**Do you have to sell to the highest bidder on Trade Me? I recently had some trouble with a buyer who won the auction for something I was selling. I realised there might be problems ahead when I checked out his previous feedback, but I felt obliged to proceed because he was the highest bidder. In the end, the sale fell through. Later, my son told me I wasn’t obliged to sell to the highest bidder, so long as I had a genuine concern. Is that right?
**
No, it is not. Once the Trade Me auction is over you are obliged to sell to the highest bidder. However, while the bidding is in progress, you can check bidders’ previous feedback. If you are concerned about a particular bidder’s record, you can have their bid removed, but you must take this action before the auction ends. Once the auction is over and your reserve exceeded, you must sell to the highest bidder. Of course, if that bidder won’t pay within a reasonable time, or collect the goods within a reasonable time, or their behaviour is unacceptable, you should contact Trade Me about having the deal cancelled.
Do you have a consumer question for Kevin? Email consumer@nzww.co.nz, or post to Weekly Consumer, PO Box 90119, Victoria St West, Auckland 1142.
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