eBay Best Offer - Why Do Sellers Use It?

[Nearholmer]

I’ll admit to having used it as a way to take ‘ranging shots’.

 

If there is something that I decide I want and can afford at what I know to be fair market price, I will fire at 70% of market price, then if rejected 85%, then if rejected again 100%. If that doesn’t do it, then I stop, because I know that the seller is daft enough to be serious about their basic, above market, asking price.

 

Quite often this nets the thing at 85% or 100% market price, which indicates that the seller knows what they are doing, and is ‘pushing their luck’ by trying I basic asking price of c120% market.

 

But, to do this, you do need to know the market for whatever it is.

[7APT7]

Hi

 

Why do eBayer's use 'Make Offer' and you have 3 attempts, otherwise you just buy it at the full asking price which I'm OK with, but they refuse every offer you submit even when its only £1 cheaper away from the full price, so why use Make Offer in the first place, if you clearly are not going to accept any lower offer price... gets on my pip, I would expect them to submit a counter offer if I've enter to low for what they want for the item but most don't ever do that to meet me have way. I never submit an offer that's can be deemed as 'Are you taking the micky...' and expect them to knock off £30, I normally start with a £5 then £3, then £1 and they still refuse.

 

Why don't they just list it as 'But It Now' with No Make an offer if it's clear you don't want to drop the price.

 

Regards

Jamie

[chris p bacon]

I didn't realise that Ebay automatically turn on the 'make an offer' on auctions now.  

 

I listed a chainsaw as parts last week with a starting bid of £19.99 inc carriage,  It's worth about £30 + the courier so a reasonable start price.  After a couple of hours I got an offer for £5, I declined and explained I didn't know the offers was active and would turn it of, while replying to that one I got a 2nd offer for £4 ! I replied the same as the first and tried opening the listing to edit it but it wouldn't let me, the reason being the first eBayer to offer had submitted a 2nd offer for £7 . . I replied again and declined. the 2nd eBayer to offer then sent a 2nd offer of £5 so I just declined and waited until they both had used up their 3 offers which I guessed they would. Sure enough within an hour they'd both sent a further offer each both for less than £10 which I declined. The listing was then able to be edited and I took the 'make an offer' off.

 

It sold for £36 inc the carriage (which is about £7-8) so about what it's worth, the offers wouldn't have even covered the carriage let alone the Ebay fees. . . . .Numpties. . 

Edited May 11, 2018 by chris p bacon

[7APT7]

I didn't realise that Ebay automatically turn on the 'make an offer' on auctions now.  

 

I listed a chainsaw as parts last week with a starting bid of £19.99 inc carriage,  It's worth about £30 + the courier so a reasonable start price.  After a couple of hours I got an offer for £5, I declined and explained I didn't know the offers was active and would turn it of, while replying to that one I got a 2nd offer for £4 ! I replied the same as the first and tried opening the listing to edit it but it wouldn't let me, the reason being the first eBayer to offer had submitted a 2nd offer for £7 . . I replied again and declined. the 2nd eBayer to offer then sent a 2nd offer of £5 so I just declined and waited until they both had used up their 3 offers which I guessed they would. Sure enough within an hour they'd both sent a further offer each both for less than £10 which I declined. The listing was then able to be edited and I took the 'make an offer' off.

 

It sold for £36 inc the carriage (which is about £7-8) so about what it's worth, the offers wouldn't have even covered the carriage let alone the Ebay fees. . . . .Numpties. . 

 

Hi Chris

 

I don't normally sell, as I buy more than I sell in general, I didn't know that eBay automatically turn on the 'make an offer' on auctions now. The last item I sold an item you had the option to turn that off again before you list the item in your 'Review' box that you can see from the Review box as to what your listing words will look like once you hit on the LIST tab and its starts the count down to selling your item, and you would see that it will 'Make an Offer' Tab, so do you not re-Edit it and turn off 'Make an Offer' before then going on to LIST your item. May be that is different to, I will be listing soon as I have a few Hornby APT-P coaches to sell and 3 rake RHTT units, so It will refresh my memory.

 

Interesting though and thanks for sharing as its probably been 2/3 years if not more since I last sold something.

 

Regards

Jamie

Edited May 11, 2018 by 7APT7

[chris p bacon]

I've been listing loads of old vinyl over the past 2 months so have done approx 150+ listings, I just went through it on autopilot and didn't notice the new section.

[7APT7]

I've been listing loads of old vinyl over the past 2 months so have done approx 150+ listings, I just went through it on autopilot and didn't notice the new section.

 

ah man, how could you sell the vinyl's, they are just making a coming back, as is the cassette player although I didn't see the cassettes making a come back, good job my car still as a cassette player, how old is my car lol

 

Jamie

[chris p bacon]

ah man, how could you sell the vinyl's,

 

 

If you saw some of what I had. . . .easily. . 

 

Actually I've been amazed at what they've sold for, some 70's Ska was going for £30 for a 12" single, and things like PiL Metal box album for £100.   Some of the 7" singles were going for £30 each!. 

[Horsetan]

OT ,but £46 Best Offer got me a spare LE-Jetronic ECU for my Cit CX. Some sellers are asking £150 to £250 for the same item.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I recently listed an item. 

 

Ebay listed 'Best Offer' as a default. I didn't want it, so selected to remove it. To do so, the listing was no longer free. So I set the 'Make Offer' at £10 under my starting price - I could not set it to the same price as my starting price. Make an offer may work for 'Buy it Now', but not for a straight auction; as a seller, it is something I am not interested in. I do somewhat resent the fact Ebay foist it upon me.

Edited September 30, 2018 by Claude_Dreyfus

[hayfield]

I recently listed an item. 

 

Ebay listed 'Best Offer' as a default. I didn't want it, so selected to remove it. To do so, the listing was no longer free. So I set the 'Make Offer' at £10 under my starting price - I could not set it to the same price as my starting price. Make an offer may work for 'Buy it Now', but not for a straight auction; as a seller, it is something I am not interested in. I do somewhat resent the fact Ebay foist it upon me.

 

Claude_Dreyfus

 

I do agree with you that we get used to a format that we are comfortable with, then without warning the powers that be alter something which in most cases we have to manually alter

 

Having said all this its far better than any other alternative that's around, both for sellers and buyers.

[tanatvalley]

I recently listed an item. 

 

Ebay listed 'Best Offer' as a default. I didn't want it, so selected to remove it. To do so, the listing was no longer free. So I set the 'Make Offer' at £10 under my starting price - I could not set it to the same price as my starting price. Make an offer may work for 'Buy it Now', but not for a straight auction; as a seller, it is something I am not interested in. I do somewhat resent the fact Ebay foist it upon me.

Like you I have had this foisted on me if I wish to list for free as I do. I have found I can set offers £1 below the starting price. I normally set an end time and that has now attracted an additional fee. “Make offer” has increased the number of offers I receive but most are declined or counter offered. My starting price is what I am ultimately prepared to accept but experience has taught me that most listings will end 50% higher which is why I believe in waiting until the auction ends unless my counter offer is accepted. I often find there are no bidders even an hour beforehand but there is always a flurry of activity in the last few seconds. One annoying aspect to “Make offer” is those bidders who make an offer an hour or two before auction end, they are declined and usually that bidder will bid in the auction.

 

Alan

[Guest teacupteacup]

I put an offer of £15 on a £12 starting bid auction, it was declined.  I then put in a max bid of £20 and left until the auction ended.  I won with a bid of £12 - no other bids!!!

[Spitfire2865]

I put an offer of £15 on a £12 starting bid auction, it was declined.  I then put in a max bid of £20 and left until the auction ended.  I won with a bid of £12 - no other bids!!!

Ive had similar from the OTHER direction.  I had an auction with a BIN price of $70 US.  I got a message from a buyer asking questions and eventually offering $75.  I told him to just use the BIN for $70 and keep the 5.  Was a rather odd exchange but happy to have cleared that little bit of room from my closet.  

[MartinWales]

Big fan of Best Offer!

 

Normally I will accept 90% of my starting price, therefore SPQR, so beloved of Shed and Buried, smaller profit quick return!!

 

Have listed two D&S items recently which sold for 95% of asking price,within two hours.

 

Just also received a Yeadons volume listed at 11.99 but sold for eight quid! Result!

[John M Upton]

Heads up for sellers on Ebay, they have just started to add 'Best Offer' to 'Buy it Now' listings at random and without prior notification to or the permission of the seller.  This is the second time they have tried this stunt and I have just spent half an hour checking through my listings and knocking the Best Offer settings off again.

 

I am considering a nasty letter to Ebay's so called Customer Service department threatening legal action or a visit from a couple of beefy lads with baseball bats if they continue this practice.

[hayfield]

Heads up for sellers on Ebay, they have just started to add 'Best Offer' to 'Buy it Now' listings at random and without prior notification to or the permission of the seller.  This is the second time they have tried this stunt and I have just spent half an hour checking through my listings and knocking the Best Offer settings off again.

 

I am considering a nasty letter to Ebay's so called Customer Service department threatening legal action or a visit from a couple of beefy lads with baseball bats if they continue this practice.

 

I have listed some items this weekend and not had this issue (only international shipping as an automatic unwanted item) though I use "sell similar item" and change all the details. How about making one of your listings a template which you can revise at wil 

[John M Upton]

Unfortunately that doesn't work. I list all my buy it now items and always untick the Allow Offers option. What Ebay are now doing again is randomly altering your listings by adding the Make Offer option without any prior notice or permission.

 

The first the seller knows about it is either when he/she starts receiving offers unexpectedly or an Ebay email arrives after the fact.

 

Just spent another half hour this morning taking Make Offer settings off another load of listings this morning.

 

I am not a happy bunny!

Edited October 23, 2018 by John M Upton

[John M Upton]

On a related note does anyone know how to email Ebay Customer Service at all? Trying to find an email address is like trying to find rocking horse droppings it seems...

[Butler Henderson]

Got a couple of items on with a £5 start listing price and the allow offers set to send me offers made that at or above £5 so it seems to be that provided you are aware that its there it is potentially a positive thing - just waiting for someone to offer me ££££££££££££££

[hayfield]

On a related note does anyone know how to email Ebay Customer Service at all? Trying to find an email address is like trying to find rocking horse droppings it seems...

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/help/email_click?topicId=4072&fromIssueId=true&l2Name=All%20about%20listings%20-%20overview&channelType=emailarticlelink

 

The bane of most peoples life with a lot of companies, click the contact us button and no phone numbers or email addresses, eBay does seem a bit easier than some sites though

[adb968008]

I use bin and offers for my listings.

 

I set my price based on historical values, and list the model with detailed pictures and detail any warts.

After that i let the market decide.

 

I dont hold out for the highest price like some seem to. If ive decided i dont want something any more, thats it and i would rather it leave my home asap, so as long as the offer is reasonable i’ll let it go.

 

Other stuff, where i see the model is questionable, either old, not very popular, damaged or incomplete.. i’ll put those straight to auction.

 

Ultimately if i dont want it, i want it to sell. Most of the time either by a best offer or by auction i get a price that reflects its value and its all over in a week. Occasionally something bombs out and i scratch my head at why it sold so low, but equally sometimes i think what is someone thinking when it over achieves.

 

I dont understand why some will sit and have a model listed, in somecases several years on ebay unsold at a high and unrealistic price... they might eventually someday squeeze that extra £10-20 but theyve spent a huge amount of time looking at it whilst several may have sold before hand, personally i’d rather have the cash back in my pocket to spend on something else.

Edited November 1, 2018 by adb968008

[hayfield]

I use bin and offers for my listings.

 

I set my price based on historical values, and list the model with detailed pictures and detail any warts.

After that i let the market decide.

 

I dont hold out for the highest price like some seem to. If ive decided i dont want something any more, thats it and i would rather it leave my home asap, so as long as the offer is reasonable i’ll let it go.

 

Other stuff, where i see the model is questionable, either old, not very popular, damaged or incomplete.. i’ll put those straight to auction.

 

Ultimately if i dont want it, i want it to sell. Most of the time either by a best offer or by auction i get a price that reflects its value and its all over in a week. Occasionally something bombs out and i scratch my head at why it sold so low, but equally sometimes i think what is someone thinking when it over achieves.

 

I dont understand why some will sit and have a model listed, in somecases several years on ebay unsold at a high and unrealistic price... they might eventually someday squeeze that extra £10-20 but theyve spent a huge amount of time looking at it whilst several may have sold before hand, personally i’d rather have the cash back in my pocket to spend on something else.

 

 

I had something listed for what I believed was a reasonable price (£20 ish), had a message saying if it doesn't sell he would offer £10 for it, (which I thought was derisory). Well it did not sell so I relisted it at £5 more and it sold, think he got the message

 

At other occasions I have had an item not sell only to have next week two or more start bidding on it

 

I do agree with you about some listings which I believe are unrealistic in their value, but its a free world where market forces rule

[Edge]

On the flip side of things, I regularly submit offers at what even I consider to be silly prices on the million to one chance of them being accepted and the amount of vitriol I have experienced from sellers is frankly astonishing - to the extent that one wonders why they put the option on in the first place. Why have it if you aren’t going to negotiate - naturally my first offer is going to be stupidly low.

 

And before I’m misinterpreted here, I’m talking about those people who take it as a personal insult that I’ve made an offer. Those who simply decline or submit a counter offer - fair enough - it’s your lot, you can sell it for whatever you like. But those who send insulting messages about my affrontery leave me feeling somewhat bemused

[hayfield]

On the flip side of things, I regularly submit offers at what even I consider to be silly prices on the million to one chance of them being accepted and the amount of vitriol I have experienced from sellers is frankly astonishing - to the extent that one wonders why they put the option on in the first place. Why have it if you aren’t going to negotiate - naturally my first offer is going to be stupidly low.

 

And before I’m misinterpreted here, I’m talking about those people who take it as a personal insult that I’ve made an offer. Those who simply decline or submit a counter offer - fair enough - it’s your lot, you can sell it for whatever you like. But those who send insulting messages about my affrontery leave me feeling somewhat bemused

 

 

I agree with you, no need to be rude. In my case firstly the make an offer was not used, I thanked the person for the offer but politely declined it. I have no issues with people making offers if they are sensible,

 

I feel I start my items at a good value (not cheap) price (what's the minimum I would accept). But in the end the market decides

[njee20]

I just block people who open with stupid low offers! You need a sensible starting price. £20 on a £200 listing is just daft.

Edited November 4, 2018 by njee20