Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistake
Questions and advice about everyday life, from post office opening times to eBay queries or what to buy your loved one for their birthday.
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeLol. He made a mistake. If he sounded sincere in his emails, just cancel the transaction and be done with it. If he came across as rude, and arrogant, pay for the bike, don't go to collect it, get your money back via PayPal and neg him(Original post by jedi-master)
Erm, that he would admit his mistake and sell me the bike?
Though I doubt he's done the latter. Just accept that it was a simple mistake, where he accidentally made a BIN sale, instead of an auction -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeThe internets a cruel world. I wonder if he seller would have done the morally correct thing if he was in the buyers shoes.(Original post by RobertWhite)
Ask for your money back and move on. It would be cruel to take it off him.
There have been plenty of times where in a charity shop they sell something dirt cheap not realising its high end designer such as Gucci but its seen as an okay thing to do if someone buys the item for 10p. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeThis is bad advice. The default legal position is that the contract of sale is formed when promises to buy and sell are exchanged. If the vendor wants to contract only on dispatch, they need an express term to that effect.(Original post by Sgt.Incontro)
Legally, he has the right to cancel the contract, as most sales contracts are formed after the item is shipped. So, do get your 1 pound back (would be unfair on you because of his mistake!), but you can honestly forget about getting that bike.
Ignoring any morality, this is where you stand legally.
The better point, about unilateral mistake, has been made by others. Whether there is an enforceable contract will depend on whether the vendor's mistake was obvious. And just to be completely clear - it isn't enough to void the contract that the vendor made a mistake. The contract will be valid unless the purchaser appreciated, or ought to have appreciated, that he had made a mistake.
I'll go out on a limb here and say that it's pretty common on ebay to see things listed for a lot less than you would expect e.g. in a shop. So I don't think the question of obviousness of mistake is straightforward.
So assuming that the vendor won't actually supply the goods for the price paid, the question is: how much does the purchaser want to have this fight? And if they do, how much will the vendor resist? -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeOh thats a good idea, I'd stretch it at £100(Original post by 321zero)
Why not make him a fair offer, say £150? He may be more willing to lower his price, after all, you've already 'bought' the item once
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeWell he wouldn't actually have to sell it if ebay decided in OP's favour anyway. OP doesn't have the right to march round and snatch it off him.(Original post by tehforum)
I'd feel sorry for the dude if you actually got the bike. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeThe man knows the bike isn't worth just £1 so it is a little different. I don't think Ebay would force the man to sell it anyway. If I sell a Rolex watch accidentally for a £1 but is actually worth £5,000 they're not going to force you to hand it over.(Original post by Luxray)
The internets a cruel world. I wonder if he seller would have done the morally correct thing if he was in the buyers shoes.
There have been plenty of times where in a charity shop they sell something dirt cheap not realising its high end designer such as Gucci but its seen as an okay thing to do if someone buys the item for 10p.Last edited by RobertWhite; 23-06-2012 at 16:55. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeI'm sure you wouldn't sell a £200 bike for £1 if you were the seller.(Original post by Luxray)
The internets a cruel world. I wonder if he seller would have done the morally correct thing if he was in the buyers shoes.
There have been plenty of times where in a charity shop they sell something dirt cheap not realising its high end designer such as Gucci but its seen as an okay thing to do if someone buys the item for 10p. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeI'd tell him you bought it fairly and the mistake is his problem but you are willing to give him £50 or what ever for it or you will get ebay involved etc..(Original post by jedi-master)
Hi everyone! To cut a long story short I bought a bike worth £200 for £1 on ebay because seller made a mistake when listing it (instead of £1 auction start price he put £1 buy it now price) when I asked him about collection he said that he made a mistake. What can I do now ? ( I paid him with paypal straight away)
Thanks
This way if he accepts, you still get a bargain and he gets something more. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeI'll be honest, if I made that mistake I'd just refuse to give you the item. There's nothing you can do about it an eBay can only issue an irrelevant warning.
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeyou've said it there and then.. "mistake".. stop being such a dick about it and trying to take advantage!(Original post by jedi-master)
Erm, that he would admit his mistake and sell me the bike? -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeLooking back, the precise legal standing I gave of the buyer (OP) on eBay is not 100% accurate.(Original post by mja)
This is bad advice. The default legal position is that the contract of sale is formed when promises to buy and sell are exchanged. If the vendor wants to contract only on dispatch, they need an express term to that effect.
But it is good advice.
I am however MOST certainly correct about the definition of the legal binding contract I gave, but for large online businesses. (E.g Carphone Warehouse, Curry's etc...). Looking back, I realize that eBay is not the same, but my original advice is still valid as the OP still doesn't have a proper leg to stand on legally. (Very wish washy scenario.)
Also the nature of the seller can be critical. You are far more likely to get a cooperative and generous response from a major company with a good reputation (say, John Lewis) than with a sole individual on eBay, or small trader on eBay.
If the seller refuses, there is not much OP can do. I am almost certain eBay will not push the seller to honor the mis-price, or do anything about it. And it is certainly not worth pursuing it any further. -
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakemate... why dont you just offer him something like £75 to buy it or agree on a price.... dont be a pathetic idiot, you should have known better before giving away your life savings....
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Re: Ebay help - bought an item insanely cheap now seller says that he made a mistakeHe could easily get out of selling you it by claiming it's stolen so there's no way that ebay can actually force him to sell the bike to you. You can however get your pound back.
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