A Question TO Anyone That Knows Stuff About EBAY - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

jeenyus_one · 09-06-2003, 07:52 AM

I was wondering if you do win an auction and do not pay for it what can Ebay do to you? Also Is it legal for a seller on ebay to auction something and if I were to be winnning a bid, can the seller just cancel his auction? Cus I think that's bullshit. There was no reserve price to meet or anything and out of no where the bastard cancels the auction.

oberon · 09-06-2003, 09:13 AM

Well, auctions are supposed to be legally binding contracts if your auction situation qualifies under eBay's rules. So if you break the contract, you're liable under contract law. IANAL, however, but that's the way I see it.

I do not think it is legal for a seller to cancel the auction after a bid has been placed. BEFORE a bid has been placed, sure. There might be some extenuating circumstances, however.

Flippy · 09-06-2003, 10:41 AM

Yes, like what oberon said, you're liable under contract law if you do not pay the fee. However, it's very rare that anything will happen to you personally. What generally happens is that the seller will submit a Non-Paying Bidder form, and leave you negative feedback. The former will give you a warning (3 strikes, and banned from eBay), and the latter will make it difficult to bid on certain auctions.

For more info, read the Non-Paying Bidder Policy.

As for ending auctions early, even with bids, I've seen this happen before. For more info, read the Ending Your Listing Early Help. If you feel the seller ended it without a valid reason listed there, then you may contact eBay about it.

Nimbletoe · 09-06-2003, 02:01 PM

I know someone that bid, won and didnt pay. He was very very lucky he avoided going to jail (it was a 60,000 car).

Metallica_Band · 09-07-2003, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flippy
(3 strikes, and banned from eBay)

Not entirely true...they don't keep track of your IP or anything...they JUST ban your screen name...at least that's what happened in MY case...

I was doing pretty damn well until my @Metallica.com email service started screwing up...they had shut down my email and I was in the middle of communicating with the ppl that I won stuff from...since my email was cut I couldn't contact the ppl...and they won't trust anyone else with a different email address cause anyone could pose as someone else...so I had troubles with getting the situation straightened out...

a bitch named meowlady reported me twice cause I had won 2 things from her and she hadn't heard from me...she refused to believe my story when I used my other email...Metallica's website clearly said that the email service was shut down "temporarily"...but I don't think she believed it or something...so I got 2 strikes...she eventually got the money and I got my stuff...they're SUPPOSED to report back to eBay and tell them that all was taken care of so the strikes would be taken away...but she never did that

then I ran into another problem with someone else but the problem was something she did...I had sent the money but she said that she didn't get it...a long time went by and she reported me...after I talked to her again she noticed that the address she gave me was wrong...she SAID she would clear it up with she never did...so I got a 3rd strike...I hate eBay's customer service...everyone working for eBay should be fired...st00pid ppl would even listen to me...they just said that I was reported and there was nothing I could do about it...stoopid ppl...

about a year alater I decided to try to rejoin...I did...I guess they don't keep any kind of records of ppl's IP that were banned...but they probably don't care...all they care about is that someone is useing their service and that they get money the more ppl that use their service

eBay needs some serious problems straightened out...oh well...THANX
C'YA ?:-D

MSD · 09-07-2003, 06:39 AM

If you don't pay, you're breaking a legally binding contract, and technically, you can be prosecuted for fraud (when pigs fly.) A seller may cancel all bids and end the auction at any time, as stated in terms of use. Depending on what you're bidding on, it may seem unreasonable, but it's legal.

I bid on something a few weeks ago, and within a day of the auction ending, the seller had 15 negative feedback calling her a deadbeat seller and that they hadn't recieved their CD's. Good thing I paid less than five bucks. At least she left positive feedback before disappearing

Lyaec123 · 09-07-2003, 01:37 PM

Yea, you can cancel all the other peoples bids and retract the item and sell it to whomever outside of eBay should you so desire. This happens a lot when someone sets up a 7 day auction then 4 days in manages to sell the item locally and just kills the auction to save himself the fees/trouble of shipping the thing. I've done it

09-06-2003, 07:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
jeenyus_one Upright	A Question TO Anyone That Knows Stuff About EBAY I was wondering if you do win an auction and do not pay for it what can Ebay do to you? Also Is it legal for a seller on ebay to auction something and if I were to be winnning a bid, can the seller just cancel his auction? Cus I think that's bullshit. There was no reserve price to meet or anything and out of no where the bastard cancels the auction. __________________ I can resist everything except temptation

09-06-2003, 09:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
oberon Quadrature Amplitude Modulator Location: Denver	Well, auctions are supposed to be legally binding contracts if your auction situation qualifies under eBay's rules. So if you break the contract, you're liable under contract law. IANAL, however, but that's the way I see it. I do not think it is legal for a seller to cancel the auction after a bid has been placed. BEFORE a bid has been placed, sure. There might be some extenuating circumstances, however. __________________ "There are finer fish in the sea than have ever been caught." -- Irish proverb

09-06-2003, 10:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
Flippy Banned Location: Greater Vancouver	Yes, like what oberon said, you're liable under contract law if you do not pay the fee. However, it's very rare that anything will happen to you personally. What generally happens is that the seller will submit a Non-Paying Bidder form, and leave you negative feedback. The former will give you a warning (3 strikes, and banned from eBay), and the latter will make it difficult to bid on certain auctions. For more info, read the Non-Paying Bidder Policy. As for ending auctions early, even with bids, I've seen this happen before. For more info, read the Ending Your Listing Early Help. If you feel the seller ended it without a valid reason listed there, then you may contact eBay about it.

09-06-2003, 02:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
Nimbletoe Junkie Location: Michigan	I know someone that bid, won and didnt pay. He was very very lucky he avoided going to jail (it was a 60,000 car).

09-07-2003, 06:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	If you don't pay, you're breaking a legally binding contract, and technically, you can be prosecuted for fraud (when pigs fly.) A seller may cancel all bids and end the auction at any time, as stated in terms of use. Depending on what you're bidding on, it may seem unreasonable, but it's legal. I bid on something a few weeks ago, and within a day of the auction ending, the seller had 15 negative feedback calling her a deadbeat seller and that they hadn't recieved their CD's. Good thing I paid less than five bucks. At least she left positive feedback before disappearing

09-07-2003, 01:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
Lyaec123 Crazy	Yea, you can cancel all the other peoples bids and retract the item and sell it to whomever outside of eBay should you so desire. This happens a lot when someone sets up a 7 day auction then 4 days in manages to sell the item locally and just kills the auction to save himself the fees/trouble of shipping the thing. I've done it