Originally Posted by
ArchaicArcane
Most finished Ebay auctions are binding to both seller and buyer, not just buyer. I would dispute it on those grounds if you really wanted the machine. They had the option of ending the auction early or just canceling it.
http://www.azcentral.com/business/ar...nclick_check=1
"Most eBay auctions -- from antiques to fashion to video games -- are considered to be legally binding contracts, requiring quick payment from the buyer and safe delivery from the seller. Not so for vehicle auctions, which are non-binding and can be canceled by either the buyer or the seller." I bet I can find that in their rules too. This article was more "fun" though.
The cars are not binding, I would think that a sewing machine is.
ETA: I agree, eBay isn't worth the aggravation.
Tammi is right -- it's a binding contract. It's strange that they didn't refund your money immediately, but I would request that they honor the contract. If they don't, or if they refund, then escalate to ebay. It's obvious that they were hoping the bid would go higher, not that they mis-priced it. As Tammi said, they could have cancelled it. This is probably grounds for suspension so I would make ebay aware of it. Mis-pricing an item is not a valid reason for cancelling an auction that has ended. A valid reason would be that the item is no longer available ("I dropped it and it broke", etc.). This is usually the reason given by these people who have seller's remorse.