posted on August 30, 2000 03:46:56 AM new
Anyone have any advice on how to handle this? Inexplicably, I listed a book twice last week, and as fate would have it, it sold twice at exactly the same closing price. Jump ball?
posted on August 30, 2000 04:18:45 AM new
Oh dear!
If it is a commonly available book, can you get another copy?
If it's scarce, I'd write to the buyers, explain what happened, send the book to the winner of the FIRST auction to be listed, and brace myself for the negative from the second winner.
posted on August 30, 2000 04:54:53 AM new
I was a buyer in a situation like this. I was very understanding and let the seller off the hook, but I asked her to leave me positive feedback as my little reward.
Hope it turns out ok for you. I would contact the second buyer and be completely honest with them. I wouldn't feel that it was necessary to contact the first one, as they are the ones that should get the book.
posted on August 30, 2000 06:05:34 AM new
Thanks for the reply, Abacaxi. It's not an exceptionally valuable book--actually, it's a small souvenir booklet about how the Amish butcher the English language--but it's not available on any of the databases I searched (it figures).
I like your idea about offering positive feedback for the empty-handed buyer, Jozi, though, since only eight seconds separated the two closings, I guess it's a tossup who the winner is.
Has anyone else had problems with Auction Watch Pro double listing items? This is the fifth or sixth time this has happened to me, and since I list 100's of items a month, I don't always have time to search for this problem.
posted on August 30, 2000 06:58:58 AM new
Craig, I have never had that happen with Auction watch pro listing something twice but I have had it happen with Ebay listing it twice. I have gone to send the auction and it comes back as a error message, so I send it again. I checked the listings and sure enough it was on twice.
I ended one auction and sent the info in email to ebaY and they promptly refunded the listing fee of the ended auction.
It is a dilema now as you never caught it early enough. It seems that by using a service they should have some responsibility in the matter but we know in fact they will do everything possible to do just the opposite.
Since both bidders were just seconds apart, I would not pick one but see if they could choose one. Maybe one is willing to volunteer to not buy the book providing you leave apropriate feedback as mentioned.
Just be honest with the bidders and it will hopefully turn out well. Would also be wise to just take the extra minute or so to look to see if you have any double listings each day after the get posted. Not going to take long and would save you this agravation in the future.
posted on August 30, 2000 10:39:46 AM new
Thanks, Snapsnert. Yes, I was leaning toward contacting both buyers but not simultaneously. They might BOTH decide to step aside--you know how gracious those Amish are--and then where would I be? In any case, I suppose I'll have to be more diligent in inspecting my auctions.
posted on August 30, 2000 10:43:50 AM new
Maybe you could tell them you are sorry for the mistake, but you are cancelling BOTH bids and putting the book up for auction again and give them both the new item # so they can re-bid and win fair-and-square this time. That way, you also won't have to take sides who to sell the book to.
____________________________________
The only place you'll find success before work is in the dictionary.
posted on August 30, 2000 05:16:27 PM new
That thought crossed my mind, Valerie, but I don't think I'm within my rights to cancel an auction after it's closed. I've written one of the bidders, so I guess I'll just have to wait for the sky to fall. Thanks for writing.
