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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

I very recently made a date error in the title line of a listing and it got a bid as soon as I put it on. It used to be sellers could have until the last 12 hours of the auction to correct errors. Now they can't correct any errors as soon as the item gets a bid. I did inform the bidder of the error. But that rule makes no sense whatsoever. 

Message 1 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

Once a listing has bids, no changes can be made.  You would have to cancel the bids if you need to change anything.  It's been this way as long as I remember.

The easier you are to offend the easier you are to control.


We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did. - Thomas Sowell
Message 2 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

I think you can get a friend to ask a question about the auction and then post the question and answer to the listing.

It's not perfect because Buyers Don't Read™, but it might help.

 

At a guess your bidder noticed the error and bid quickly to discourage others. You could Message him politely correcting the listing and asking if he would prefer to have his bid cancelled.

If he agrees, and he might be bidding on what he sees not what it is, then you have a bidder -free auction and can make the change.

Message 3 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

At the end of the auction you could tell the buyer what happened and tell them to feel free to cancel

 

 

Message 4 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.


@john_wade wrote:

I very recently made a date error in the title line of a listing and it got a bid as soon as I put it on. It used to be sellers could have until the last 12 hours of the auction to correct errors. Now they can't correct any errors as soon as the item gets a bid. I did inform the bidder of the error. But that rule makes no sense whatsoever. 


Sellers haven’t been able to edit a listing that has a bid since I’ve been on eBay (21 years). The rule makes perfect sense; why should you be able to change what you’re selling after a binding bid has been placed?

Message 5 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

You can still revise your listing and explain the correction underneath the original description, but you can't change the title or description once there is a bid.

Message 6 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

I can't change hardly anything on the listing once it gets a bid and it was no more than 10-15 years ago that they got rid of the last 12 hours rule. 

Message 7 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.


@john_wade wrote:

But that rule makes no sense whatsoever. 


The rule makes absolute sense. 

 

Sellers should never be allowed to change a listing after a bid has been placed, because the bidder was relying on the information he received at the time he placed his bid. 

 

If the seller needs to revise the listing, he needs to cancel all the bids first. 

 

 

 

Message 8 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

Even if the seller cancels all the bids, they cannot change an auction that has received bids. They have to cancel the bids,  end the listing, and revise before relisting.  Might want to add a section in the Description before canceling, explaining why the listing had to be ended.

Message 9 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

It’s always been that way - otherwise, one could change anything (including something substantial) in the listing after bidders are committed to buy.

 

It used to be you could add something, and it showed in a field at the bottom. Not sure if that option still exists, and frankly not ideal for either buyer or seller.

Message 10 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.


@wrong66 wrote:

You can still revise your listing and explain the correction underneath the original description, but you can't change the title or description once there is a bid.


Nope, not any more. 

albertabrightalberta | Volunteer Community Mentor
"I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you."

Message 11 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

You sure can. I just did it 5 minutes ago. You can amend the description (i.e., "I just now noticed the doll has no arms or legs") underneath the original description. I do every now and then if I notice I've omitted something or made a mistake in the original description. You can't change the original description, but you can amend it.

Message 12 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.


@john_wade wrote:

I can't change hardly anything on the listing once it gets a bid and it was no more than 10-15 years ago that they got rid of the last 12 hours rule. 


@john_wade there's still a 12-hour rule.

 

What you can change in an auction-style listing depends on how much time is left on the listing and whether or not it has bids. For your situation, here's what you can and can't do:

 

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/revising-listing?id=4356#section1

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Message 13 of 14
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Sellers need more time to correct errors in auction listings.

I was told yesterday about an error in one of my auctions.  Since it has a bid, I contacted the bidder (he didn't care), but I revised the listing to add the correct information, which shows up beneath my description.  If you want to see what it looks like, this is my item #255322805669.

 

I wouldn't bother with the question thing, since those are pretty much impossible to see or even find now.

Message 14 of 14
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