Low-Ballers

[certifiedgemsonly]

I sell gems which are 100% certified as natural, any treatment if known (heat/BE/etc), certifications at no extra charge and in black faux-leather, glass-lidded jewelry boxes, then, all enclosed in a black velvet jewelry bag for a nice presentation. I also have free S&H. The certifications, jewelry boxes, velvet bags and shipping/handling set me back about a hundred dollars on each gem, plus the actual cost of that gem.

My margin is not that much based on the actual cost of the gem, plus the eBay fees and the $100 spent on certification, marketing and presentation on each gem. Plus, I'm also fighting those sellers who sell synthetic gems, pieces of glass or other low-quality stones as genuine. And, there are actually buyers who believe that you can get a real 5-carat Sapphire on eBay for $5.00. 

My feedback speaks for itself about the quality of my gems and my customer service. I also employ "best offer" on most of my gems. The issue is that, on too many occasions, a potential "buyer" will low-ball me an offer on a gem. Way low!

Example: a gem I offered for $900.00 got an offer from a bidder for $88.00. Not $880.00...$88.00! Seriously! Of course, some people get it and offer a fair price, which I may either accept or make a counter-offer in return. The low-ballers seem to have flourished and multiplied over the last two years, or so. 

Of course, I must respond, which I do very nicely and professionally. I make a reasonable counter-offer and either hear nothing else from them or get a rather rude e-mail that "they can't afford that price." Hey, I like the new Bentley coupe, but, I can't afford one. I guess I could go to the nearest Rolls-Royce/Bentley dealership and offer $30,000 for a Bentley which lists for $188,000.00. We all know how realistic that is, right?

So, point of the thread: have you as sellers noticed an uptick in the number of low-ballers on eBay lately? 

Thanks!

[eksallons97]

no you don't have to respond.   in fact "idiots" like that I put on my BBL  and let their "insult" expire...   who needs a buyer like that.  NO ONE> 

[Anonymous]

No I have not noticed an up swing in people looking for a lower price. People trying get a better deal because they can't afford or don't want to pay the asking price for the merchandise is nothing new.  Just keep on replying in a courteous, firm manner and be done with it.  I have BIN or Best Offer for most of my listings and occasionally the buyer and I can work out a mutually agreed price. I can't sell a product to a buyer that doesn't like the price unless we communicate. I find it worth my time and an interesting part of retail.

[komokwa]

set your BO to accept or decline price points and let ebay do the heavy lifting...

[certifiedgemsonly]

Hi, Komokwa...

I tried that approach, but, I actually like the idea of selling the item to the potential buyer. When I explain in an e-mail response the high-quality of my gems, the investment potential, the reason for the certification and all the other selling points, I am able to give them the reasons for the price of the gem. I also ask them if they're a good gemologist and ask them if a dealer sells them junk...how would they know? 

If I was selling hundreds of items a day or week, I'd probably try your approach again, but, the personalized one-on-one seems to work better.

Thanks!

[komokwa]

My way sells the item too......at the price you're asking......freeing you up to persue additional sales in other venues.

[tucson_bill]

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@certifiedgemsonly wrote:

I sell gems which are 100% certified as natural, any treatment if known (heat/BE/etc), certifications at no extra charge and in black faux-leather, glass-lidded jewelry boxes, then, all enclosed in a black velvet jewelry bag for a nice presentation. I also have free S&H. The certifications, jewelry boxes, velvet bags and shipping/handling set me back about a hundred dollars on each gem, plus the actual cost of that gem.

My margin is not that much based on the actual cost of the gem, plus the eBay fees and the $100 spent on certification, marketing and presentation on each gem. Plus, I'm also fighting those sellers who sell synthetic gems, pieces of glass or other low-quality stones as genuine. And, there are actually buyers who believe that you can get a real 5-carat Sapphire on eBay for $5.00. 

My feedback speaks for itself about the quality of my gems and my customer service. I also employ "best offer" on most of my gems. The issue is that, on too many occasions, a potential "buyer" will low-ball me an offer on a gem. Way low!

Example: a gem I offered for $900.00 got an offer from a bidder for $88.00. Not $880.00...$88.00! Seriously! Of course, some people get it and offer a fair price, which I may either accept or make a counter-offer in return. The low-ballers seem to have flourished and multiplied over the last two years, or so. 

Of course, I must respond, which I do very nicely and professionally. I make a reasonable counter-offer and either hear nothing else from them or get a rather rude e-mail that "they can't afford that price." Hey, I like the new Bentley coupe, but, I can't afford one. I guess I could go to the nearest Rolls-Royce/Bentley dealership and offer $30,000 for a Bentley which lists for $188,000.00. We all know how realistic that is, right?

So, point of the thread: have you as sellers noticed an uptick in the number of low-ballers on eBay lately? 

Thanks!

---

So none of your items linked to this ID have a "make an offer" feature.  They're BIN.  You don't have to respond to anything.  The price is the price.  Assuming you did list "make an offer" you also don't have to respond.  especially to an offer that's out of reason.

Don't know if there's an uptick  lowballs, but I don't know why anyone would care.  If you didn't solicit offers you simply ignore them.

If you did solicit offers you can set a limit to automatically respond with a decline.

[komokwa]

So none of your items linked to this ID have a "make an offer" feature.

Uhhh, Bill....I'm seeing many BO listings now ..... ?

[tucson_bill]

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@komokwa wrote:

So none of your items linked to this ID have a "make an offer" feature.

Uhhh, Bill....I'm seeing many BO listings now ..... ?

---

So there are, and they're all tagged "newly listed".  I can only report what I saw when I looked.  In fairness to the OP I don't know what that PERSON"S normal posting habit is, I simply extrapolated from what I saw.  None of that negates the actual advice -- You don't have to respond to any offer, especiallly one you find offensive.

[komokwa]

From April 16 to March 21st I see over 20 items listed with best offer......

I don't think you looked to **bleep** hard.......

But yes....the advice has merit !

[old_man_arthur]

They are ROCKS.... actually pieces of rock.

If you don't want Low-Ball Offers... Specify that in you Listing in BIG LETTERS.

BTW-- I would not buy a Gem that I could not handle before purchasing.

Neither would any intelligent buyer.

So all that you will get is eBay Cheapskates.

[she-sells]

I get lowball offers every day.  

These keyboard warriors would never make a lowball offer if they were standing face to face.

I love the ones who tell you your shipping is too high..  I retort have you shipped anything latley?  

I give them the weight of item and add 1 lb for box/packing and my zip code and tell them go onto the USPS website and see how much it costs to ship to me.

some of these buyers are brainless & clueless just pure LOW WATT BULBS!

[goldunltd]

I agree with OMA...I wouldn't buy a gemstone over $30 from Ebay....I'd have to see it with my loupe first.

Buyers have been cheapskates here for years....after over 1,700 transactions, nothing surprises me anymore.

Block them and move on.

[tucson_bill]

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@komokwa wrote:

From April 16 to March 21st I see over 20 items listed with best offer......

I don't think you looked to **bleep** hard.......

But yes....the advice has merit !

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You could be right, but I'll take the postive part of the comment.  Thanks.

[twotoys]

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@she-sells wrote:

I get lowball offers every day.  

These keyboard warriors would never make a lowball offer if they were standing face to face.

I love the ones who tell you your shipping is too high..  I retort have you shipped anything latley?  

I give them the weight of item and add 1 lb for box/packing and my zip code and tell them go onto the USPS website and see how much it costs to ship to me.

some of these buyers are brainless & clueless just pure LOW WATT BULBS!

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I have had that several times recently. Someone really laid into me about "high" shipping costs on a shirt and asked me "if I could send it in an envelope" on an item that I had listed to ship in a Flat Rate Envelope!

They live on the east coast (I am in Oregon) and I pointed out to them that it would be $1.48 cheaper to send it First Class, but it would be there in 4-5 days instead of 2-3 days. I didn't even mention that it would cost me money for the envelope. I also said they were free to bid on the item and if they requested it shipped First Class, I would refund the money for them. No bid from them, of course.