Private Ebay Auctions

Private Ebay Auctions

Any seller on eBay has the option to make their auction private. A private auction on eBay means that only the seller knows the identities of those bidding on the item or items being offered.

On the eBay website you can find this information posted by eBay regarding private auctions:

“While there are some cases where private listings are appropriate, such as the sale of high-priced ticket items or approved pharmaceutical products, you should only make your listing private for a specific reason.”

Some sellers say that using the private auction option prevents their competitors from stealing their customers or knowing what they selling price of each item was. They also say that it protects their customers from SPAM that is initiated by their competitors.

In a recent survey, it was found that 76% of buyers said that they never used the private auction option and 65% of all those who responded to the survey said that an auction being private would make them less likely to participate in it. The reasons that were given for not wanting to participate in a private auction were:

1. They thought the seller had something to hide.
2. They thought that the auction might be a scam.
3. They thought that the private auction defeated the protection of transparency of eBay auctions. Buyers who participate in private eBay auctions cannot be warned that an item is bogus by other sellers or buyers.

This does remove some of the safety that bidding on items through regular eBay auctions provides.

The private eBay auction smacks of deceit and maybe even of intrigue. Yet there are many sellers on eBay who always use the private auction option.

They say that it protects them as sellers and that it also protects their customers. The majority of eBay members, however, do not agree with their assessment.

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