How can I avoid a "side deal" on eBay?

[5kRunner]

Okay, I'm going to vent.

In the past two weeks 2 bats have been posted on eBay that I have wanted. After the first was posted, I emailed the seller asking if he would end early and what his buy it now price was to do so. He replied that he did not have a buy it now price and wouldn't end early. A day later, the auction is ended with the classic "The item is no longer available for sale." No bids were placed on the bat.

Then, today, I see another bat (same player) has been listed. Figuring I struck out last time when I asked the seller to end early, I would just bid. Someone else bid too. Then I get an email "Ebay Bid Cancellation Notice." So I look at the auction. "The item is no longer available for sale." Seriously, why would you end an auction with a few days to go and people bidding? Hope you got a nice price.

Vent over.

Is there anyway to avoid the side deal?

[yanks12025]

May i ask who the player was.

[josh099]

Honestly, you have to make an offer. I don't like when people ask me if I have a buy it now. If I did, I would have had it on the auction to begin with. You have to "show me the money" - I need to be intrigued. I need to be given a great reason to end my auction early. Don't lowball me. Don't ask if I want to trade. If you want an item that bad - you will offer accordingly. Ebay charges sooooo much in fees nowadays that it only makes sense to make deals outside of ebay. This may not be what you want to hear, but it is today's market. Especially on ebay.

[5kRunner]

I guess I need to be more aggressive in my offers.

The player was Andre Dawson.

Embarrassingly, I'm not sure why I felt I need to post this thread.

[Vintagedeputy]

I dont buy alot here lately, but I make side deals. No shame in it either.

I offer what I feel will get someone's attention if I really want the piece. If you say yes, great. Sometimes you can snag a great bat for $50 and sometimes you have a deal all worked out and someone else skunks you. Such is life.

[skyking26]

Honestly, you have to make an offer. I don't like when people ask me if I have a buy it now. If I did, I would have had it on the auction to begin with. You have to "show me the money" - I need to be intrigued. I need to be given a great reason to end my auction early. Don't lowball me. Don't ask if I want to trade. If you want an item that bad - you will offer accordingly. Ebay charges sooooo much in fees nowadays that it only makes sense to make deals outside of ebay. This may not be what you want to hear, but it is today's market. Especially on ebay.
I agree. Ebays fees are ridiculous. It is very expensive to sell. I use any means I can to make deals and make a sale. I think ebay is on it's way to ruination as it obviously does not understand the economy we are in...

[Swoboda4]

You can't avoid this. I've done it once as a ebay bidder. there was an item,one of a kind,that I was looking for a long time. I saw it and didn't want to leave it to chance. I contacted the seller and asked if he would consider ending the auction if I offered him a figure that would probably be higher than how it would end. It wasn't a rediculously high figure but enough to benefit the seller.
The reason I knew this is because like you,I lost out on past ended early auctions and always wondered what happened?