Author Topic: What would you do: Auctions with a reserve removed after the end of the auction  (Read 1502 times)

Offline TC610

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I'm curious as to what you all would do based on my recent experience.

A local online auction platform (not eBay) was conducting several auctions on behalf of a radio company.  This auction had many items, but in particular a group of 5 items, all exactly the same, all with the same terms.  The items had an unknown reserve amount set on them.  The item's opening bid is $75, and bid increments must be at least $75.

The item of interest in this lot had a current bid by someone else of $75, which did not meet the reserve.  All items in this group had a bid amount of $75.  None of them met the reserve.   I bid $155 on one item and had the top bid, but that bid amount did not meet the minimum reserve.  I bid $225 which met the reserve.  I won the auction.  No one else bid past $75 on any other item in that group except me.

After the auction ended, the auction sponsor decided to remove all reserves.   The other items in that group (the exact same items as mine with the same terms) all sold for $75, below the original reserve.

I contacted the auction platform who stated the reserve on all items in this group was $225 and at the end of the auction, the auction sponsor decided to remove all reserves. I kindly asked the auction platform to refund the difference between my old top bid and the reserve bid ($225 - $155) plus associated taxes and fees:

Quote
Removing reserve prices after the completion of an auction is not mentioned in your site's FAQ or Terms of Service.

"The reserve price is a price that is set by the seller. A reserve price is the minimum price a seller is willing to accept for the item."

Since the station had changed the terms of the auction by removing the reserve prices after the auction has ended, I'm requesting that you cancel my proxy bid of $225 and enforce my bid of $155 and refund the difference ($70 + premium + tax). 

They refused.  I purchased this with a Citi TYP card (I know...it was autocharged before I could pay with my AMEX).    The item is worth about $500 and is a great value.  I don't open frivolous disputes, or disputes where I'm in the wrong.  What do you think - is it worth opening a dispute with Citi to get the $70+ back?

Online incendia

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Imo what you should do is first contact the seller and explain the situation, see if they will pay the difference. If that doesn't work I would try small claims court.

I think this situation is going to be to complicated for a dispute, but if the auction company does a poor job of defending its self you have a shot at winning.

Offline TC610

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I don't have a direct line to the seller.  All I have is the auction company who is acting as a middle man right now.  They communicated with the seller who refused to refund the difference.

Offline Super Speed

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I personally don't see grounds for dispute, you agreed to a certain price and paid for the item just because they changed the terms later doesn't mean you should get your money back. I know it's frustrating but I think they're right and do not need to refund. JMHO.

Offline Jkhein

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I don't have a direct line to the seller.  All I have is the auction company who is acting as a middle man right now.  They communicated with the seller who refused to refund the difference.
Similar things happen all the time, that's business

Offline Yehuda25

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I personally don't see grounds for dispute, you agreed to a certain price and paid for the item just because they changed the terms later doesn't mean you should get your money back. I know it's frustrating but I think they're right and do not need to refund. JMHO.
+1
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