eBay : Closing an auction early
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There are times when it becomes necessary - or simply desirable - to end an eBay auction early. This article looks at the various reasons for doing this, and how to do it in such a way as to maintain your good reputation.
Why would you want to end an auction early?
There are a couple of reasons for doing this. Perhaps
- the item has been lost or damaged
- the item has already been sold via other means
If you simply want to get a better price, well, ending an auction early isn’t a particularly good option for you. You really have to grin and bear it (eBay and other users will frown on anything else).
How do I end an action early?
If the item is no longer in your possession, you really have no choice but to end the auction early. To do this, find the listing in the ‘All Selling’ section of My eBay. To the right of each listing is a dropdown list; the option ‘End Item’ is the one you want.
You’ll be presented with two options - ‘Cancel Bids’ and ‘Sell item’. In nearly all cases the ‘Cancel bids’ option is the one you want. Follow the directions on screen to cancel the auction.
NB : the ‘End auction early’ page can also be accessed via the site map.
What other options are there?
It’s possible to revise your listing in several ways (although some of these will become unavailable during the final 12 hours of an auction), including ‘Add to description’. Once again, this option may be found in the dropdown beside each item you’re selling on your My eBay page.
This option - and several others - is also available under the ‘Revise item’ link on each item’s main listing page (upper left).
Final thoughts
Ending an auction early is generally used as a last resort, as it can upset bidders (and eBay staff). As with most things, however, doing it politely and when there is good reason will keep this upset to a minimum.
If I need to close an auction before the time is up, I’ll contact anyone who’s made a bid or asked a question; letting them know that the listing has been removed (and why). This can make an enormous difference in the way potential buyers see you in future auctions (as well as being the right thing to do).
© 2006 - 2007 Scott Andrew Bird.
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See also:
- Best advice I ever received
- Book fair
- eBay mini tip : little things make a big difference
- eBay Mini Tip : Information to include in your auctions
- Downloading the television shows that aren't sold
