Jump to content
 

eBay Best Offer - Why Do Sellers Use It?


BG John
 Share

Recommended Posts

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.

This is something that I get really annoyed at.

I just don't understand someone's thought process. Yes, eBay does things automatically these days but when someone lists a couple of books for £75, when singluar books from the same series sell for less than £5 a pop, I don't understand why the seller doesn't accept nobody is going to pay the £75 asking price. Why can't they just accept the book (that was originally RRP'd at something small like £2) isn't worth what they want it to be?

 

I've even asked a few what they've used as a valuation.

None have ever got back to me with anything more than "I think...".

Edited by Sir TophamHatt
Link to post
Share on other sites

This is something that I get really annoyed at.

I just don't understand someone's thought process. Yes, eBay does things automatically these days but when someone lists a couple of books for £75, when singluar books from the same series sell for less than £5 a pop, I don't understand why the seller doesn't accept nobody is going to pay the £75 asking price. Why can't they just accept the book (that was originally RRP'd at something small like £2) isn't worth what they want it to be?

 

I've even asked a few what they've used as a valuation.

None have ever got back to me with anything more than "I think...".

ebay itself is used as a valuation yardstick.

 

The vendor looks for similar items that have been listed recently and adds a tenner to the winning bid.  If there are no recent sales of an identical item, then they plaster lOOk, RARE! over their listing and double the price obtained for something vaguely similar.

 

I get the feeling that nowadays even charity shops use this method....

 

Perhaps I'm just being a little too cynical?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

So not only are Ebay annoying me and many many other sellers immensely with random unwarranted insertion of Best Offer into Buy It Now listings, there is a new thing that you have you have to be VERY careful to avoid where Ebay will automatically drop your Buy It Now price by five quid a week until it sells!

 

It's getting silly now...

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I agree Ebay is turning me off using it, with it's silly 'enhancements'. The amount of best offers IMO is because there is a part in the listing process which implies an additional fee might be payable if you deselect 'best offer'. You do have the option of setting a 'auto-decline offer' minimum value, so if your very low offer goes to the buyer it's because they haven't set their listing up properly.

 

The feedback system is broken, with most buyers not bothering to leave any, though the model railway buyers are somewhat better than the general punter.

Edited by stovepipe
Link to post
Share on other sites

So not only are Ebay annoying me and many many other sellers immensely with random unwarranted insertion of Best Offer into Buy It Now listings, there is a new thing that you have you have to be VERY careful to avoid where Ebay will automatically drop your Buy It Now price by five quid a week until it sells!

 

It's getting silly now...

 

Stop using it then.

That's the problem, isn't it? There are no alternatives*, so people constantly moan about something but continue to use it.

If something was ticking me off that much, I'd walk.

Incidentally, as a seller, I've yet to notice any of these things you mention. I've never had "best offer" added and I've certainly not had my BIN price dropped. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just haven't had it happen to me.

 

* ...or no mainstream ones. I am aware of Facebook groups etc, although I've never used them. The classifieds on here never reached a vast audience and if the classifieds ever make a reappearance, they won't ever rival the likes of ebay, a global brand that almost everyone has heard of.

Edited by Pete 75C
Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps I'm just being a little too cynical?

Ha ha, no.

 

I've sent in "best offers" where the buy it now price is £50 of no more than £20 and it's been accepted.

I wonder if this is to inflate the price of the best offer and make the product seem more expensive than it really should be?

 

 

 

Ebay will automatically drop your Buy It Now price by five quid a week until it sells!

 

It's getting silly now...

Indeed!

I admit I half read about this when building an auction but it didn't quite register properly. Then I completely forgot I was away when the "new" auction ended.

Ergo, I get a negative as I had to cancel the sale because I wasn't going to be back for another week to post it.

Edited by Sir TophamHatt
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

And another fine example of "BIN or make offer" ...

 

Item listed at £8.77 or make offer.

 

I offer £8.

 

Seller makes counter offer of ... £8.67

 

I write seller off as a joker and happily buy from different seller at £8.77.

Link to post
Share on other sites

And another fine example of "BIN or make offer" ...

 

Item listed at £8.77 or make offer.

 

I offer £8.

 

Seller makes counter offer of ... £8.67

 

I write seller off as a joker and happily buy from different seller at £8.77.

 

 

Spikey

 

If you paid £8.77 then the first seller got his pricing correct, I think quite a lot of sellers find eBay slips things in like best offer without them realising the auto selection listing process has changed. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ive had several instances at this point of someone offering a best offer lower than my auction start, i counteroffer and they let it expire. Is it not going through?

 

How I see it working, if its BIN and best offer, you go low. If its Auction and best offer, youre fighting to end it early, thus slightly higher. No?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ive had several instances at this point of someone offering a best offer lower than my auction start, i counteroffer and they let it expire. Is it not going through?

Probably but I am finding an increasing number of ebay users to be plain lazy these days.

I have recently sold two items (together with about 7 other auctions) that both have not been paid for. One was a seller abroad, the other simply didn't reply when I messaged them about collection.

 

I just hope I am not so ignorant in life!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I really like the best offer function. Got a previous generation Hornby King for £58 down from £69.50 from Rails of Sheffield's eBay page, I'd say that's quite a significant saving and allowed me to buy a couple of spares for various builds too.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I really like the best offer function. Got a previous generation Hornby King for £58 down from £69.50 from Rails of Sheffield's eBay page, I'd say that's quite a significant saving and allowed me to buy a couple of spares for various builds too.

 

Rails on ebay do seem agreeable to a lowish offer. Perhaps the BIN price is a tad more than they're expecting? Good business sense, I suppose. Those that are willing to submit an offer usually get a deal but I bet there are many that just pay the asking price, meaning a little extra for Rails. Good for them. Certainly makes a change from the usual BIN £70, offer £65 and be countered with £69.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

Made three offers on some useful accessories recently of £20, £25 & £30, to which the seller counter offered £42.50!

 

 I was the sole bidder at £13.50!!!!

Best offers are cancelled as soon as a bid is placed so if the seller sets a low start price it is worthwhile to just bid at that price.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

My understanding when it comes to auctions with offers is that it gives potential buyers the option to make an offer in order to win the auction early.

 

Most eBay users in my experience leave bidding until the last minute so it gives buyers the opportunity to buy it sooner and saving the hassle of a bidding war

 

If anyone ever offers me anything below the starting bid I just decline the offer

 

If a seller starts an auction at a certain price common sense dictates that the starting bid is the lowest amount the seller will accept....that’s how I understand it anyway

 

With BIN with offers I’ve always assumed the seller expects to receive offers for less

Edited by chuffinghell
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It seems EBay has listened and has now stopped randomly inserting best offer into listings without the sellers consent or knowledge.

 

They do still try and sneak it in if listing/relisting using the mobile app though.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

It seems EBay has listened and has now stopped randomly inserting best offer into listings without the sellers consent or knowledge.

They do still try and sneak it in if listing/relisting using the mobile app though.

eBay listening?.....first time for everything I suppose :P

 

You’re quite right about the sneaky mobile app tactics though

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

It seems EBay has listened and has now stopped randomly inserting best offer into listings without the sellers consent or knowledge.

 

They do still try and sneak it in if listing/relisting using the mobile app though.

 

eBay listening?.....first time for everything I suppose :P

 

You’re quite right about the sneaky mobile app tactics though

That must be very recent as an item of mine had best offer added after I had listed it two days ago and it wasn't via a mobile app. The really annoying thing is that I have tried to remove the best offer bit but whenever I try it just sends me back to the sign in page.

Edited by Dave Hunt
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

So how do you make an offer on an auction item?

I've just found an item with an auction starting price,

and under the price is 'best offer' , but there is only a 'place bid option, no make offer option

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

So how do you make an offer on an auction item?

I've just found an item with an auction starting price,

and under the price is 'best offer' , but there is only a 'place bid option, no make offer option

Bump

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...