I agreed to do a deal with an ebay seller for something that was up for 65 + 20, the price arranged was 70 all in, so I paid. Now he realised within the last twelve hours he couldn’t end the auction…..and it sold for 275, but he’s said his word is his word and it’s still mine.

What would you do?

Pay the agreed price?

Let him sell it for £275 and bank the karma.

You both agreed a price and you paid it.

Thank him, remind him that he is an upstanding fella and enjoy whatever it is that you have bought.

Split the difference with him and let the buyer have it?

He’s already said his word’s his word and he’ll let you have it for the agreed price.

Since he’s already demonstrated more moral backbone than most I’d be inclined to politely decline his offer and let him sell it for the full £275.

Flaperon +1

Karma.

but he’s said his word is his word and it’s still mine.

Can’t see the dilemma, personally!

What do you think it’s realistically worth? Was the £275 a real bid?

Seems strange he settled for a price that seems to way lower than market value.

Thank him but walk away.

There is probably a 50/50 chance of it actually turning up too.

Surely the moral dilemma was for him?

I’ve given him two opportunities to back out and take the money but he’s standing firm and told me not to be silly. The dilemma was his but I still felt guilty about him missing out on so much money. He has since mailed me a pic of the item boxed up ready to go. With regards to the market value it’s a piece of yamadori bonsai material so value is very subjective.

That there is a story to confirm why you should tell someone to do one when they ask you to end an auction early.

As he seems insistent I’d take it. Provided the item arrives I’d be sending him a little thank you gift. I do hope he doesn’t get stung for best part of £30 of ebay fees – that would be very sad in this case!

Applaud him for his generosity but accept the deal and perhaps a nice bottle of wine for him to sup? Or chuck 100 quid to his chosen charity and still be up? Good karma all round.

sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t… you won here… remember it next time life (gently) kicks you in the nuts

nobodys mentioned the actual auction winner here. could he potentially cause trouble for winning it and being told its being sold to someone else?

Its Christmas let it go, unless you really really must have the Bonsai thing.

I’d see the sellers side ultimately. I imagine he realised he couldn’t end it BEFORE he saw the ultimate conclusion of the auction in which case I’d bow out. Leave it with him.

Ultimately though he’ll just refund you- you wont have a choice in the matter anyway.

Isn’t, or didn’t maybe, the whole point of eBay used to be about getting a deal?

The OP has got one, so why feel bad? The auction could have ended at £50.

£200 smackers is a lot to lose – as he’s obviously a nice guy by offering to honour the deal, be an even nicer one and let him sell it to the winning bidder.

The seller was trying to avoid Ebay fees and it’s backfired – take the deal you got.

£200 smackers is a lot to lose – as he’s obviously a nice guy by offering to honour the deal, be an even nicer one and let him sell it to the winning bidder.

What if the high bid is a shill bid? Why did the guy let the auction run? Did he want the safety net of the OP’s offer? Why do fools fall in love?

Distrust everyone! 😛

Slam it straight back on eBay with a reserve price of £250. If it sells, consider sending him some of the profits.

Sadly, it’s easy to be cynical about these things. Either he’s genuinely a nice guy, or he’s got his mates to bid in the hope you’ll send him more money, hard to know which. What other feedback does he have, does that give you any clues?

You made a deal that both parties were happy with so I’d just run with it, personally.

How long did the, auction have left to run before you contacted him asking to end early? Seems daft to leave it until the eleventh hour before trying to pull the listing unless the seller was trying to hedge his bets.

Meeting in the middle might be an option if it bothers you but, as already stated, these other bids may well be bogus. Sorry to sound cynical but ebay is real bandit country…