Selling something that you don't own

[bafa_57]

Hello While doing some research I came across something that I am bidding on on an auction site and so far I am the only bidder and my highest bid so far is $ 10.00. I was surprised that someone already has the items for sale on eBay and is asking for $ 14,000. How is it possible?

[bafa_57]

Bingo

[bafa_57]

Thank you. I was surprised people did this.

[bafa_57]

It would be heresy for me to post the item number. I'm not asking for advise nor help. I'm just surprised that people will try to sell something they don't own.

[soh.maryl]

Your ability to interpret the issue is amazing! So the OP has bid on the original item, or on the item offered by the seller who has also bid and is counting on being the winner? 

[soh.maryl]

"Heresy"? 

[soh.maryl]

Whose government lists items for sale on eBay? 

[winterpalace25]

Must have been auto-correct for hearsay.

[asset_liquidators]

Yes correct. The OP is the current high bidder on a lot on a government surplus online auction. A seller on ebay has prematurely put the lot up for sale on ebay thinking/hoping that they will win it.

I have witnessed this first-hand on numerous occasions over the years. I have won lots on other sites only to see the ebay seller quickly end their listing since they didn't win it. I have also seen some listings actually SELL before the other online auction ended and the person with the ebay seller didn't win the other online auction because I did. LOL

I personally would never even THINK of putting something up for sale until I had it in my physical possession.  

[luckythewinner]

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@bafa_57 wrote:

This is actually a government auction. The eBay seller is located in the same city where the auction is taking place. The number of items in the batch is the same. No doubt in my mind that this guy is trying to pull a fast one. I can't believe someone is trying to sell something they don't own.

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I suspect there are millions and millions of items listed on eBay that the sellers do not own. The only difference between those listings and this one is that you figured it out beforehand.

If you win the auction and the seller sends an item that matches the description, there is no issue. If you win the auction and the seller does not send the item, you have the option to reward him with feedback.

[albertabrightalberta]

This is all speculation, all possible scenarios but with an OP who refuses to post an item number, all conclusions will continue to be speculation. 

What I don't get is why the OP won't post the item number so we can figure out which (if any) is the legitimate listing/auction.

[krazzykats]

Could the auction be both online and onsite?  I've been to auctions that were live on-site, and also on eBay at the same time. 

Any possibility the seller is also the auctioneer on-site?  (Or connected to it?)

[femmefan1946]

While eBay allows and even encourages dropshipping, they do NOT allow "retail arbitrage" which is what you are describing.

The reseller sees a product he believes he can sell.

He puts up an eBay listing for it.

If he finds a customer he buys it and ships.

If he cannot buy it, he cancels the sale leaving the customer disappointed with eBay.

Because lets face it most of our customers are not really aware that eBay was not the seller, that some little guy working out of his back bedroom was.

And since a lot of these transactions are purchases from AZ or WalMart,a nd are shipped in branded boxes, eBay looks even worse.

Report the listing for contravening the rules.

Your single report is not really likely to do much, but if eBay gets a lot of reports from various members, including miffed buyers, they will act.

[soh.maryl]

As well as an INR case. 

[northwestvarietyshoppe]

not one of you have asked the most OBVIOUS **bleep** QUESTION...... he states he is bidding $10 bucks on a $14,000 item??? FOURTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS........ are you all this stupid.......... omg. Get off here and stop bothering real ebayers.  PERIOD.

[biohazard888]

I see this a lot with Japanese products where multiple eBay sellers are selling the exact same item. I suspect the actual item is listed on Yahoo or other Japan auction site, and the eBay sellers are offering the same product at very high markup. If you purchase from one of the sellers on eBay, the seller will then buy the item on the JP auction site and have it sent to you while pocketing the difference in price. This is similar to retail arbitrage. One example is an antique Japanese sword guard (tsuba) being offered by at least three different eBay sellers:

324862838632

324814945556

324860507790

The original posting from yahoo: https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/o441753275