Is this legal or illegal sales tactics?

[whitelightshadow 10]

I was bidding on an item of which the seller deleted all the bids half an hour before the sale's end. Stating as reason "there is an error in the current auction description" Yet the only thing that changed was the closing time of the auction, which was moved forward 24 hours. It was clear that the seller would have lost big on the auction if it went through and it appears that to escape the loss the seller cancelled the bids and changed the closing time.

 

I would like to know if this is legal.

 

Thank you

Edited January 24, 2014 by whitelightshadow
typo...

[Digital Wolf 10]

Not allowed. Report the listing to Community watch using the "Report A Problem" link.

[Rambeo 10]

Hmm. interesting Topic, but not a new one. This fight is seen many, many times and I don't see you getting any where with it. A seller who closes, deletes or extends the auction, will be queried by Community watch and has so many opportunities to side step the allegations.

1. One will be to claim they had to change something that was incorrect in the auction. This could anything in the description, shipping etc. You might think that the auction has not changed but they might have made the smallest change that you cannot refer back to once the auction has been deleted.

2. They will claim the item was on sale in there physical shop and the item was sold or damaged etc and thus they deleted the auction. And they for some or other reason things changed again and they were able to relist the item.

 

And yes there's many other excuses. At the end of the day if you have not placed the highest bid and the auction closed legitimately then there was no sale that takes place and you will have no recourse. So you'd be wasting your time complaining about it. Unless obviously the seller does this numerous times in a row and BoB see's the pattern as extreme abuse then I'm sure the will intercede.

[qball 11]

We do not condone nor permit sellers to do this unless they have a very valid and legitimate reason. Please do report it to communitywatch@bidorbuy.co.za, so we can investigate.