For what reason would a seller remove an item from sale(it already had one bid)...and then re-list it?
I noted that the postage charge/means of delivery had changed.
I was under the impression that once you had a bid on an item, you could only remove it if it was no longer available (e.g. broken). Perhaps I am wrong!
Items can be removed up to 12hrs before the end of an auction providing there are no bids.
However there is basically nothing e-bay can do to stop people withdrawing items even when there is a bid. They say "It is frowned on" but that doesn't help the person who has bid.
This normally happens when the seller doesn't think the item is going to fetch enough and they don't want to part with it. Also some sellers will make extra profit on postage. I don't know in this instance but I would hazhard a guess that the re-listed item has a higher postage charge on it.
I withdrew an item and then relisted it because I'd made a spelling mistake in the title. There was already a bid on it, but the spelling mistake meant that not so many peeps would find it in a search.
I emailed the person who'd bid and told them what I'd done and why.
I have found ebay to be helpful. Recently my 3 year old grandson clicked on a buy it now which was 2 wine glasses for 100 pounds from USA. I tried contacting buyer and was worried when a day later it still said I needed to pay for them. Phoned ebay and they said they would sort it out.
Since sellers are rated on postage you can't get away with extortionate postage any more - but you CAN add in the cost of packaging (bubble wrap etc), taking to post office, and so on. It's not all the postage cost.
I am now assuming the item was relisted due to the postage changes. It's described as a heavy item-the original charge was for Standard postage @£7-it is now for Royal Mail Parcelforce 48 @£12.
I guess what surprised me is this was done after a bid had been placed.
Well on subject of postage I send stuff now sometimes via Collect Plus. You weigh it and measure it yourself. Print out the label on line and pay. Take it to one of 4000 corner shops. Very cheap and efficient. Everything is tracked in detail and you can view on line where it is.