Is this a commitment?

[dhaga]

I have an auction that starts at $15 with BIN at $25. I have another item at fixed price of $17.50. Buyer contacts me and offers to buy both for $37.50. After some questions about shipping price buyer messages me with "let's do it". I set up special listing for the two items combined and a shipping price that is even cheaper than what was agreed to. Buyer has not pulled the trigger and now appears to be bidding on the auction for the same item I have listed at auction starting at $15 (I suppose hoping to get it for $15 to save $5). The auction has been running for a while and relisted several times already.

I did put in some effort to accommodate and set up the special listing and exchanged half a dozen emails with the buyer over the course of a month about the one item. So my question is when they messaged me with "let's do it" does ebay see that as a commitment or agreed to deal?

[mtgraves7984]

I wouldn't think that eBay would consider, "let's do it" as a commitment... so, no.

Edit to add: sounds like you buyer might have a $15 Auction win and a $17.50 BIN, though... not too shabby.

If you've made a separate listing (for the user) that includes the item the user has bid on, I'd kill that one.

[dhaga]

To add a bit more after discussing shipping prices I gave them a couple of options. They replied let's do USPS priority. This led me to believe they wanted to do the deal. Don't get me wrong this is not a complaint or anything of the sort, it is just to help me understand dealing with buyers and ebay. I have had some other things ebay "ruled" on based on messages between myself and buyers (buyer asking me to hold off on shipping in advance of a purchase) in the past. 

[ckimodog]

@dhaga 

Just be careful when the auction ends that the buyer doesn't message you with a "text me" and ask for your Paypal account link.  Scam in the making. So many dishonest buyers out there looking to steal from honest sellers.  Good luck. 

[dhaga]

Good heads up. This is a small dollar transaction and they messaged me about the one item a month ago. I am fairly confident they are a real buyer with real interest and are just trying to save a few bucks (they pushed for parcel select but I like to insure and parcel select with insurance is almost same as priority for these particular items). 

[ckimodog]

@dhaga 

👍Hope it turns out positive for you in every way!!!

[ittybitnot]

So my question is when they messaged me with "let's do it" does ebay see that as a commitment or agreed to deal?

@dhaga 

This is not recognized as any commitment by eBay.   

A commitment is when you hit the buy button and pay.  

It seems like you went through some extra work for this buyer.  How long has the "special listing" you made been available (and not purchased)?  If you have provided the listing number for the special deal, perhaps you can provide the buyer a time limit (hours) to purchase before you end the listing. 

In the meantime, think of the old saying:  Money talks,  (insert my own bleep) walks. 

[dhaga]

I think it is coming up on 24 hrs soon. It is the first time I have done this (special listing) and it is good advice that I should have informed the buyer of a time limit. It was strange to have done all the work and provide them with the special listing to find out after I made the listing it appears they decided to try their luck with the auction. Yes I feel I bent over backwards for this buyer and I did put in extra effort to research shipping options etc. to save them a few bucks. The auction is being bid on by a different user ID and I would find it the coincidence of all coincidences for it to not be the same person. This item has been relisted several times back to back for over a month and the bid came in moments after I sent the person the special listing information. 

[ittybitnot]

@dhaga 

Unless you have more than one of those products, I would not leave both the auction and the Buy it Now (BIN) listing up at the same time.  

When things are up for auction, it is not a good idea to "end the auction early" to sell it to someone else, even if you cancel all the bids first.  eBay will likely charge you final value fees on the ended auction listing anyway. I would be inclined to 'end' the fixed price "deal" listing if you do not have enough product for both. 

[spiffy*dynamo]

I had a buyer who thought she purchased something when in fact it was only in her cart. She had a tough time navigating the process and repeatedly asked for help, but there was proof in our messages that she was intent on buying the item. Customer service told me that even with our correspondence there was no way for them to 'make' her buy the item (she figured it out in the end). I don't think eBay has a way to enforce a purchase just because someone said they will buy something. The only commitment is the purchase itself actually being made, and until then there is no buyer, just talk. People can be fickle and I personally take all claims of intent to buy with a grain of salt. The proof is in the purchase. Good luck, I hope they follow through.

[dhaga]

Thanks, yes I have a couple of these so I am not vulnerable to getting a defect should they both go. 

I would definitely not end the auction early for the reason you stated. 

[mtgraves7984]

I made a special listing for a user last week (ended two BINs and listed one BIN with two items) from a message that said, "Yeah... go ahead and make the listing." So I did. That user is still not a buyer, so I split them back up a couple of days later.

^^^ I would never have considered eBay to find such a direct message a 'commitment'... for what it's worth.

[dhaga]

I was pretty sure that is the case but was intrigued when I had another issue with a request a buyer made  ( a request to hold an item until they returned from vacation) where ebay requested I point them to a message the buyer sent me making the request in order for them to  make a judgement. Apparently some things sent through the messages are used by ebay to make a determination. 

It was an interesting conversation in that I was denied a defect appeal for shipping late but at the same time I had a similar request from another buyer and ebay approved my shipping late without getting a defect because I contacted them in advance asking about it. 

[mtgraves7984]

Apparently some things sent through the messages are used by ebay to make a determination. 

@dhaga 

You're absolutely right. I've directed eBay to messages for feedback removal and for appeals. Sometimes it works.

[dhaga]

So it appears to be a crazy coincidence. My "special listing buyer" just contacted me and completed the special listing purchase. The auction still has the bidder and closes in a day or so. Simply amazing since sales have been slow for me and this one item has had no bites for over a month and within an hour of making the special listing the auction gets a bid on the same item. To top it off I have bids on a couple other items after no action for a while. Things are looking up, I think???