Is it ethical?

[marchair]

I have an auction, and someone has asked me to add a high buy it now price to the listing so that they can buy it and skip having to bid and watch it. So far there are no bids, so I can do that. But I just want to know if it's ethical to do that? There is a lot of interest in my auction...but I don't anticipate it being bid higher than this person is wanting to pay.

[buyselljack2016]

You could have put a high buy it now when you listed. It would be no different than if you had done that.

I'm not saying that you should, or should not, but nothing unethical about it.

[electrola_man]

Is it ethical?  I'd say it is fine to do.  Someone has effectively offered you an amount over your opening bid and you are considering accepting it.  What I have found, though, is that when I have an item listed as auction only and there are a significant number of watchers, I get a number of offers, and usually I decline and ask the prospective bidder to place a bid.  In most cases, the item has sold for more than these offers.  I have found these early offers to be attempts to get me to end the auction and accept an offer for less than it was likely to sell for, even if the amount was higher than the opening bid.  You need to decide what is best in your case.  There have been times that I did add a buy-it-now price at an offered amount and quickly sold an item, but in most cases my experience has generally been that it is better to let the auction run to completion and invite the person to place a bid for what he/she offered, and then see what happens.

[gurlcat · Accepted solution]

If you would be pleased to get the amount they are offering, who would you be hurting?  The people who are just watching instead of bidding?  That's their problem.  If there's any concern it's whehter this person is trustworthy.  They probably are, but it doesn't hurt to check the feedback of someone while you have the chance, especially their feedback left for others.  Also if you set the BIN price to their offer amount, you might want to checkmark the 'Immediate payment required'.  -Otherwise you could have someone who just wants to quickly secure the item for themselves but then take their sweet time about paying. 

[marchair]

Thank you! I had not thought to check their feedback, but I did after you said this. It's all positive. They have been an eBay member for about 10 months and have not left any feedback. Which doesn't bother me at all. I did add their requested buy it now, and let them know I did, and that they should act quickly because if anyone bids it takes away the buy it now option (I think -- does it still? It's been quite awhile since I've done an auction.)

[marchair]

That's what I thought, too. I initially declined. But they came back with an offer that is more than I think it would be bid up to -- that is, none of these have ever sold for that much before. So I added it and we shall see what happens. 😉

[gurlcat]

I take it you're talking about pink Fenton egg plate.  😲  !Que BONITA!    Lucky you -I'd love to hear the 'find' story on that.  

[nobody*s_perfect]

---

@marchair wrote: .... I did add their requested buy it now, and let them know I did, and that they should act quickly because if anyone bids it takes away the buy it now option (I think -- does it still? ...

---

Yes, a bid will still make the BIN option disappear, except in 4 categories where that won't happen until the bidding reaches 50% of the BIN price:

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

Another possibility is that another potential buyer will notice the added BIN price and use it.

Your potential buyer's feedback is all positive because sellers cannot leave neutral or negative ratings for buyers. That's why feedback left (if any!) is important.

[iamalwaysright]

I think it's fine. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

[chevymontecarlo88]

---

@marchair wrote:

Thank you! I had not thought to check their feedback, but I did after you said this. It's all positive. They have been an eBay member for about 10 months and have not left any feedback. Which doesn't bother me at all. I did add their requested buy it now, and let them know I did, and that they should act quickly because if anyone bids it takes away the buy it now option (I think -- does it still? It's been quite awhile since I've done an auction.)

---

Great advice from gurlcat

Checking feedback and selecting immediate payment afterwards takes seconds and can save you time and headaches.

-Good luck

[steve_stuff]

If you have your 'setting' set to block people with X number of unpaid items, check to see if they are on it.

We had a guy who message that they would pay $5 more then auction amount. Was on our blocked list for too many non payment.

If you have a blocked bidder list check to see if they are on it.

[marchair]

I purchased it new from Martha Stewart's Martha By Mail catalog, probably between 2002-3. I've forgotten the exact price, but I think I paid around $99. I absolutely LOVE it! But I need to downsize and we are planning to move to a smaller house in the next few years; and I've decided to quit collecting. So... I finally decided to let it go. Although they seemed to be readily available new, they are kind of scarce, now. Until now, the highest price any of these MBM pink ones have sold for is $250. But some of the older, milk glass ones have sold for more than that. (I've been watching sales for 3-5 years.) I did add the buyer's requested price, and they bought it.

[gurlcat]

Holy cow, I thought it was antique!    Amazing how much the value has grown on a merely 20-year-old item!  It sure is pretty though.  

[monster-deals]

---

@marchair wrote:

...but I don't anticipate it being bid higher than this person is wanting to pay.

---

That is whitout a doubt what the buyer is counting on.

[redlinear]

I would have said unethical in the past, and I still think unethical.  
You have an X day auction running.  When you listed it, you set the rules. 
I'm sitting here looking at it, going to play by the rules, waiting... (you said X days, not me, so I'm waiting).
And you sell it out from under me?  To somebody that asked you to break the rules? The rules you set??
  I'm now done with ya. Forever.

However, I've had so many bidders in the past not pay.  And had sellers sell things to other people when they told me they would hold items until I got there at a time agreed upon?  (driven miles, quite a few times).
  Seems to me, the new accepted way to do things is....Take the Money when you can.

If I listed a no reserve, 5 day auction...It would end in 5 days and sell to whoever was the highest bidder.
If I listed a Reserve auction... Nevermind,  I wouldn't do that.  That's just a buy it now with a delay.

And, On the auction thing? there's very little chance you'll ever encounter anybody that you might have upset