"buy it now" still visible after a bid

[olzewski]

Hi! Why hasn't the "buy it now" option disappeared after a bid has been placed on my item? I did not set a reserve.

[rock.star]

In some categories the BIN will stay until the bid reaches 50% of the BIN. 

[woodland_gnome · Accepted solution]

For some reason the BIN remains available in some Sticky BIN auctions even when the current bid exceeds 50% of the BIN price (like with your basket bag purse where $129.00 is slightly more than 50% of $249.00; and no "Reserve not met").  I've checked our sources several times about this over the years to see if there was a change in the rules or if these are just glitches but the people we can talk to don't seem to be able to get an answer from those who know (if anyone knows).

[olzewski]

Thanks! I haven't sold much in the last few years, and that is throwing me off. I was afraid that I had entered my info incorrectly for that item. It was my hope originally that it would go to a bid-off rather than a BIN situation, but I thought it wise to give that option in case I was misreading the market. I appreciate the help.  

[olzewski]

The bid is more than 50% of my BIN price, and I have no reserve.

I called eBay. The person I spoke with had no explanation, and I was transferred to a specialist. He came up with this blurb under BIN option -  auctions help page as the solution:  "In some categories, the Buy It Now option may continue to be available after the first bid for a limited time."

He tried to tell me that "some categories" included the entire Handbag Category. He said the Handbag Category must be included, because it happened to my auction. He said they do not have any sort of list of categories to which that vague blurb applies. He said that the vague "limited time" is not specified anywhere, either.  So, it might or might not happen to a seller for an undisclosed period of time during the seller's auction, but there is no way to know if and/or when it will happen.

He did not want to transfer me to his supervisor but did so eventually. She agreed that it is very concerning, and she will try to have the team investigate the problem.  I'll admit that I am old school. I was here pre IPO in the old Skippy days. This is absurd, though. Technology is no good if the people installing it do not understand how it works and can't explain it to users. I may have to jump right back out of selling. Sad. 

[woodland_gnome]

Here is the last public pronouncement (from 2007) on how it is supposed to work.  Again, I have never gotten an answer going through the sources available to us Mentors as to whether the rules changed (they couldn't even FIND the rule beyond the very limited vague information in the Help Pages) to explain your situation (in a Sticky BIN category--Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories; but more than 50% of BIN and no unmet Reserve):

Update to Category and Price thresholds

The following categories will have Longer Lasting BIN w.e.f 10/17/2007 with a price threshold of 50%.

1. Parts & Accessories (eBay Motors)
2. Tickets
3. Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
4. Cell Phones & PDAs

Price Threshold: 50%
i.e. The BIN option will be available on an item till the current bid reaches or exceeds 50% of the BIN price.

Note: For reserve price auctions, the Buy it Now option will continue to be available till the reserve price is met. The price threshold is only applicable once the reserve has been met or exceeded.

[olzewski]

And my first bid is above the 50% price threshold, so it doesn't apply to my auction. None of the people I spoke with seem to know anything about which categories, the percentage, or the time frame that BIN will remain visible. "In some categories, the Buy It Now option may continue to be available after the first bid for a limited time," was the extent of J's knowledge. I was supposed to accept that as an answer.