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I am in an ethical dilema here....I put my little Shih Tzu puppy up on eBay yesterday with a reserve and NO BIN....there are 20 odd people watching the auction, and I have someone who wants me to put a BIN on her so that she can buy her right now for well over the reserve...the problem I am having is, is it ethical for me to sell her out from under all these watchers noses when I didn't originally have the BIN on and they didn't have that option when they first saw her, and then go and put one on and have her gone? Help me with the ethics involved!!!
Hugs,
Krista
puca bearsKrista
two cents worth from me - I would say it would be unfair to suddenly put a BIN for just the one person.......I asked my other half what he thought and he felt the same...
huggies
Maria
Sunnie BearsIf it already has bids I would say no, it should stay as is. But if the watchers haven't bid, I think it is perfectly okay. I have anywhewre from 15-40 watchers on an auction and rarely does one finally bid
Sonya
There are no bids....I have emailed the lady back and told her that I feel ethically bound to keep the auction as I originally had it, and that if it doesn't sell then I will relist it with a BIN...I am kind of confused though and am worried that she is trying to scam me since the reserve is $250.00 and she knows that so why doesn't she just bid and ride out the rest of the week, or put in what she has offered me $500.00!!! as her max bid and wait and see, I am sure she could get it for less.....so like I said I am leery because I worry that I am being scammed....I still would love to hear all the responses, keep them coming!!!
Hugs,
Krista
I have had buyers ask me this before and I have obliged if the amount suited me and I knew they were for real.Its not unfair if there are no bids as lots of auctions have bin on.I can have well over fifty watchers on an auction.I think the bulk of them are other artists just being nosey.You could put a bin on and someone could beat her to it so its still fair???If they sound genuine and they have good feedback I would do it as lots of people hate the stress of bidding.
Laurie Lou BearsThis is a bit of an awkward question Krista and it is up to you to decide.How bear sales go I would be tempted to put the bin on so that you don't loose a sale but as you said it might not be fair for your 20 watchers.The only thing is that 20 watchers might not get you a sale to your asking price and you could have lost your bin buyer.It also depends on how long your auction has left and those watchers could have made a bid if they really wanted her.You have to go by whether you think that you could lose out or not and whether your puppy is likely to sell.If you don't put a bin you have to hope that your interested buyer doesn't lose interest.Good luck with your decision.
Laurie :hug:
You don't think it would make me look dishonest? Or unethical? I just so worry about my reputation and my integrity.....but on the other side of the coin, if there are all those people watching it, if they were really interested wouldn't they just bid???? See I am very confused by this, keep answers coming!!!
Hugs,
Krista
BrisbaneIf your puppy has no bids I think you are quite entitled to put a BIN on....all the watchers watching do not mean you will get a sale, if you think she is genuinely interested in your puppy (check her feedback ....does she usually buy bears, puppies etc) I would put a BIN on as in my experience often watchers are not always interested in bidding.
she was just listed yesterday for 7 days, and I took the chance of doing her featured in 2 categories....sooooooo....I haven't got a clue, the only thing I can think of is that this person is in France, so if I put the BIN up she will be in bed so others might see it there and be given a fair shot at her, but then again with her in bed there is the chance somebody will get her before she does, and then if I wait there is the chance that somebody will bid and meet the reserve before this lady gets up tomorrow!!!! OH WHY DIDN't I just put the BIN up in the first place and save myself alot of hassle????
Hugs,
Krista
Laurie Lou BearsMaybe you could e mail the lady again and tell her you will list a bin at a certain time so it gives her a chance to bin.I had to do this for a lady who missed my auction for some fur but I had to try and time it so that she knew when to look and didn't lose out.Bear sales can be so stressful sometimes but when you get a chance for a sale you have to try and take it.
Laurie :hug:
BrisbaneOr you could add a bit telling people that you are going to add a BIN if it doesn't reach the reserve by a certain time??
Okay so here is what i have done, I have added this to my auction
A Buy It Now will be added on Tuesday 20 February if the reserve has not been met, since there is a collector who wants to purchase Bella with a BIN, I don't feel it would be ethical to add a BIN after the auction has started without some type of notice for all who are watching the auction.
and have responded to her message with the same thing....I think I feel a bit more ethical adding a BIN after at least giving people a bit of warning?
Honest opinions please!!
Hugs,
Krista
Posts: 1,836Watchers don't guarantee anything. Nettie is right about other artists watching.....I do it. I like to watch specific artists to see how an auction ends. I've done it for years now ( I call it market research 
)
#1 concern: that the person could be (not saying she is, but could be) pulling a scam and that would be horrible for you to have to relist again out of pocket again if it is fraud.
Me personally, I'd keep the auction as is. If she wants the item and is willing to buy it now for that amount...why not simply bid? But that's just me being cautious in today's scam driven world!!
:hug:
~Chrissi
That is the big concern for me as well Chrissi, but believe me when I put the BIN on it will be immediate Payment required, I am hoping though that someone will just put the bid on and save me the heartache...and no that isn't a call for anyone to shill bid!!!! :crackup: :crackup:
Hugs,
krista
Laurie Lou BearsLike Chrissi said you have to hope there is not a scam but then if no one buys your puppy on bin at least the option is there.Regards letting people know that you are going to put a bin-what if they decide to bid because of this before that date-will it mean you can't put a bin once there is a bid as I think that is how it works in the uk.
Laurie :hug:
Exactly Laurie, same here, if there are bids that meet the reserve then you can't add a BIN, if nothing else it might encourage people to bid rather than wait till the last second...and if not at least they have been warned that a BIN will be going on and she could be sold!! And if she doesn't go, well I just eat the $60.00 as advertising costs and have one more creation for the Bear Show in Calgary....
You guys rock for helping figure things out :hug: Thank you sooo much everyone!
Hugs,
Krista
Kim-Bee BearsI don't think it is unethical to offer a buy it now... they are WATCHERS not bidders, not bidders, that is a different story... if there were bidders and you ended the auction to sell it offline, THEN I would consider it unethical ...I wouldn't sell it off of ebay though to protect yourself from a scam.... I would also check her id history and see if she is legit 
Seems like you have this situation under control though
BrisbaneI think you have done the right thing Krista.....everyone watching now has enough notice to be able to bid before you add the BIN if they want the puppy so there shouldn't be any complaints....
SanguineCreationsOkay so here is what i have done, I have added this to my auction
A Buy It Now will be added on Tuesday 20 February if the reserve has not been met, since there is a collector who wants to purchase Bella with a BIN, I don't feel it would be ethical to add a BIN after the auction has started without some type of notice for all who are watching the auction.and have responded to her message with the same thing....I think I feel a bit more ethical adding a BIN after at least giving people a bit of warning?
Honest opinions please!!
Hugs,
Krista
I think you have covered your bases, with that note added to your action, you have let watchers know about the BIN and you have no bidders yet. I think your are being fair. Good luck. I hope the BIN bidder is genuine.
I don't see anything wrong with it either. If it doesn't specifically say it's against the rules per eBay than it's totally up to you. Heck, a buyer is a buyer. And yes I would require immediate payment too. Without bids you can control your auction however you want.
Storytime BearsKrista I think what you did is perfect, that way you have given everyone a chance and completely made it fair. If this person was saying "hey can I buy it outside of ebay?' I would then be leery. I will keep my fingers crossed it goes thru, that would be a great sale. Don't you hate listing in 2 areas under features, I know it's alot of exposure but man the 40 hurts coming out of my pocket.
Storytime BearsKrista, I just went and did some "market research " :crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:
Bella is just lovely!!!!!!!! every bit worth the 500.00 !!!!!!!!
Bear hugs
Jodi
I hear you Jodi, but for us Canadians after you figure out the exchange rate it is more like $60!!! I just consider it advertising though, cause an add would be alot more!!! Sorry by the way for listing right now, but I am still trying to get my name out there, and I figure with consistent listings people may start to pay attention to my puppers!!
Hugs,
Krista
thanks Jodi :hug:
Newcastle, OntarioHi Krista,
I think what you've done is perfect, as well. You've given everyone fair warning. I had this happen at Christmas, but it was the husband of a good customer who asked me to place a BIN. He wanted to be able to get the bear as a gift for his wife and have it under the tree on Xmas morning. I added the BIN and he grabbed it. A sale is a sale!
hugs,
Brenda
