Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) I'm guessing this is not the right place to ask but i'm in a bit of a jam here and need advice. recently i started to list stuff again on ebay to get some extra cash to feed my lego habit. I collect diecast cars and have a few thousand of them so time for a little clear out. I picked out a few to list and listed the first one last night. This morning i woke up to tons of questions and a few crazy offers from some user to end it early. Turns out it's a rare model possibly worth a few thousand pounds. But it also turns out it may be a fake There is already bids on it but now i really just want to end it and have the model checked by some kind of expert. I don't want it to go for a crazy price and then it turns out it is a fake. But now i can't even get into my account, been that way for a few hours now. I've never ended an auction early and don't want anyone to think i accepted a bid outside of the auction. I really just want to stop the auction but how can i do it without breaking any rules? Edited September 3, 2014 by Modelmaker Quote
Off the wall Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 Just end it until you can figure out what you have. Don't be concerned about what people think. End it as item no longer available.....I that's what I used to use, may not be the exact wording. But,why can't you get into your account? Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Author Posted September 3, 2014 This morning i had about 50 or 60 unanswered questions After only about 8 hours of it being listed I'm guessing some kind of overload or something. Last email from ebay was around 1:52pm my time and i havn't been able to log in since then it's now 8:26 and still nothing. A lot of the unanswered Q's where offers to end it early. One offer was near £2000. I'm thinking it may have drawn some attention and if i end early it looks like i've accepted an offer. Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Author Posted September 3, 2014 Not possible at the moment, and I'm not sure i want to draw any more attention to it for now. Quote
plew2000 Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 A link would be amazing. If it truly is worth that much you are lucky. Quote
Off the wall Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 Well, I can't understand why you can't log on to your account. And, you seem to be overly concerned for no real reason about ending the auction early. Hope it works out for you. Think I'll just move on...................... Quote
grum64 Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) Can you not give those asking for a link the item number or description from the listing confirmation email so they can look it up? Also, if it'll let you, can you not get to your item that same way? Just a thought. Edited September 3, 2014 by grum64 Quote
grum64 Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 I think this might shed some light on things... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29054972 Quote
Xcod119 Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 I think this might shed some light on things... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29054972 You just beat me to it! I read the article but it didn't occur to me that fellow Eurobrickers may be affected! Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Author Posted September 3, 2014 OK! phew! I didn't break it someone else did. Still can't get in from here though. Quote
AudiBobaR5-D2 Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 Frustrating to say the least. Don't know if won a item on there. At least I'm not the only one affected by this. Quote
m0dulo Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 This morning i woke up to tons of questions and a few crazy offers from some user to end it early. NEVER end an auction in this situation. It is usually a scam. Even if it isn't a scam, only he is assured to benefit. You might run the risk that another bidder might not challenge him, but he knows what it is worth and is afraid of other bidders. That right there is enough to let the auction run its course and you'll probably get more. Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Author Posted September 3, 2014 The problem is it's not only him, there's been a few offers, Very tempting yes, but i have never accepted any of those kind of offers before and am not about to now. sometimes i get more than was offered and sometimes less. But in this situation i feel i have to end the auction. I initially listed it as just another old toy car but the reaction it got was crazy. I've since done some searching on the net and it is very rare, so rare that copies have been made in the past. The real version is a factory error and very few of the car where released with black seats when it should have red seats. It's an open top car and the seats can be removed very easily and replaced with fake copies. So most of the questions (even by the highest bidder) are about the seats. If it is a real version that's great but all these guys making offers and asking questions appear to experts in this brand of model (judging by their buying and selling histories) so if I end up selling a fake for real money that's going to come back on me hard and because of my other model type listings it will look like i made the fake. Which i could if i felt the need, but i don't like fake stuff. I have a few collections of different stuff and so far considered everything to be original "factory" issue stuff. This stupid car has even got me doubting it now. Ebay is about thrust and right now i can't thrust what i'm selling. I bought it at a toy fair years ago (about 25) so i have no proof of it's history. But there are rules for ending early and i have never needed to read them, if i end early and whoever at ebay see's i got offers to end early in my messages How's that going to look? Right now i can't read those rules so i'm stressing out here. Quote
Robianco Posted September 3, 2014 Posted September 3, 2014 I wouldn't let it stress you out. The only thing you can be is honest. People will pay what they think it's worth. How would someone be able to tell if the seats have been replaced? If it's easy to do and cover up then who can tell... if it's something that's difficult to conceal then inspect it and trust your judgement. If it's a lot of money and people are serious then they'll want pictures... detailed ones to check. After that it's up to the buyer. eBay will probably be back online soon enough and you can answer people from there. You listed the item in good faith and to the best of your knowledge it's genuine. Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 3, 2014 Author Posted September 3, 2014 OK I'm back up and have sent the high bidder an explanation of the situation (he has to agree to retract his bid according to the rules) Here's the link, but please don't bid http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=281429191258 This auction is getting pulled very soon Quote
Zeya Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 Ebay allows you to cancel an auction once a year. It's pretty obscure. I've only done it once, and can't even point you towards how to do it. Sounds like you have a nice item on your hands. If you know an expert, take it to them to look at it. Otherwise, take very close-up photos with a macro lens if you have it, and make sure to point out all knowledge when you list it, including any uncertainty about authenticity, etc. Good luck! Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 4, 2014 Author Posted September 4, 2014 Listing pulled and still getting questions about it. I know a guy who only deals in this brand of models so i'll be bringing it to him and his decision will be final enough for me. The listing had tons of close up pictures from all angles and close ups on any damaged sections, it's always better to point out the flaws than to try and hide them. Quote
62Bricks Posted September 4, 2014 Posted September 4, 2014 What I have done in similar situations is simply revise the listing or post answers to questions as part of the listings. I had an ebay situation where I was selling a vintage Forestman minifig that had also been re-released as part of a collectible set. I got a few questions about whether I was sure it was original and not the re-release. Since I got it in a bulk lot I could not be 100% certain, but in the same lot were other forestmen figures and pieces from the forestmen set the figure came in originally (like the printed baseplate) so I was 99% sure it was vintage. I just spelled out everything I knew about where I got it and let the buyers decide. Quote
Zeya Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 @Modelmaker : I'd love to hear an update on this when you find out more about the item. Please keep us updated. :) Quote
Modelmaker Posted September 19, 2014 Author Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) OK, well the update is this. The car was viewed by an expert and in his view it was not an original but a very convincing copy. The original is worth over 2000 euro I relisted the car and told everyone the experts view and it still sold for 700 euro Some people have more money than sense. Now which modular am i going to buy? Edited September 19, 2014 by Modelmaker Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.