again unless the seller gives the 'auction may end early upon' thingy in the description.

I wouldn't offer or accept without that disclaimer.

I almost feel like I have to make the offer, because I've lost items I've really wanted that way. No presure on the seller, but I let them know up front I want it if they think of ending early or I'm coming in at the end if they don't. I have ended early to people I know on trade deals, but I do try to avoid it.

I agree with TIM as I've done exactly what he's posted.

I get frustrated enough when something I'm watching gets yanked that I usually never bid on their items again. So they may make a few extra $ up front but lose potential $ on the back.

It's a question of ethics.

I just don't do it because it's not fair. You could be screwing yourself, too, not to mention.

That hasn't been my case, though. I've been offered X-$ to end early, and politely declined. Some of those auctions ended at only 25% of what I was originally offered, and the "offerer" never even bidded.

So if you DO opt to go that route, (though I still don't condone it.) make sure you've got MONEY IN HAND before you end early.

Nope. I try to play fair. It's not fair to the other people watching or bidding, if you undercut them by selling early outside the auction.

However, if there are no bids and you want to post a bin, that's cool by me. That gives the guy asking, off auction, a chance to buy within the confines of the auction.

I accepted an offer to end early (couldn't put a b-i-n on cuz the guy had already bid) so I cancelled his bid so he could send payment, which he never did.Never again.

it's a bit of a double standard if you think about it...

People love to see people score... and by definition, a score is getting something at a bargain. Nobody says "I scored some aerospeeds, paid $5K for them, I'm stoked!"

There was someone who scored a GJS for $100. I'm sure both parties involved agreed on a price that was "fair." As long as both parties "think" the price is right, what's the harm? Why does having the item on Ebay change that?

willinios, you mention

"Everyone should have an equal chance at the item, and the person who wants it most and is willing to pay wins."

For many bottom feeders, they would NEVER outbid the heavy hitters, and I'll include myself as a heavy hitter. Do you call that "equal chance?" ...but you have a way around it, you make the assumption that the person with the most money is the person who wants it the most. Which in most cases, probably isn't true.

I say, the person who wants it the most, is willing to do what it takes to get it. That includes trying to get the seller to end the auction early. Bidders with deep pockets, love to solve problems by throwing money at it. Look at the Yankees...

I spend a lot of money of Ebay, never got a seller to actually end the auction early. So, all my ebay purchases have been because I was the high bidder. Like TIM, I email sellers begging them to keep the auction going.

Just playing devil's advocate.

I make my living selling on eBay - and I take offers all the time. By ending early, it gets the deal off my plate so I can move on to other things.

Granted, I accept a certain amount of risk in doing so. Could I have made more? Might it have sold for less? Am I selling myself short? Am I gouging the buyer? In most cases, I know the market value well enough to know the deal was fair to both parties...and I can live with that.

..I hate it when auctions that I am hoping to win end early, so I try not to do it myself...

For things that I really wanted Ive asked a seller to end early, because I know other people are doing it too...fortunatly, none of the sellers that Ive ever contacted, has ended there auctions early.
I enjoy the whole bidding process, and its the most fair.

Since Ebay sellers have full ownership of their products, they should decide what to do on their own terms.

Is it aggressive to ask to end the auction early? Yup, and you need to be if you want to place in a competitive environment. Many times I've had auctions ended early and in most times, I paid more than what I was willing to bid. Most may think this is stupid, but I'm willing to pay a premium (usually 10-20% more) for my convenience.

Too many times I sat back and tried playing this fair game only to see the auction ended for another buyer. I don't blame the seller but tip my hat to the buyer for taking an end run and getting the deal done. If you lob a stupid low offer at the seller, expect him to let the auction run its course. Most people know when you're serious and looking to cut a deal.

You snooze, you lose. Period.

One other thing,

There's a flip side from people asking the seller not to end the auction. This isn't directed to anyone in this thread, so keep your holsters in your pants. Case in point:

- Rarer high-end item for sale
- Buyer knows the last time it sold for $800 but thinks this one will go cheaper.
- Buyer tells seller to let the auction run anticipating it may close for $650-$700 or less.

The buyer knows he won't bid higher than $800 but hedges it will sell for less. We all know certain times of the year, the parts market has its peaks and valleys and perhaps this auction is running during a valley period. There isn't any incentive for this buyer to act aggressively, but it's in the their best interest to have the auction run its course.

Also note, many buyer's for numerous reasons won't bid on an auction after their over the top private offer is declined. Now, who's playing who?

[ May 19, 2006, 08:43 AM: Message edited by: twintoptuber ]

you have an item starting at $10 , there is 1 bidder ... it is still at $10 , i put a sniper bid on at $80 with 1 day to go , next thing you sell for $50 to somebody . if you want to sell for $50 ....PUT A BUY-IT-NOW ON IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ITS EASY !!!!!!!!!!!

RATHER THAN SNIPE FOR $80 I'LL BIN FOR $50 .

I just recently discovered what "esnipe" actually is - being strictly an ebay buyer myself and have gotten my hopes up on many things, just to get outbid at the very last 3 secs. And that's why now, if I REALLY! gotta have it - then I put up as high a maximum bid that I can afford to.

Tony
Bicycle Junkie

Love E-snipe and won't bid without it. No need to have the world see what you're chasing.

Greedy muthas out there aint'cha ?


shame ! shame !


Tony
Bicycle Junkie

is e-snipe a free sniper ???

i only use my sniper once a month / 3 times a week , just depends what im trying to get .

i have a super secure and free snipe site that lets you do 5 every 7 days .

the security of my ebay details are the most important .

pm if you want the website , not sure if they allow posting of websites here .

I use AuctionSniper; because most of the stuff I buy is pretty low-buck stuff, I hardly pay anything at all to use it. Pennies on the dollar.
I don't end auctions early. I've been tempted to ask sellers on some items but I've never actually done it. I just stick a snipe on it and hope for the best.
Another cool thing about the snipe sites is that because it doesn't actually bid til the last seconds, if you change your mind you can just cancel the snipe.

[ May 19, 2006, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: agentheinz ]

I should have taken the offer...

I would have gotten .34 cents more.

wierd huh.