YAET: High bidder is a deadbeat, should I sell to next highest?

I put my 35mm SLR camera up for sale on eBay and it sold for a LOT more than I thought it would ($217.50 + shipping). The high bidder was brand new, and I haven't had any contact from him since the auction was over. He won a couple other auctions and I emailed the sellers, and they're all saying he's a deadbeat too.

I emailed the next-highest bidder with a second chance offer (I did the communication outside eBay...I know, bad jumpr!) and they responded with an offer of $175 including shipping.

This is a lot less than I WOULD have gotten for the camera, but it's also more along the lines of what this camera would actually sell for, used. My question: Is it okay to sell to someone outside eBay, and would you sell this camera for $175 shipped?.

The buyer doesn't have his Second Chance offers enabled, so I think I'll tell him to turn on Second Chances if I decide to sell it, and then I'll be covered by eBay's policies.

Thanks!

EDIT: I think I'm gonna email him back and say I'll sell it for $190 shipped. I think that's fair, considering that this guy bid $215, and I offered to sell it for $200 shipped...I don't think it's cool for him to now offer $175 shipped. Also, I don't think I could get that much $$ again if I relisted the camera, which is why I'm considering selling it outside eBay.

 

[Zee]

didnt u just answer your own question?

 

[Kenny]

Originally posted by: Lazee
didnt u just answer your own question?

He didn't.

My question: Is it okay to sell to someone outside eBay, and would you sell this camera for $175 shipped?.

The buyer doesn't have his Second Chance offers enabled, so I think I'll tell him to turn on Second Chances if I decide to sell it, and then I'll be covered by eBay's policies.

He wants to know if he really should go through with it or not.

 

I'm also going to see if I can contact the bidder via phone. I got their contact information (and they got mine...ugh) but I think the phone number might be a fake. I'll try looking up the real #.

 

[Zee]

oh gotcha. selling outside ebay is fine for you. the risk is with the buyer.

sell it. doesnt seem that bad and if you want to get rid of it, then no regrets

 

Originally posted by: Lazee
oh gotcha. selling outside ebay is fine for you. the risk is with the buyer.

sell it. doesnt seem that bad and if you want to get rid of it, then no regrets

Yeah...the thing is, if I can file a NPB after 7 days and get my listing and final value fees back, then I'll potentially be able to sell it again for a good amount.

Ugh, what a hassle! Stupid deadbeats!

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: jumpr
I'm also going to see if I can contact the bidder via phone. I got their contact information (and they got mine...ugh) but I think the phone number might be a fake. I'll try looking up the real #.

It's technically against eBay's TOS, but who cares? I've done it before.

You won't be able to exchange feedback, but on the plus side.. you won't have to pay final value fees.

What was the person's 2nd highest bid? Remember, they're not bartering with you. If you offer to the 2nd highest bidder, offer at their highest bid.

Just make sure to have CASH in your hands before you ship the camera.

 

[Eli]

bah, DP..

well, if you feel insecure about the 2nd bidder at all, then just go through the process of relisting it.

Put in your TOS that you must make contact before bidding if you have 0 feedback, and you reserve the right to cancel any and all bids at any time.

 

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: jumpr
I'm also going to see if I can contact the bidder via phone. I got their contact information (and they got mine...ugh) but I think the phone number might be a fake. I'll try looking up the real #.

It's technically against eBay's TOS, but who cares? I've done it before.

You won't be able to exchange feedback, but on the plus side.. you won't have to pay final value fees.

What was the person's 2nd highest bid? Remember, they're not bartering with you. If you offer to the 2nd highest bidder, offer at their highest bid.

Just make sure to have CASH in your hands before you ship the camera.

His words were:

Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry the high bidder turned out to be a
deadbeat. My situation is that I am looking for a camera for no more than
$175.00 right now. I understand that I bid $215.00 last week but since then
I have found some pretty decent (not as Nice as yours) cameras in that
range. I would love your camera but I can't offer you more than $175.00
including shipping.

I offered to sell it for $200 + shipping, but he countered with that. I told him I'd contact the other bidders and get back to him. Should I say $215 shipped, firm? I really want to get SOMEWHAT close to what I was going to get.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: jumpr
I'm also going to see if I can contact the bidder via phone. I got their contact information (and they got mine...ugh) but I think the phone number might be a fake. I'll try looking up the real #.

It's technically against eBay's TOS, but who cares? I've done it before.

You won't be able to exchange feedback, but on the plus side.. you won't have to pay final value fees.

What was the person's 2nd highest bid? Remember, they're not bartering with you. If you offer to the 2nd highest bidder, offer at their highest bid.

Just make sure to have CASH in your hands before you ship the camera.

His words were:

Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry the high bidder turned out to be a
deadbeat. My situation is that I am looking for a camera for no more than
$175.00 right now. I understand that I bid $215.00 last week but since then
I have found some pretty decent (not as Nice as yours) cameras in that
range. I would love your camera but I can't offer you more than $175.00
including shipping.

I offered to sell it for $200 + shipping, but he countered with that. I told him I'd contact the other bidders and get back to him. Should I say $215 shipped, firm? I really want to get SOMEWHAT close to what I was going to get.

Go ahead and contact the other bidders.

What was the 3rd highest bid?

I've never contacted the other bidders and offered a deal, I'm not sure how it works.. how does the feedback get handled when you do that?

 

[Eli]

CHRIST!

 

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: jumpr

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: jumpr
I'm also going to see if I can contact the bidder via phone. I got their contact information (and they got mine...ugh) but I think the phone number might be a fake. I'll try looking up the real #.

It's technically against eBay's TOS, but who cares? I've done it before.

You won't be able to exchange feedback, but on the plus side.. you won't have to pay final value fees.

What was the person's 2nd highest bid? Remember, they're not bartering with you. If you offer to the 2nd highest bidder, offer at their highest bid.

Just make sure to have CASH in your hands before you ship the camera.

His words were:

Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry the high bidder turned out to be a
deadbeat. My situation is that I am looking for a camera for no more than
$175.00 right now. I understand that I bid $215.00 last week but since then
I have found some pretty decent (not as Nice as yours) cameras in that
range. I would love your camera but I can't offer you more than $175.00
including shipping.

I offered to sell it for $200 + shipping, but he countered with that. I told him I'd contact the other bidders and get back to him. Should I say $215 shipped, firm? I really want to get SOMEWHAT close to what I was going to get.

Go ahead and contact the other bidders.

What was the 3rd highest bid?

I've never contacted the other bidders and offered a deal, I'm not sure how it works.. how does the feedback get handled when you do that?

Third highest bid was only $130...so I'm sorta bluffing on the 'other bidders offering more' part. However, I think I'll request that he send a USPS MO if I end up selling outside eBay...that's an easier and more secure way to do it, for me.

 

The problem is, I don't think I could get this much if I listed the camera again, but I honestly think that this guy should pay me some more $$ for the camera, considering he bid almost $50 higher than his offer.

Ugh...maybe I'll just say, "I'm willing to sell it for $190 shipped, firm."

 

[crypticlogin]

... but I honestly think that this guy should pay me some more $$ for the camera, considering he bid almost $50 higher than his offer.

Well don't you think that's part of the problem? You're now going outside of eBay to make the offer but you're still holding him to his eBay bid? Plus, the buyer now knows you wouldn't be going to them outside if you thought you could get the full bid price on eBay so of course, expect them to wrangle you about a little.

Your chance to get his full bid price on your camera went out the window when you didn't make the offer through eBay. My $0.02.

edit: And now that I look at the bidding history, I personally think the 2nd highest bidder is being kind of generous considering he was bidding solely against the deadbeat. If there were maybe a few others in the top running, you might have a stronger argument but com'on, twelve bids on the highest bidder's two (for the same amount, so essentially one) that never got topped? I'd be a little insulted if you came to me, after the fact, and expected me to pay the full $215 which was in competition with a deadbeat that may have just been jacking the price for fun or whatever.