Offer Higher than Starting Auction Price

[natkor_32]

I am new to eBay, and recently listed an item for a starting auction price of $70. I think I upsold a bit, and was waiting for the auction to end so I could list it at a lower price, but I then received an offer of $130.

I combed through these forums, and this situations seems it could go either way towards legit or a scam. I checked their account and it has no reviews and was created 2 days ago. I want to confirm before I decline the offer: this must be a scam right?

[coastaltechsolution]

SCAM

Block the scammer  

[donsdetour]

Glad you came here first: now with auctions you will get ligament (USUAL low ball offers) prior to folks bidding.

90 percnet of the time an offer will be low , to what the auction will end at.

Of course if they try to get you to text them or contact them its a scam.

Note with you being a new seller you are a target for all sorts of scams. Be very careful.

Never include gift cards: never change the ship to address and so on....

https://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/stay_safe.html 

[plebartu0]

The chances are either it's a scam or someone wants to buy it now for less than they think the winning bid will end, long story short savvy sellers should always allow auctions to run their full course, you might answer this buyer as follows:

Dear Buyer,

All of our auctions run the course to the end, if you wish to place a bid you may do so anytime now.  Further, I may recommend bidding the maximum you are willing to pay.

Thank you and Happy Bidding!
Seller

[ckimodog]

It's a SCAM! Do not respond to this liar.  Their only intent is to rob you.  Block them and report them:

https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/BuyerBlock?

Stop listing auction style listings with best offer.  You are new and a target for more scammers.  List all your items with a fixed buy it now price and immediate payment required checked off. No best offers either.  Scammers look for these type of listings, especially with sellers who are new to the platform.  Do not communicate with this person outside the ebay community.  You have one listing going.  Revise it or end it and relist it.  Happy you came here to double check.  So many do not.  Hope this is helpful. 

[d-k_treasures]

How many watchers do you have? How many views? That might help determine if the buyer is thinking it will go higher than the 130 that they offered you.

If you had a BIN listing, offering more than the BIN/OBO price is a scam. Auctions, not no much.

I bought an antique toy thru auction/w BIN at 110. The auction started at 75. One with worse paint sold for 160(auction). Could I have cooked the BIN price and bid? Sure. But my decision was made by looking at the quality, the price and how much a comparable one would bring.

[natkor_32]

I have about 13 views right now which is what makes me think it is suspicious. It doesn’t seem there’s enough competition to warrant that price.

[d-k_treasures]

It still has 5 days to go.

What do each individual ones sell for, with the accessories you show on yours? Those are usually lost, so maybe it's an honest offer.

[glasser]

Actually, you can do auctions with a BIN price and that works just fine. The BIN price goes away when a bid is received. BO with auctions always a pain because if you start an auction $9.99 knowing will sell for a couple of hundred dollars you will get offer of like $25 because people think you don't know what you are doing.

To the OP, my response to the potential buyer would be to decline the offer. Say you feel it will sell for more and tell them to bid the $130 and who knows maybe they will get it for that or cheaper. If they are a scammer, they will move along.

[veroev53]

What do you mean never include gift cards? I want to pay for something using a gift card, is that a red flag or something?

[chapeau-noir]

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@veroev53 wrote:

What do you mean never include gift cards? I want to pay for something using a gift card, is that a red flag or something?

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@veroev53   It's not you the buyer legit paying for something with your gift card that is processed through the site itself like cash - the seller isn't even going to know because it's just one of many payment methods eBay takes and processes.  It's the scammer who has a bogus listing, for instance, and when a buyer wants it, tells the buyer to purchase that amount in gift cards and send the bogus seller the codes for payment.  Seller then disappears with the buyer's money.  There are a couple of variations on it.  

[gemarakop_trading]

You are and will be a target on ebay for the worst humanity has to offer. 
Be aware

[luckythewinner]

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@natkor_32 wrote:

I am new to eBay, and recently listed an item for a starting auction price of $70. I think I upsold a bit, and was waiting for the auction to end so I could list it at a lower price, but I then received an offer of $130.

I combed through these forums, and this situations seems it could go either way towards legit or a scam. I checked their account and it has no reviews and was created 2 days ago. I want to confirm before I decline the offer: this must be a scam right?

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You said it yourself - these situations could either be legit or a scam.

But if I were to guess I suspect the buyer would not pay.

[inhawaii]

When is the last time you went in to a store and paid $60 more than the listed price for an item?

There's your answer.

[ittybitnot]

What do you mean never include gift cards?

@veroev53 

The gift card component is a typical part of the "text me scammer" scenario.  As soon as you accept an offer from one of these crooks they immediately want you to text them, give them your email address, etc.  If you fall for that nonsense they think they have a hot prospect on the line and will ask you to include a gift card in the parcel because the item is a gift for their daughter (cousin, grandmother, uncle) for their birthday (graduation, first communion, wedding).  Of course they will pay you for this, and some extra for your time. 

Your payment will only be a FAKE PAYMENT notice saying you are paid, and that the money will be released as soon as you give them (the criminal) the tracking number.