Best offer

[oldtrainz]

If the seller is not obligated to accept the "best offer", then the phrase should be "make an offer". Of course they could lie saying there was a better offer but then I woudn't expect to see the item relisted at the same price.

[soh.maryl]

Perhaps "make an offer" WOULD be better terminology.

But we have to go with what we have.

It means "best offer" in the eyes of the SELLER.  So, if you make what you consider to be YOUR best offer, but it's not the best offer in the eyes of the SELLER, then, no, of course not, the seller isn't required to accept it.

If the seller were actually obligated to sell to the buyer who makes the best offer, then wouldn't all of us offer $2 or so on the brand new phone or the platinum jewelry you are selling, and you'd have to accept that offer? 

[eburtonlab]

The seller is not required to accept any offer, not even the "best" one. The seller is free to accept, counter, reject or ignore any offer.

The "best" in "Best offer" means that the buyer can make the "best" possible offer for consideration by the seller.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/buy-now/making-best-offer?id=4019

If you look at the button that appears in the listing on the web site, it does say "Make offer".

[*lady*madonna*]

@oldtrainz 

The seller can choose to accept any offer, not necessarily the best offer, or they can choose to not accept any offer at all. And they can relist as soon as the listing has ended for whatever price they choose.

[stainlessenginecovers]

Tomayto... Tomahto...

OBO has been a 'thing' (or Best Offer) for items sold in the local papers since the turn of the last century. 

Oh, and the seller wouldn't be 'lying' because they can be waiting for a BETTER offer. 

[lacemaker3]

It's short for "Make YOUR best offer".

If course it doesn't mean the seller is obligated to accept the best offer they get. It never means that, ever, even if it's posted on a notice board or a lamp pole. Whether or not the seller is willing to accept a low offer, depends on how desperate the seller is, no matter what they put on the ad.

[kensgiftshop]

Some sellers are not interested in offering best offer and don't want it on their listings, but Ebay thinks it's a good idea to put it on there.

[mudshark61369]

@oldtrainz,

I believe when Offers first were introduced the original wording was Make Offer, on listings.  Then sellers started complaining about too many Low ball offers being made and having to deal with them. It wasn't until ebay increased the number of offers that could be made from 3 to 5, and added the automatic Accept/Decline option, that they changed the wording to Best Offer in hopes it would get people to not send lowball offers so often.

A few years after that change, ebay decided that seller's who used the quick listing tool would have Best Offer placed on all of their listings, whether or not they wanted to entertain offers or not. More experienced sellers set up the auto accept/decline price to be only a few cents less than the BIN price. Others just ignored offers until they expired.

   If a seller  decided to switch to the Advanced/Business listing tool, so they could remove best offers from their listings, or select it as an option, they received a message saying it was only for high volume or business sellers, to discourage them from doing that.

[woodland_gnome]

There is a setup where the highest offeror gets to claim the item.  It's called an "auction".  On eBay s/he even gets to pay less than the amount of the bid depending on what the next highest offeror bid.

If the seller was required to accept the highest offer no seller in his/her right mind would use that option.

[simba6]

It really means   don't bother the seller with low offers.  However, we can't bring ourselves to say that.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @oldtrainz 

I've been seeing the term 'Or Best Offer' since I started reading the Classified ads in newspapers.  I've never known it to mean that the seller was 'obligated' to accept any offer ... just that the seller would consider a lower offer than the asking price. 

Do you know of any venue where a seller is obligated to accept an offer?  I'd love to know if there is such a place ... since I've seen a number of posts saying the same as you.

[oldtrainz]

I don't know if there is such a place ... Ebay is pretty unique. I'm coming from the point of view that my first language is English, not "Ebay". When I see on a page offering to sell a product at a given price accompanied by another price which is "best offer", I expect that to be the sellers pricing choice and that she/he will, failing someone meeting the preferred price accept the best offer tendered within the time frame of the listing. That's the "English" involved. Obviously "Ebay" needs to be learned as a second language and I have more or less done that over the (many) years. They (Ebay) are, as well, clear enough in their definitions. I guess I have higher standards particularly as might apply to Ebay newbies, who might also be English as a first language and not be delving into the background rules. Again, if I were Ebay management, I would be assiduous in requiring the presentation to be honest, clear and obvious. IMHO, they are not.

[oldtrainz]

I'm coming from the point of view that my first language is English, not "Ebay". When I see on a page offering to sell a product at a given price accompanied by another price which is "best offer", I expect that to be the sellers pricing choice and that she/he will, failing someone meeting the preferred price accept the best offer tendered within the time frame of the listing. That's the "English" involved. Obviously "Ebay" needs to be learned as a second language and I have more or less done that over the (many) years. They (Ebay) are, as well, clear enough in their definitions. I guess I have higher standards particularly as might apply to Ebay newbies, who might also be English as a first language and not be delving into the background rules. Again, if I were Ebay management, I would be assiduous in requiring the presentation to be honest, clear and obvious. IMHO, they are not.

[oldtrainz]

Then make it say that!

I'm coming from the point of view that my first language is English, not "Ebay". When I see on a page offering to sell a product at a given price accompanied by another price which is "best offer", I expect that to be the sellers pricing choice and that she/he will, failing someone meeting the preferred price accept the best offer tendered within the time frame of the listing. That's the "English" involved. Obviously "Ebay" needs to be learned as a second language and I have more or less done that over the (many) years. They (Ebay) are, as well, clear enough in their definitions. I guess I have higher standards particularly as might apply to Ebay newbies, who might also be English as a first language and not be delving into the background rules. Again, if I were Ebay management, I would be assiduous in requiring the presentation to be honest, clear and obvious. IMHO, they are not.

[oldtrainz]

Not known by all involved!

I'm coming from the point of view that my first language is English, not "Ebay". When I see on a page offering to sell a product at a given price accompanied by another price which is "best offer", I expect that to be the sellers pricing choice and that she/he will, failing someone meeting the preferred price accept the best offer tendered within the time frame of the listing. That's the "English" involved. Obviously "Ebay" needs to be learned as a second language and I have more or less done that over the (many) years. They (Ebay) are, as well, clear enough in their definitions. I guess I have higher standards particularly as might apply to Ebay newbies, who might also be English as a first language and not be delving into the background rules. Again, if I were Ebay management, I would be assiduous in requiring the presentation to be honest, clear and obvious. IMHO, they are not.