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Receiving and Accepting a Second Chance Offer (for Buyers)

A Second Chance Offer lets you use Buy It Now to purchase an item you didn’t win at the price you bid.

Important: eBay will never send a Second Chance Offer email with the subject line "Message from eBay Member." If you receive an email pretending to be a Second Chance Offer with that subject line, it's a fake. Forward the email to spoof@ebay.com.

Make sure the Second Chance Offer is actually from eBay.

A seller can make a Second Chance Offer to a non-winning bidder when:

  • The winning bidder in an auction fails to buy the item

  • A reserve price auction ends without the reserve price being met and the seller choose to offer the item to a non-winning bidder

  • The seller has a duplicate item for sale but hasn't chosen to run a Multiple Item Auction

If you accept a Second Chance Offer, you can use checkout.

Second Chance Offer sales are covered by eBay services.

You can choose not to receive Second Chance Offers by changing your notification preferences for Buying emails.

Learn more about Second Chance Offers and how they work.

Note: On eBay Motors, the Second Chance Offer is available when the reserve price for a listing is not met. Learn more.

Verifying a Second Chance Offer

There are multiple ways to verify that a Second Chance Offer is legitimate.

Verifying SCO

Verificaton Message

Closed Item Page - A Second Chance Offer message is displayed stating that "You’ve received a Second Chance Offer on this item.…”. To view the details and purchase the item, click the “Second Chance Offer” link.

In My Messages - A Second Chance Offer email is forwarded directly from eBay, shown in your Inbox with a blue background and a subject line stating, “You’ve received a Second Chance Offer on this item.…”.

In My eBay - Items I Didn't Win - In My eBay>All Buying> under Items I Didn't Win, select the Second Chance Offer filter and click the “Buy It Now” link to purchase the item.


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