eBay

lady-hnc · ‎01-21-2019

I've been playing with the 'Offer to watchers' feature, which enables me to offer a reduced price for an item to any number of watchers, with just one click.
Returns have been decent, about 15%, and it helps trim stock without reducing the listed price.

Just recently I got a message upon making an offer - "You can only send 3 offers to a buyer, for a listing."
Now, I did know that. What I didn't know is that ebay had been directing me to send multiple offers to the same watchers. Whatever algorithm they use, I would hope when the item indicates 'eligible for offers', it means only new watchers - otherwise i'm sending another offer to the same watcher every couple of weeks.

Now, it looks like I might be doing some of that.
Is there any way to prevent sending multiple offers to watchers, when using the 'Offers to Watchers' feature? I searched first - i think it's a new topic.

no_zero369 · ‎01-21-2019

This is problematic since eBay hides the watchers name to you.

I went in Seller Hub > Listings > Manage Active listing and looked at active items. In my "Actions" column, those that have or had offers show up as "Review all offers" rather than "edit". If I go to review all offers for an item I sent an offer to a watcher, there are two sections: Offers and Sent to Interested Buyers. In that second section the buyer's name is the first letter followed by 3 Stars *** and the last letter of the buyer's name. So some indication of who an offer was sent to.

However, I have no idea if that list shows the same buyer's name two times, IF indeed I have sent the buyer a couple of "Offers To Watchers" (OTW)? Not sure if the offers follow-on attached to the listing IF the item is relisted automatically. If those OTW don't show then it would be virtually impossible to see that one sent any watcher an offer before.

But more importantly, since it is not clear WHO you are sending a OTW to, when you do it, then there is no way to tell if you have send the max 3 offers to any particular seller already or not. I don't think the watcher/buyer's name shows up in the "Sent to Interested Buyers" section until AFTER the offer is sent.

I think this is a test program that has not been expanded and has a few kinks to work out. I know the blues weighed in on a thread on this topic months ago, so perhaps someone could page them so that your "experience" or glitch gets passed on to the team developing the program.

Me? I tried it out before the holidays and had ZERO success! Not even a return email saying 'thanks but no thanks.' I think the watchers are mostly other sellers wanting to see what the item sells for. I just don't like the blind nature of it at all so pretty much quit doing it. But your success rate is encouraging. What kinds of items are selling with that OTW?

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎01-21-2019

I hope you and other sellers are aware that some buyers, including me, find this new ability to be offensive. I don't want offers from sellers, especially not multiple offers on the hundreds of items I am watching at any given time.

IMO it is spam. I will promptly remove any item from my watchlist I get offers for. This is another anti-buyer Ebay change and one of the reasons I have mostly stopped buying here.

This is no different than Ebay putting unwanted Best Offers on sellers' listings without permission. Maybe you've read the dozens of THOSE messages by complaining sellers? Ebay is trying to ring every last penny out of every transaction. Unfortunately they're turning off long time members to do it.

lady-hnc · ‎01-21-2019

The idea is not to deluge watchers with offers - just one will do. Given that I sell vintage photo equipment, where many people have a wish list, and that my offers are always at least 20-25% less than my listed price, I believe most people watching an esoteric item would want to know if there were a chance at a significant savings.
For the seller, it's better than dropping the listing price; for the buyer, it's an opportunity they are not going to get otherwise.

Watchers, whether shopping or just curious, want to watch the action on an item. Would you really give up the opportunity to know a wanted item was being offered for less, just to avoid another email? Just delete them.
Spam is scattered, hoping to find a random target. I don't view sending notices just to those who have indicated interest, to be spam.

lady-hnc · ‎01-21-2019

Thanks. I sell mostly vintage camera equipment.
I am aware of the Manage Offers information, and after sending out OTW's , those offers are also shown there as you describe - with 2 letters and asterics .
However, the avatar names don't show until after the OTW's are sent, and when Ebay tells me again that I have watchers I can send offers to, there's no indication if it's a unique watcher , or a re-offer.
Like you said, it's a new program.
/Cheers

lady-hnc · ‎01-21-2019

I have to add - sending generous offers to interested parties is a far cry from secretly slipping a lower cost option into an unsuspecting seller'[s listing.
So I disagree - Yes, there IS a difference, the difference between being honest, and being dishonest.

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎01-22-2019

You may be sending generous offers but sadly you are not all sellers.

mr.chopsticks · ‎01-24-2019

Where can I find send offers to watchers?

city*satins · ‎01-24-2019

@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:
I hope you and other sellers are aware that some buyers, including me, find this new ability to be offensive. I don't want offers from sellers, especially not multiple offers on the hundreds of items I am watching at any given time.

IMO it is spam. I will promptly remove any item from my watchlist I get offers for. This is another anti-buyer Ebay change and one of the reasons I have mostly stopped buying here.

This is no different than Ebay putting unwanted Best Offers on sellers' listings without permission. Maybe you've read the dozens of THOSE messages by complaining sellers? Ebay is trying to ring every last penny out of every transaction. Unfortunately they're turning off long time members to do it.

I have seen the feature but not tried it. I have to say, it never occurred to me that a potential buyer might have hundreds of items on the watchlist. I've never had more than 10 at a time, and even then 4 are there because they're things I buy periodically from those sellers.

So thanks for sharing that perspective. I can see why offers might be unwelcome if the recipient is watching so many items at once.

THIS SPACE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK

no_zero369 · ‎01-24-2019

@mr.chopsticks wrote:
Where can I find send offers to watchers?

Not every seller was opted into the program. It appears to be a pilot program.

IF you were opted in, the only way I have accessed it is:

My eBay > Activity > Sell / Selling

Gotta run, got bidness to attend to!

lady-hnc · ‎01-24-2019

I find it on my active listings page. Just above the first item, I can check 'promoted items' and each item will say if it is promoted; or I can check 'offers to watchers', and it will show watched items eligible for offers.