Can sellers on ebay offer to the next highest bidder?

[Marlin]

Just curious...

I've just seen that a pony I was just outbid on earlier today has been relisted due to a 'timewaster'. That irks me in a petty fashion because if that person didn't waste the seller's time I could have had that pony!!! And I would have been darn pleased about it, too. And happily paid for it.

On our local auction website if a buyer falls through or an auction doesn't sell or doesn't meet the reserve you can offer to watchers or the next highest bidder. Does Ebay have such a facility? I'm guessing not, but just wondered.

[himmie]

Yes, eBay has Second Chance Offer. Not all sellers use it though.

I did end up with Ice Crystal from a Second Chance Offer, thanks to a Non-Paying Bidder.

[Marlin]

Curses!!!

I'd expect that (in the event they do a second chance offer) that it is to people who still have the item on their watch list? 

*note to self* don't delete things off so fast - just in case!!!

Blasted pony now has a bid on it, too. Guess I'll have to try again! 

Thanks, Himmie. I don't know if this seller would have done the second chance thing, but this is good to know for the future!

[himmie]

The offer would be sent to the person with the second highest bid, for whatever price that may have been.

You then have the option to accept the offer, which is basically a Buy It Now for the item.

I am unsure if it could then be sent to a third person, etc.

I believe most sellers do not want to take the time to wait on another buyer, having just had a poor experience with one. Or, by the time things are sorted with the first buyer and they are able to re list, they assume that the other persons have found the item elsewhere.

Does that make any sense? I should sleep.

[Ringlets]

Himmie is right ( about being able to offer it as a second chance to the second highest bidder, or even the third... basically (unless things have changed without me knowing it)  the seller is given the option to offer the item as a second chance to anyone who placed a bid on it .  The only problem with this is that the seller then has to wait for a response (and possibly then has to wait for a payment) from the person they next offered it to. Although the seller can set a time limit for the offer to expire too (for example, 1 day, two days..) , a lot of sellers dont seem to bother with this , and just relist the item.

[Marlin]

Cool - thanks guys for the info!