I’ve been messaged by someone asking me to accept an offer, but as I understand the rules, I can only do that if he is the high bidder and I choose to end the auction – is that right? I’m thinking I’ll just tell him that the auction will run and to bid if he likes. Or have I misunderstood?

Every time I’ve been asked to end an auction early I’ve ignored it and ended up selling the item for quite a bit more. I don’t even bother replying to such requests any more.

If no bids yet You can add a buy it now option that they can then use (and you can review and accept if happy with it) which will then end the auction. If there’s already been a bid then I don’t know.

I’ll just tell him that the auction will run and to bid if he likes

Do this. He can put his offer in as a bid now and you can end the auction there if you like, but why would you? Basically, ask him to bid it.

When you go to reply to the message you have an option to send an offer. Use that. If they accept then all is good (assuming your happy with the offer).

Yep do that, either resist with BIN or use send offer function.
If you end the listing and then sell to the buyer outside of eBay and dodge any fees eBay will most probably send you a warning email and maybe a strike. If you are not planning on using eBay much then it won’t really matter.

Also, if you end the auction early when it has bids on it, then you get charged a fee.

I have only ever ended an auction once (because they offered a price much higher than I expected to get and they had very good and extensive feedback – I was selling a broken Mac and they clearly sold refurbed Macs). Every other time I just say ‘it’s an auction, if you want the item then bid on it’.

“Hi mate, I’ve had several interested people messaging me about this item so I’m going to give everyone a chance and let this run as an auction. Thanks for your interest and good luck bidding!”

EDIT: Unless this – “they offered a price much higher than I expected to get” then take the money!

Thanks – cut&pasted and sent 🙂

Constantly frustrated by auctions that get ended early. I don’t often bid early as that just drags yu into a bidding war but if you haven’t put it as buy now then let it run. You’ll almost certainly do better than the offer though I accept it’s a good banker and an opportunity to get rid quickly.

As others have said, I think I’ve only ever lost out once selling some car wheels and someone wanted to end the auction early. Annoyingly no one else bid after that so presumably I’d have made more money selling to him.

Why he didn’t just bid I’ve no idea.

I don’t often bid early as that just drags yu into a bidding war

Even less incentive for the seller to end it early. I think eBay would actually make more money if they only allowed existing bidders in the last 5 minutes, either that or cut the pretence that it’s a live auction and just allow sealed bids and sell to whoever is highest.