Best Offer

[cessna152towser]

Sometimes the result of making an offer can be a pleasant surprise or a disappointment.

I recently offered 90% of the buy it now price on an item and my offer was immediately accepted.

Yesterday evening I bought an item and wanted to buy a second item from the same seller but received a message that this seller does not offer to combine postage.  So I put in a best offer on the second item at just £2 less than the buy it now price with a note saying the seller could send both items together.  My offer was rejected.  Won't buy from this guy again.

[jonhall]

He* doesn't have to offer you a discount, or accept any lower offer you think is appropriate - why should he? He will have a value in mind for his items that he wants to receive, and it doesn't matter if you think its poor/reasonable/good value, or if his postage is poor/reasonable/good value - its his to sell. 

 

 

*or she.

Jon

[Bucoops]

2 minutes ago, jonhall said:

He* doesn't have to offer you a discount, or accept any lower offer you think is appropriate - why should he? He will have a value in mind for his items that he wants to receive, and it doesn't matter if you think its poor/reasonable/good value, or if his postage is poor/reasonable/good value - its his to sell. 

 

 

*or she.

Jon

 

I particularly dislike sellers who won't combine postage - I can understand if the items aren't really compatible with being posted together. More than once I've had things sent to different addresses to ensure they don't profit from not combining.

[MartinWales]

Agreed! 

 

As a buyer I will always ask for combined postage and wait for an answer - 95% the time this is positive!

 

As a seller in answer to a request, then 100% of the time I will combine postage on multiple purchases-why charge for something twice, never have seen the logic in that!

 

Will always also be put off by excess postage-for example, £5 to post a single plastic wagon kit. Fair enough if it's multiples of that or similar kits!! 

[njee20]

I used to find it a faff to do a combined postage invoice, so I just do free postage now, much easier!

[jonhall]

 

I don't sell often, but usually get everything packaged and work out the postage when doing the listing, so combined lots means undoing that, and re-packing, then working out what the new postage is, so it eats into my 'free time' which is anything but free.

 

I suspect part of the OP's point is that 'why have the make an offer button if you don't take offers?' I keep forgetting on my infrequent sales, that it is an ebay default - then someone makes an offer, which I refuse, and take it off. My experience is to let the auction run, and the item will find its own price.

 

Jon

Edited June 6, 2020 by jonhall

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The settings for accepting combined postage are a problem I have found.

 

It looks like that the option is set to no by default.

 

When using the eBay route to request combined shipping, it frequently comes up after typing and sending the request, that stuff about the seller not allowing combined postage.

 

I have found that sending a message to the seller usually results in an offer to combine the p&p.

 

A lot of sellers probably don't know that there are settlings that can be changed.

 

As eBay and PayPal now both take their cut of the p&p the buyer pays, it is possible that it is in their interest to make the p&p cost more?

 

 

 

 

[GWR-fan]

I had to personally contact eBay to get them to alter my records to reflect that I do offer combined postage.  I kept getting messages from buyers that eBay would not allow a buyer to request a combined invoice.  I tried to explain to use the Add to cart and then request,  but I believe with many these days using a mobile phone app the option is not there to request a combined postage,  so the buyer makes multiple purchases,  paying multiple postage charges and then requests a combined postage cost and refund of the amount he has paid.  Little do buyers know that eBay charges the seller a fee of around 12% on each postage cost paid plus in Australia a 10% GST fee on the postage.  I refund the difference in cost but eBay never refunds me the additional fees paid and buyers get peeved off when the amount they pay for postage is not the same as the post office receipt on the received package.

 

As regards offers,  I see my listed prices as far lower than any others and so refuse any offer request.  I do not increase my price to reflect the possible acceptance of an offer.