I have a dilema, I am watching 2 items, 1 ends tonight, 1 ends tomorrow.

I would prefer the second one but will take the first if the second got to expensive. So, how bad form is it if I win the first but then wait for the result of the second before I pay? Assuming I win the second I would not want the first.

Generally I don't know what to do! Ideas please STW!

might be worth putting a bid or 2 on the 2nd…seeing if there's any interest in it, give you an idea as to how much it might go for…

Not sure you can back out of a sale just because you won something you'd rather have!

Out of curiosity, what are you buying? 😛

your obliged to pay for what you win, in fact it's a legally binding contract that can and has been enforced in court

Very bad form. You could put a slightly lower bid on the first so if you win you get a bargain, or the option to sell it on without loss if you win the second.

Please now ignore, I have just been sniped on the first item. I'll go for the second now then!

You seem to be missing the point. If you bid and win you pay, full stop.

sniping (at least manually placing a bid in the final minute) is the only way to play ebay if you want to get what you want for how little you want.

Pulling out of auctions if you were the winning bidder really isn't on I'm afraid. Either make a decision and take the risk, or buy both and sell the one you don't want.

I know you're going for the second now but if other users could go by the same rules ebay would be far easier to use 😀

Right, thanks for the advice, I now know this is not the done thing and shall refrain from such behavoiur!

Trouble is with the way ebay is run now i.e. sellers can't leave buyers negative feedback, buyers can pretty much do what they like.

Hope you don't ever want to sell anything on the classifieds here…

What if I win something and the buyer won't give it to me. Can I then force a court to hand it over?

Quirrel – you mean if you win something and the seller won't give it to you? The solution is to buy from people with a good feedback record (for selling as well as buying) – if you don't get the goods, you tell eBay and they can enforce or get you your money back, but any hassle and you say so in the feedback. The seller isn't going to risk that by messing you about.

But you need a seller with selling feedback – it's been known for people to buy a number of small items, get 100% feedback by paying promptly, then sell an expensive bike and disappear with the money. They don't care about back feedback because they're never going to use that account again. Which is one reason why I like to pick up bikes in person and pay cash.