Learn to buy and sell antiques and collectibles

Ending eBay Auctions Early

eBay recently changed the rules regarding when sellers can end an auction early. Some sellers were ending auctions and canceling all bids minutes before they ended. This was upsetting bidders. Now sellers cannot end auctions in the last 12 hours without selling to the high bidder.

Before the change, a seller could end an auction and cancel all bids with one mouse click. Now a seller may still be able to end an auction in the last few minutes, but will have to cancel each bid separately, and cannot end an auction that had a winning bidder.

Some sellers took advantage of the old ending auction early policy. Rather than running a reserve price auction, sellers would just cancel an auction that was selling cheaply a few minutes before it ended.

Other sellers use a similar system to circumvent eBay final value fees. By canceling all bids and ending auctions early then selling the items to the bidders off eBay, unscrupulous sellers avoided ending fees.

I find it quite odd. I remember a man giving me a lecture on how to cheat eBay out of a dollar. (On a $20.00 item the final value or ending fee was approximately a dollar when this was written. In 2012, it's about $2.00.) The man was proud of his actions!

This is fee avoidance and will get you suspended from eBay if one person complains to eBay about your actions. In fact eBay now has warnings in their emails about off eBay transactions.

I do not recommend doing any type of activity that will harm your eBay standing. Whether your eBay sales are a hobby or a business, you need to run them with an eye on the long term activity.

Anyway, back to the topic. Here's the rules for ending your eBay auctions early.

Anytime during the auction up to the last twelve hours you may end an auction and cancel all bids for any of these reasons:

  1. The item is no longer available for sale.
  2. There was an error in the starting price or reserve amount.
  3. There was an error in the listing.
  4. The item was lost or broken.

In the last twelve hours before an auction ends, you can end an auction if:

  • For reserve auctions - there were no bidders who met your reserve. This applies even to canceled bids.
  • For auctions without reserve there were no bidders. This also applies to canceled bids.

What does this mean for eBay sellers?

This means a seller can cancel bids on an auction, in the last twelve hours, but cannot end the auction if their were bidders who would have won the item if their bids hadn't been canceled. With the majority of bidders bidding in the ending seconds of auction, a seller who cancels bids trying to protect an item, will not be able to cancel the bids in the last few seconds.

That sounds confusing so let me say it a different way. Now a seller who tries to protect an item by canceling bids and ending the listing early, will be able to cancel the bids, but not end the auction. This means snipe bidders will be able to bid in the last seconds and win the auction.

I think this is a good change. eBay says this was done because buyers were complaining about auctions being ended early. I think it is also about eBay fees, but I know how disappointing it is to watch an item for a week, just to have the seller end the auction.

Terry

PS If you came to this page looking for a link to end your auctions early here's the eBay page .

"The IWantCollectibles Guide to Ebay Sales"
is now available for immediate download.


Many of the articles and free reports here on IWantCollectibles were originally sent to readers of my Antiques and eBay Newsletter. Not all articles make it onto the website, and readers also get notices of free reports and special offers.

Ted at his desk.

Most Popular Articles on IWantCollectibles
  • Finding Products To Sell On eBay
    How to find products to sell on eBay is the most common question I get from my readers. This page has links to all the articles and reports I've written about finding eBay products.
  • How To Be An Antique Dealer
    The best way to start an antiques or collectibles business. Part 1 of a five part series on being an antiques dealer.
  • Understanding eBay Changes 2011
    This page covers eBay changes and has links to all articles on IWantCollectibles about working within the changes. Sign up for my free newsletter for articles covering new changes as they are announced.
  • Tips for Starting an eBay Consignment Business
    Selling on consignment is the perfect way to start on eBay. This article is an introduction to consignment selling, and explains what you'll need to be successful. First in a series on eBay Consignment.
  • Shopping For eBay Products At Garage Sales
    Thirteen tips for garage sale shopping. Part one of a two part series on garage and yard sales.
  • Finding New Products for eBay
    If you want to sell new products you need to concentrate on items others are not selling. You need to find sources other sellers are unaware of. That is not hard to do. Here's a list of articles to get you started on the right path.
  • eBay Auction Category, Title And Keyword Advice
    A series of articles about getting your items found on eBay. Covers category selection, eBay keyword rules, and researching keywords. Finally you'll learn how to write an informative, keyword rich title.


The IWantCollectibles Guide to Ebay Sales
is now available for immediate download.

Free Antiques and eBay Newsletter
Get 9 Free eBay Ebooks
Free emailed newsletter includes free ebooks, interviews with eBay sellers, and helpful articles. You can unsubscribe at any time.

 
More Newsletter Information

eBay Questions and Answers

About .

Contact Terry

Free eBay Ebooks


eBay Advice

Antiques Advice

Antiques and eBay Reports

eBay Articles

Finding Products To Sell On eBay

What to Sell On eBay?

How eBay's Best Match Search Works

How To Sell On eBay For Beginners

The Drop Shipping Myth Explained

Dealing With eBay Changes 2018

Overcoming Common eBay Seller Frustrations

27 Ways To Find Antiques To Sell On eBay

Advice for Writing and Selling Ebooks On EBay

Selling Antiques On eBay

Using Facebook and Pinterest to Promote eBay Auctions

Tips for Starting an eBay Consignment Business

eBay Title Tips

Selling At Antique Shows Versus On eBay

Buying eBay Products at Yard Sales

Finding eBay Products At Garage Sales

23 Tips For Taking Better eBay Pictures

Finding Wholesale Products To Sell On eBay

How To Use eBay Listing Upgrades And Options Efficiently

Does An eBay Store Make Sense For You?

Minimizing eBay Fees

19 Ways To Quickly Improve Your eBay Auctions

eBay's Detailed Seller Ratings Reexamined

The Fixed Price Listing Trap

Finding eBay Keywords For Old Items

Adding Youtube Videos To Your eBay Auctions

Commonly Used eBay Abbreviations

How To Drive Traffic To eBay Auctions and Websites

Selecting The Best Category And Keywords For Your eBay Auction

Finding eBay Products By Finding People

Identifying eBay Products People Want

Signing Up People For Your eBay Consignment Services

Motivating eBay Auction Visitors To Bid

Getting Started Selling On eBay

eBay Keyword Rules Explained

How To Add Free Pictures To eBay

eBay Selling Tips

Free eBay Shipping Calculator

Shipping Advice for eBay Sellers

eBay Packing With Paper

eBay Arbitrage Profits

Figuring eBay Consignment Fees

How To Have Negative Feedback Removed For Under $500

Finding Antiques And Collectibles To Sell On Ebay


eBay Reports

Setting Your Ebay Business Up For Growth

Start Your Own eBay Consignment Business

Finding Profitable eBay Niches

Finding Profitable Hidden Bargains at Garage Sales

Finding Wholesale Products To Sell On eBay

Secret eBay Product Sources

Selling Public Domain Items on eBay


BMO Harris Mortgage Brokers Lie

The Resentful Consumer
© Copyright 2001-2020 Terry Gibbs
IWantCollectibles LLC
IWC LLC PO BOX 842, Mesa, AZ 85211