MJT Ending Auctions Early?

[Night Prowler]

Well I'm not sure whats going on but here's what's been happening, I'll be interested to hear your comments.

I had my eye on a really cool Tele body that was up for auction on eBay, (link removed). I'm one of those who likes to wait until the last few seconds to bid. There were several bids already and then next day I check and it states:

"This listing was ended by the seller because the item is no longer available."

I've seen this happen before but not that often. I decided to take a look at other listings that closed recently and to my surprise its been happening more frequently lately with MJT. A quick check of the "completed listings" for "Telecaster" shows several auctions ended early and all seem to be some of the most coolest looking bodies, many of them also one piece. Same way for Strats, quite a few Stratocaster auctions ended and it appears to be the coolest ones are the listings ended early.

Its pretty frustrating to save something in you watch-list with the intention to bid and then the auction is ended. Kind of shady, too. Makes me think someone is contacting MJT and making an offer to "buy it now" and end the auction. If that's indeed the case its not very cool and certainly not very fair.

 

[blackbelt308]

Contact MJT directly. Based on my experience with them, they'll fix you up with exactly what you want.

Ciao,
Rick

 

[jlove]

Makes me think someone is contacting MJT and making an offer to "buy it now" and end the auction.

This is exactly what's happening. I saw a strat body I really liked, inquired about it and they offered it to me at their standard price. I decided to chance it and try to snag it at auction for less and it actually went up to over $400. If you see one you really like and you're willing to pay full price, contact them and they'll hook you up.

I think this is of a product of higher ebay fees. For what their bodies go for, the fees from ebay would be $20 or more. Not to mention paypal fees.

 

[Night Prowler]

Contact MJT directly. Based on my experience with them, they'll fix you up with exactly what you want.

Thanks and I'm sure they would fix me up with whatever I wanted, but that's not the point. Everyone should have a fair shot. Ending auctions early, especially for the most desirable and coolest listings, and especially after being listed for several days which garnered multiple bids, isn't very square to folks bidding.

This is exactly what's happening. I saw a strat body I really liked, inquired about it and they offered it to me at their standard price. I decided to chance it and try to snag it at auction for less and it actually went up to over $400. If you see one you really like and you're willing to pay full price, contact them and they'll hook you up.

So you're saying this is common practice for them to end auctions early to someone willing to pay full price?

 

[SamClemons]

I sell stuff on ebay. It is a buy and sell deal. Someone offers me a price I am willing to take...sold. I am under no obligation to hold it till the end of auction. I usually put a buy it now price on my items.

 

[Night Prowler]

That would be totally acceptable IMO if they had a BIN price attached to the listing. But they don't and I would think eBay is also against this type of practice of ending auctions early and bypassing bidders to sell to someone else who offers full price. An auction should go to the highest "bidder" not to someone who privately messages the seller to avoid the bidding process.

Its like dangling a carrot in front of our noses then snatching it away. Pretty shady if you ask me. Bottom line it wastes the time of bidders who were interested and placed (or intended to place) a bid.

 

[slack]

Thanks and I'm sure they would fix me up with whatever I wanted, but that's not the point. Everyone should have a fair shot. Ending auctions early, especially for the most desirable and coolest listings, and especially after being listed for several days which garnered multiple bids, isn't a very square to folks bidding.

eBay would not be a viable marketplace if sellers couldn't end listings early, even if eBay prefers otherwise, since many sellers are actual businesses with items available in their stores, posted on websites, or advertised elsewhere. That said, professional and responsible sellers should (and often do) disclose that in their listings.

Btw, sellers cannot end an auction-style listing when 12 or less hours remain.

 

[Night Prowler]

I totally understand many sellers are actual businesses with items available in their stores, posted on websites, or advertised elsewhere. That said, I don't think that applies to MJT.

Yeah OK, I'm frustrated with them ending the action early, and I admit it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is frustrated, there were other bidders on this and other listings and we all got duped. I really wanted to bid and try and win but I didn't even get the chance. That sucks no matter how ya slice it.

 

[slack]

I totally understand many sellers are actual businesses with items available in their stores, posted on websites, or advertised elsewhere. That said, I don't think that applies to MJT.

(link removed)

 

[Night Prowler]

^^^ I don't see anywhere on their website where I can buy one of the bodies that are currently listed for auction on eBay. Big difference between MJT and stores that have the actual merchandise that's in an auction also for sale in their store.

 

[slack]

^^^ I don't see anywhere on their website where I can buy one of the bodies that are currently listed for auction on eBay. Big difference between MJT and stores that have the actual merchandise that's in an auction also for sale in their store.

From that page: "All of our For Sale items are at our eBay Store. You can check out all of our in stock aged bodies, necks, hardware and full guitar custom order packages here at our MJT eBay Store. [MJT eBay Store is clickable link.] If you're not an eBay user, you can still purchase items directly from us." [I added the bold.]

So, on their site they explicitly invite direct sales of any items listed on eBay.

Btw, there's no difference at all between big stores and you, with regard to selling your item on eBay and ending listings early. There's no difference in a big store having an item in a showroom and a private party having an item on consignment in a store or posted on Craigslist. But, like I said, IMO it's unprofessional to not disclose in the description that a listing may be ended if the item is sold elsewhere.

 

[TheWalkingWounded]

I don't see the big deal. If you want one that badly, contact them directly and get exactly what you want.

 

[Night Prowler]

From that page: "All of our For Sale items are at our eBay Store. You can check out all of our in stock aged bodies, necks, hardware and full guitar custom order packages here at our MJT eBay Store. [MJT eBay Store is clickable link.] If you're not an eBay user, you can still purchase items directly from us." [I added the bold.]

So, on their site they explicitly invite direct sales of any items listed on eBay.

Yes there are "for sale" items at their eBay Store. But not the items for auction.

You're missing my point, none of the items listed in their eBay Store in an auction listing can be purchased directly. When they say "If you're not an eBay user, you can still purchase items directly from us." they're referring to placing an order, not to directly buy an item listed in an auction. Atleast thats my understanding. Prove me wrong. Show me the link I click on to make an outright purchase of an item currently listed in an auction to bypass the bidding. Correct, there isn't one.

 

[waparker4]

eBay's rules are confusing, but

If there are 12 hours or more before the end of the listing, you can end the listing early without restrictions.

except

Some examples of activities that aren't allowed include:

Using member contact information obtained from eBay or using any eBay system to offer to sell any listed item outside of eBay

Canceling a listing to sell to a buyer who found the item on eBay

but the buyer in question found the item on MJT's own website

 

[Night Prowler]

I don't see the big deal. If you want one that badly, contact them directly and get exactly what you want.

I found exactly what I wanted in their auction listing, why was I not allowed to place a bid and win fair and square? Now do you see the big deal?

 

[Night Prowler]

but the buyer in question found the item on MJT's own website

Nope, not true, on MJT's "own website" you can not see the items listed for auction in their eBay Store, for that you have to actually visit their eBay Store and there is no link to click Buy it Now for items listed in an auction in their eBay Store, nor is their any link to buy any items in their eBay Store from their own website.

 

[slack]

waparker4, the 12 hour rule is enforceable. It isn't possible to end a listing in that situation. The "except" rule that you cite is unenforceable eBay nonsense. It's just eBay trying to make money; eBay has no authority whatsoever to tell people that they cannot end a listing for direct sale. They essentially acknowledge that in the process of ending a listing, where one can simply choose "item no longer available" as the reason.

 

[waparker4]

The "except" rule that you cite is unenforceable eBay nonsense. It's just eBay trying to make money; eBay has no authority whatsoever to tell people that they cannot end a listing for direct sale.

Agreed, said buyer could have e.g. contacted MJT directly for an inventory of stock unavailable to the casual browser of the MJT website, and learned about the item w/o ever having gone to eBay. I guess we'll never know, or care

 

[xtrajerry]

I totally understand many sellers are actual businesses with items available in their stores, posted on websites, or advertised elsewhere. That said, I don't think that applies to MJT.

Yeah OK, I'm frustrated with them ending the action early, and I admit it. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is frustrated, there were other bidders on this and other listings and we all got duped. I really wanted to bid and try and win but I didn't even get the chance. That sucks no matter how ya slice it.

So many people are totally turned off by the way ebay / paypal works that they boycott them and contact the sellers directly. I've done that, not with MJT but other sellers. Sellers don't encourage it on ebay but why wouldnt they welcome it, chance to save customer a few $$ and make a few extra bucks too.
Contact Mark directly, explain your concerns and see what happens.

 

[slack]

You're missing my point, none of the items listed in their eBay Store in an auction listing can be purchased directly. When they say "If you're not an eBay user, you can still purchase items directly from us." they're referring to placing an order, not to directly buy an item listed in an auction. Atleast thats my understanding. Prove me wrong. Show me the link I click on to make an outright purchase of an item currently listed in an auction to bypass the bidding. Correct, there isn't one.

No, I'm not missing your point. And I'm not interested in proving you wrong. You are now arguing semantics; it might not have been written by a lawyer, but it's plainly obvious on their website what they mean.

Btw, I was sympathetic to you and critical of them for not making a disclosure in the listing that they might end items for sale elsewhere. That said, you're not playing the eBay game as well you could be