Sellers raise price when you ask a question about item--WHY???

[just_anna]

This has happened 3 times in the last week.  One seller raised the price by $2, right after I asked a question.  Another seller sent me an offer.  I countered with an amount that was $1 and change less then his offer.  Never heard back.  This morning--he raises the price and he sends me another offer--dollars more than his original offer.  Then there's the seller who never responds with an answer to a question--just keeps relisting--with a higher price each time.  Your comments please.

[heckofagame]

Sounds like a seller that doesn't know what he's doing.

[mtgraves7984]

One seller raised the price by $2, right after I asked a question.

@just_anna 

^^^ I'll address this one. Maybe the seller hadn't noticed a previous price reduction (or the like) until you called the listing to his/her attention.

The others just sound clueless... or rude. Ha... you'll show them. 😏

[ed8108]

Why ???

Does help to discourage buyers from asking  questions.

Solution : buy or just move on.

[lamber9347]

@just_anna Always best to remember that this is only a platform that puts sellers and buyers together. The seller needs no professional skills, no retail skills, no customer service skills, and no licensing or training. This is similar to dealing with someone at the swap meet; it’s a hit or miss. Best of luck to you....

[cardsforauction]

Only ask a question if it's a very specific question that is necessary to ask, otherwise your showing the seller interest in the item and knows you want it.   If the question was not that big a deal then you should have just bought it right off the bat if there was little risk.  Condition is everything, so sometimes you have to ask a question otherwise you may get burned.  Too bad you could not meet the seller in the middle regarding the price.

[sapphire_studio]

Maybe the questions  You asked seemed to knit picky and he was actually trying to discourage you specifically from buying it because he saw you as a problematic buyer.

 Also with the increased shipping costs  Maybe you bringing their eyes to the listing made them realize they should price it a little bit higher.

 They probably are not expecting you to purchase it  after they blatently raised the price in front of you,  So they're not in a rush to sell it.  Maybe you showing interest in the item makes it slightly more valuable in their eyes and they think they can get a little bit more from someone else.

[house*of*paws]

Hi @just_anna 

The only thing I can recommend is that when you are sent an offer within $1-2 of an acceptable price ... you accept the offer.  [Were I a seller ... I'd be annoyed if someone sent me a counteroffer that was "$1 and change less" than my offer.   I'd consider that wasting my time.]

[simba6]

That can also happen at in person flea-markets.  Sellers think it's worth more if buyers show interest in it.  Asking questions can trigger that.   The rule of the jungle applies, it's savage out there.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

Probably getting eyes on it via the offer made them realize that they had not checked the price for awhile & that it was due to be raised or they figured that the interest means they should raise the price or they figured that your question was going to culminate with a request for a discount, as most of mine do.  

I often receive questions asking for unusual measurements or a whole list of questions, that require me to go pull the item (which may or may not be at home), do more measuring or research to answer the questions, & then after the additional time & effort involved in answering their questions, I get a 'will you lower the price message'?   Almost every time.   So, maybe they were just pre-empting that.  

As for raising the price prior to sending an offer, that's not really unusual.  The 'discount' has to come from somewhere.  

I'm surprised you got it 3x in 1 week, but I would like to know what the question was & how it was phrased.  That can be very telling!  

[buyselljack2016]

Last time I got an offer of about 20% off on an item (message offer. do not have offer on listing) I raised the price $5.  The offer prompted me to look at other listings for the same item, and seeing that I was lower than others, the price went up.

[richard1rst]

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@just_anna wrote:

This has happened 3 times in the last week.  One seller raised the price by $2, right after I asked a question.  Another seller sent me an offer.  I countered with an amount that was $1 and change less then his offer.  Never heard back.  This morning--he raises the price and he sends me another offer--dollars more than his original offer.  Then there's the seller who never responds with an answer to a question--just keeps relisting--with a higher price each time.  Your comments please.

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You wouldn't have heard back from me either. And I would have put you on my blocked buyer list. I refuse to waste any time with someone so cheap as to nitpick me for "$1 and change."

[ihavealottosell]

I raised my prices and I have a person question why did that. I am losing money here and had to make my prices more competitive.  I blocked this person because they have already been rude and ask me where she can get better deals outside Ebay.  I find her to be rude and annoying.  

[kh-taylarie]

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