It isn't normal auction practice, indeed the delay in doing it was due to
my inability to even find how to do it since I've never done it before.

It can't be done in the last 12hrs of an auction, I think from reading it.

It is useful if you detect something wrong in an item - or sell it across
several other websites (cars, property, press adverts, newsagent ads).
Also, it allows you to cancel an ad if you make a material error - such as
list a laptop as P4-2.4 when it's Cel-2.4, or a device is USB1 not USB2.

You can use it to end an auction early to someone, for example if you are
going away on holiday or a business trip crops up and you will not be around
to handle the transaction in a timely manner. That impacts on late bidders tho,
altho can mean if they bid early they get the item much cheaper - so win there.

Where Ebay is just one advert channel out of many, and only one/few items are
available it can result in an auction being pulled (or conversely another elsewhere).
In that instance ensuring people know as soon as possible is best, so bidders at
least have the chance of bidding on similar or identical items elsewhere quickly.

As always, check feedback similarly - bidding is just the part of the process.

Comes down to how common the item is, you could list an item on Ebay for
months and never see a relevant buyer - which forces you to use Ebay as just
one advertising medium of many, simply to get the right eyeball catchment.

I was surprised at the interest.
--
Dorothy Bradbury