Do not allow auction withdrawals with active bidding

Hello dima26.

What about genuine reasons for withdrawal? Lost, stolen, damaged, out of stock, error in the listing description or photos. 

So it wouldn't really be possible to end it completely. The withdrawal fee is meant to discourage it, and if the seller HAS withdrawn it without a valid reason, you can contact Trade Me and mention that. They do take note of sellers who do it repeatedly. 

Then policy should be changed - increase fee and let people know it will negatively affect their profiles. Otherwise you let down bunch of Trade me users who bidding over one seller changed their decision. Think about the scale, feedback you receive about losing trust to the service.

Hi dima26. Sound like you missed out on something you were hoping to get? That's always disappointing. However there are absolutely legit reasons for withdrawing a listing or listings. No one withdraws lightly because of the current fee and, as Callum stated trade me notes these and there is a set limit on how many times a trader can do this. Increasing the fee would punish the majority who withdraw for valid reasons.

I have had to withdraw a listing once as the item went missing and others when we had flood damage.

Hello again dima26.

Yes, the seller gets a warning when they remove something, and the buyer gets an email to explain what has happened and how to complain if they need to do so.

Some people argue that the fee needs to be removed, rather than increased. Because it punishes those who are trying to do the right thing and remove a non compliant listing, rather than leave it on the website. 

Here is what the buyer sees if a listing gets withdrawn

dima26

I have had to withdrawal auctions for valid reasons, so leave a comment on auction before doing so, after I have removed a bid, so if bidder looks at auction they can see the comment and reason, 

sometimes things happen that are out of our control, as I often filter my auctions with bids and get them out of bins etc. before they are actually sold, Then discover something has been re listed in error, after searching my sold history and found, oh no, wonder I cannot find it, I have already sold it, (Stock in My Products may have been incorrect), other times found an item had been damaged?, or noted damage I had missed or I had not stated on auction, and no actual photos of it on auction,

I had to withdraw one day after I listed it night before, a few days ago, why? I still had it on floor beside my desk, stumbled and stood on part of it, a sought after item so already had a bid, so left a note/comment, removed all details of auction and closed it early, It happens, that way no disappointment etc. at end which can leave a seller with bad feedback from a buyer with no understanding that life sometimes throws us curve balls, and things do indeed happen outside our control, it happens to all of us, at one time or another, so people need to accept it and just move on, 

No disappointment when auction withdrawn with no bid on it. Big disappointment when it’s withdrawn with like 20 bids or more and listing lasts like a week. If you be in same shoes you understand, if not then not

I withdrew an auction a couple of weeks back dima26. An item I was no expert in. It had bids. A buyer pointed out that it might not be genuine. I did some further research and concluded they were correct. It was a replica. If I had left it listed I would have likely ended up with a very disappointed buyer and negative feedback. No thanks. 

dima26

I think most of us have been in those shoes, but we just accept it, what ever will be will be (Que sera sera,) and just move on, we do not make a song and dance about it, that is what sore losers do, Life is too short,