when does "buyer" become "messer"

Perhaps the winner hasn't been online since bidding - it seems to me that one day isn't quite long enough.

I'd send the second guy an email saying that the other seller hasn't been in touch, and asking him if he'd be interested if you don't hear anything within a couple of days - it seems to me to be a way to keep his interest without commiting to anything just yet.

He could have used a snipe bidding programme/site and didn't have to be in front of the computer when the auction ended. Give him another email and another day to get in contact, and keep the second bidder interested, and informed. If the winner doesn't like it tough. If there is only a couple of quid difference between the two bidders, you have nothing much to loose.

yeah, as said, give him a little time to reply (but keep the second bidder sweet just in case)

It's worth remembering that offering "second chance" doesn't remove the first buyer's chance to leave you a big NEG for selling out from under him.

I sold an item on saturday evening and haven't heard a thing yet, but E-bay won't let you do anything until after 10 days, I just tend to keep emailing them and pestering them that way. After 24hrs I wouldn't worry about it too much about it yet, just send an e-mail saying to reply in 24hrs or negative feedback will be left and reported to e-bay, but leave it a week first.

Cheers,

Stu.

I think most of us don't have any idea how little 'normal' people use the internet.

I use it constantly. Most people I know are connected for 16 hours a day, either by phone, or a laptop nearby, etc. But 'normo's' don't think like that.

I reckon you'll need to give 3 days before you even get a reply, and 7ish days for it to be collected. I like to try and have cars end Saturday/Sunday, so it gives people the weekdays to arrange insurance etc, and the weekend to collect it.


Was a nice motor Al, if it was a derv I'd have snaffled it. I'm considering going carless for a while anyway.

yeah I am one of those freaky net wierdos. I forget there are normal people.

I thought those of us who spend 16 hours a day on the web were the NORMAL ones and all the others were weird . . . .

In your position I'd be as worried as you are, but I forget about normal people. My emails all come to my phone after minutes, but even so I'm online for most of the day, every day.

A mate of mine uses ebay a lot, but he only turns the computer on twice a week, and sells stuff with adverts in comic sans, maximum font size, bold italic.

If I buy a car on ebay or anywhere else I'm itching to get my hands on the thing. When I bought my Mini I e-mailed the guy within 2 minutes of the auction ending. In another case, I was away for the weekend when the auction ended so e-mailed the guy beforehand to warn him.

What I forget is that for me a car is the most important thing I'm likely to buy. I put more effort into finding my Alfa than I did my house. For other people, it's just another consumer item so they may not have my urgency.