Ebay Hats: Victories, Defeats, Gripes & Items of Interest

[Frunobulax]

Well, a gripe. After seeing what appeared to be a fairly nice Dobbs Gay Prince cycle through with a $150 starting bid and not get sold, I placed a bid on it when it was relisted at a lower price. This bid stayed put for a few days until it was abruptly cancelled with no explanation. Reaching out to the seller (liftyerlid1949) to get an explanation I've received nothing but crickets.

Needless to say, I suspect somebody came along and offered the seller more $$ and they decided to take it off eBay, even after a bid was on it. What really frosts my giblets is I have a sneaking suspicion the seller is a Member here. They currently still have an Agnoulita listed.

 

[MikeinRome]

I guess I can add a gripe or less than satisfied remark. I recently bid on a nice Disney fedora, where the bidding went through the roof. I made a very high bid to insure I would not be outbid, at the last second. But somehow someone magically outbid me by $10, leaving me scratching my head as to how that was possible. After several days, the seller contacted me saying the high bidder hadn't paid so they were offering it to me for my bid. The problem is that, if it wasn't for the clown who somehow outbid me, I would have been the high bidder and the next highest bidder was about $190 less than my bid, so I should have won that bid at almost $200 less money. So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less. In discussing this with the seller, they just wanted to act helpless instead of offering it to me for a fair price. This seller is on the Lounge. So now you know why the seller never finished telling you all how that auction worked out for him and how it REALLY went down!

 

[BobHufford]

So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less.

The eBay Second chance offer is somewhat restricted in the amount of the offer:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/making-second-chance-offers?id=4142

The seller's hands were tied a bit with this format.

Another option (and the one I would have done for this big a jump in bidding) is to relist the hat and block the non-payer. Or list the hat at a fixed price of the winning bid and allow offers.

A non-paying high bidder sucks and no one really wins after that ... been there.

 

[MikeinRome]

The eBay Second chance offer is somewhat restricted in the amount of the offer:

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/making-second-chance-offers?id=4142

The seller's hands were tied a bit with this format.

Another option (and the one I would have done for this big a jump in bidding) is to relist the hat and block the non-payer. Or list the hat at a fixed price of the winning bid and allow offers.

A non-paying high bidder sucks and no one really wins after that ... been there.

I spoke to the folks at eBay and was told my only recourse basically was to try to work out something with the seller, but in this case, the seller was apparently more interested in greed than fairness.

 

[BobHufford]

I spoke to the folks at eBay and was told my only recourse basically was to try to work out something with the seller, but in this case, the seller was apparently more interested in greed than fairness.

I'm confused by eBay's answer. From what I understand you cannot "make offers" other than that second higher bid as part of the Second Chance process. Also, you cannot attempt to make a sale outside of eBay (at least via any eBay hosted communications). Yes ... a deal could have been struck via the Forum. Sorry this happened.

 

[Mighty44]

You could message the seller a Buy It Now offer and if he agrees he could repost it —maybe without photos—at an agreed time and send you the link. I’ve had a couple similar situations as both a buyer and seller. It works if everyone is on board…

 

[MikeinRome]

I'm confused by eBay's answer. From what I understand you cannot "make offers" other than that second higher bid as part of the Second Chance process. Also, you cannot attempt to make a sale outside of eBay (at least via any eBay hosted communications). Yes ... a deal could have been struck via the Forum. Sorry this happened.

eBay told me I could discuss the situation with the seller and if the seller wanted to make some kind of fair arrangement in light of the circumstances that was OK. That's all I know to tell you. In the end, I bought a couple of other hats from the same seller at auction- auctions at which not a single other person bid for either hat, so that I got them for a good price and basically made up for some of the difference. Might be a Karma thing.

 

[MikeinRome]

You could message the seller a Buy It Now offer and if he agrees he could repost it —maybe without photos—at an agreed time and send you the link. I’ve had a couple similar situations as both a buyer and seller. It works if everyone is on board…

Thanks for that advice.

 

[MikeinRome]

I'm confused by eBay's answer. From what I understand you cannot "make offers" other than that second higher bid as part of the Second Chance process. Also, you cannot attempt to make a sale outside of eBay (at least via any eBay hosted communications). Yes ... a deal could have been struck via the Forum. Sorry this happened.

I've overpaid for hats and also bought them at bargain price, been outbid at auction, it's all part of the game. It's just the circumstances of this particular deal that didn't sit well with me. Not whining. Compared to other things in Life, this is a Princess Problem.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Well, a gripe. After seeing what appeared to be a fairly nice Dobbs Gay Prince cycle through with a $150 starting bid and not get sold, I placed a bid on it when it was relisted at a lower price. This bide stayed put for a few days until it was abruptly cancelled with no explanation. Reaching out to the seller (liftyerlid1949) to get an explanation I've received nothing but crickets.

Needless to say, I suspect somebody came along and offered the seller more $$ and they decided to take it off eBay, even after a bid was on it. What really frosts my giblets is I have a sneaking suspicion the seller is a Member here. They currently still have an Agnoulita listed.

I had a similar thing happen to me a few years back with a very fine Dark Blue Vita-Felt Stetson Medalist.
The hat was listed as a bin or best offer. I made an offer that was accepted by the seller then received a cancellation notice due to “item” damaged”.
I inquired and was told the sellers dogs got into the ebay room and destroyed it. We went back and forth and it became obvious the story was bs.
Lo and behold it showed up a few days later here in the new hats thread proudly posted by a very highly esteemed member known for his outstanding hat collection, since liquidated.
The member still lurks, comments rarely.
I never outed him but easily could have. I think he knows.
That’s good enough for me.
I don’t miss him or his hats one bit.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I guess I can add a gripe or less than satisfied remark. I recently bid on a nice Disney fedora, where the bidding went through the roof. I made a very high bid to insure I would not be outbid, at the last second. But somehow someone magically outbid me by $10, leaving me scratching my head as to how that was possible. After several days, the seller contacted me saying the high bidder hadn't paid so they were offering it to me for my bid. The problem is that, if it wasn't for the clown who somehow outbid me, I would have been the high bidder and the next highest bidder was about $190 less than my bid, so I should have won that bid at almost $200 less money. So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less. In discussing this with the seller, they just wanted to act helpless instead of offering it to me for a fair price. This seller is on the Lounge. So now you know why the seller never finished telling you all how that auction worked out for him and how it REALLY went down!

Had this happen to me too.
The seller’s hands were tied by ebay’s second chance policy and he held.
I bought the hat and every time i see it i get a bad taste in my mouth and have never worn it.
Some things just aren’t worth the grief.
Near $400 lesson learned.

 

[Frunobulax]

I had a similar thing happen to me a few years back with a very fine Dark Blue Vita-Felt Stetson Medalist.
The hat was listed as a bin or best offer. I made an offer that was accepted by the seller then received a cancellation notice due to “item” damaged”.
I inquired and was told the sellers dogs got into the ebay room and destroyed it. We went back and forth and it became obvious the story was bs.
Lo and behold it showed up a few days later here in the new hats thread proudly posted by a very highly esteemed member known for his outstanding hat collection, since liquidated.
The member still lurks, comments rarely.
I never outed him but easily could have. I think he knows.
That’s good enough for me.
I don’t miss him or his hats one bit.

Disappointing to hear, as you know I'm rather fond of him.

 

[Louis Mountbatten]

On "second chance" offers, if the purchase is made that way, there is no "bargaining" on the price. You either accept the offer, or you don't. The seller can't alter the price. However, the seller can refund money if he wants after the sale. But that is not a likely scenario. The only bargaining you can do in that situation is to offer him your top dollar and tell him to put it back on the market for that buy it now price and you'll get it right away. I have done this many times. I almost never accept the second chance offer. Also, every time I have offered the second chance offer, it has never been accepted, oddly enough.

And, yes, if I get a non-payer, I immediately put him on the blocked list.

As a long-time seller on ebay, I can say 100% that the service is no longer fair to a seller. The fees have skyrocketed and there is no recourse at all for the seller. You are not even allowed to do an "as is" sale any more. Ebay forces all sellers to refund if a buyer doesn't want the item. And a buyer has more than six months to decide he doesn't want it, too! That is obscene! Buyers should not get more than a few weeks to decide to return something, not hlaf a frikkin YEAR!

I'd prefer not to use ebay, but it is the biggest game in town, so you are sort of stuck because there is no equal alternative. You can show your items to millions of ebay users, or the few hundred users every other service has.

 

[alanfgag]

I guess I can add a gripe or less than satisfied remark. I recently bid on a nice Disney fedora, where the bidding went through the roof. I made a very high bid to insure I would not be outbid, at the last second. But somehow someone magically outbid me by $10, leaving me scratching my head as to how that was possible. After several days, the seller contacted me saying the high bidder hadn't paid so they were offering it to me for my bid. The problem is that, if it wasn't for the clown who somehow outbid me, I would have been the high bidder and the next highest bidder was about $190 less than my bid, so I should have won that bid at almost $200 less money. So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less. In discussing this with the seller, they just wanted to act helpless instead of offering it to me for a fair price. This seller is on the Lounge. So now you know why the seller never finished telling you all how that auction worked out for him and how it REALLY went down!

A few thoughts... certainly the last minute bid was done through a sniping service. It might have been five hundred dollars more than your bid, but of course only the necessary amount above the last bid is what the item will sell for. I've never used a sniping service, but always bid during the last five seconds. A snipe bid will win out over mine if it is higher.

I evaluate the item and plan a bid that is high enough that if the item were to sell higher I would not be disappointed to lose it. I've had some tremendous bargains and some purchases where the bidding was competitive and the price rose to my last dollar. And of course I've lost plenty too. I've never been offered a second chance. The items I bid on are one of a kind items so I bid firmly at the final moments and try not to lose. There is great pressure on the seller to provide a good experience. I always add a reminder to package and ship carefully. I can't remember an eBay purchase that did not deliver all that I expected.

 

[StoryPNW]

I have a hat up for auction currently but I did not set it up for offers, there is one bid on it currently and the person messaged me to see if I would take an offer a little above starting bid. Is this legit?

 

[BobHufford]

I have a hat up for auction currently but I did not set it up for offers, there is one bid on it currently and the person messaged me to see if I would take an offer a little above starting bid. Is this legit?

I get unsolicited offers all the time. I don't list with the "Offer" option unless it has not sold for my opening bid amount for two rounds. I don't entertain an ad-hoc offer if I have a bid already. That just would not be fair and was not how I was raised.

Yours sounds like the bid and the offer are the same person. You could sell it to them, but you would need to change your auction to allow offers and they would have to go through that process to purchase.

 

[buler]

I was very disappointed in seeing these messages being posted. I contemplated not replying because I've seen many back and forth postings get really ugly. But what I read in your posts is beyond what I can ignore. Everyone needs to remember there are two sides to every story and here is mine.


"I made a very high bid to insure I would not be outbid, at the last second. But somehow someone magically outbid me by $10, leaving me scratching my head as to how that was possible".

What I read into this is the implication that there was something underhanded going on with the bidding on my auction. That is not taken lightly by me. There will be those that only see or read your side of the story. I would hope people would think about the ramifications of what they post on a public forum.

This was most surely done by a sniper bidding program. I thought that everyone was aware of this on ebay. No magic. Just someone using technology and a higher bid to beat you in the last second(s). No shill bidding. Nothing underhanded.

You should never bid more than you are willing to pay on an auction. Period. You can't insure you won't be outbid.



"So I was left with the choice of either paying my high, max bid or losing the hat to the next bidder $190 less."

Yes, that is how the second chance works. And you chose to accept the second chance offer.

"In discussing this with the seller, they just wanted to act helpless instead of offering it to me for the fair price."

There was no discussion. Had you contacted me on the lounge before accepting the second chance offer, things could have gone differently. You knew I was a member of the lounge and could have contacted me. I was unware of who you were or that you were a lounge member.

You accepted the second chance offer first. Period.

Then you messaged me on ebay.

Your message implied (for the first time, the second being here on the lounge) that there was something underhanded going on with the bidding. You also expressed displeasure with the purchase amount. You didn't ask for any refund or different price. And you finished by saying you were going to bid on another auction of mine.


"So now you know why the seller never finished telling you all how that auction worked out for him and how it REALLY went down!"

Since when do I post how my auctions work out for me?

"It's just the circumstances of this particular deal that didn't sit well with me. Not whining. Compared to other things in Life, this is a Princess Problem."

Then why make multiple posts on the lounge calling me out and attack my integrity? To me, attacking my reputation on a public forum is much more than a "Princess Problem".


As to the greed, I don't need your money. Your implication of shill bidding angered me (I'm human). So, while I did think about a partial refund, I chose against it.

 

[MikeinRome]

I did not in any way say or imply that you had rigged the bidding. I presumed it was this so-called snipe bidding or something akin to it. The last line of your post tells me all I need to know. "So while I did think about a partial refund, I chose against it." You said the quiet part out loud.

 

[dkstott]

Hmmm

 

[alanfgag]

@MikeinRome, I think doing some additional research on eBay bidding practice will help you understand snipes and ease the gripes. Also, please keep in mind that Bill has been a contributing member here for 15 years. I’ve received some incredible vintage hats and valuable hat knowledge from him over the years as have many others. The hats were always a bargain and the knowledge even more so.