Got a $50 offer for an item posted at $21 minutes after it went live. Scam?
Hi all,
Fairly new to the game here - posted a simple used video game up for $21 dollars (Pokemon Ruby, old early-00s game, no box, just the game) and got an offer for a flat $50 within mere minutes.
Now, I posted this fairly low to start IMO because I really just want it off my hands, but to get double an offer within minutes? It expires in 24h. Got my guard up. Should I be skeptical of this?
15 comments
robbie31415
·2 years agoSince it's auction format they just wanted to take it off the market for a quick $50 and didn't want to deal with having it bid up.
If you accepted the offer you would have made a quick $50.
Now you may make less or more depending on demand for it.
nobody*s_perfect
·2 years agoI don't know why the other posters couldn't see your listing; I had no trouble finding it:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/326056124617
Anyway, now it has received a bid, so the Offer is no longer valid. You'll have to let the auction run its full original time. Good luck!
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI don't know why the other posters couldn't see your listing; I had no trouble finding it:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/326056124617
I can see it now also. Must not have been visible when the offer was made.
aree4698
OP2 years agoI received a few more, all of which were nullified by the bid. Interesting to learn. Guess we'll just see how it goes from here!
gone.c-33
·2 years agoNo scam here, that’s a good price for a genuine Pokémon Ruby cartridge (would go for even more with the case and/or manual).
umccars
·2 years agoThere are some going for more and some not. Your call.
alegria_audio
·2 years agoMost likely a scam. I received an offer of $300 for an item listed at $199. It came along with a request for me to call them because they were "out of the country." I just ignored it.
monica-sells
·2 years agoThe scenario you posted is not unusual. I scan ebay for items I need with a service that alerts me to keywords within minutes/seconds of listing/indexing.
Your listing is an auction with a best offer option.
In most cases, there is nothing nefarious about the offer to buy it now the way you explained it.
However, I don't know the genre, so that could well be worth more...who knows?
Also, I have a lot more than (3) feedbacks...unfortunately, that does make you a bigger target than me for that category......
so, in summary...getting an offer that quick is not unusual, but your circumstances might require a second look.
sextons-sweet-deals
·2 years agoDo your homework / research on your items before listing.
Video games, consoles, electronics in general can be a target for scammers along with being a new seller.
If you make a sale, do your homework on the buyer. Location, all feedback history, maybe entertain looking up address on Google maps. Do the street & satellite view.
You could always entertain pick-up only / pay then. Let the buyer test it if they can or can ship with signature required. Scammer will stay away.
best wishes
broto_64
·2 years agoWhen at the gas station, you fill up $20 worth of gas, do you offer to pay the clerk $50?
Why not?
Exactly, nobody does that.
Right?
Right.
So why would this person do that, who knows but I'm sure it's no good.
No, they're not simply that stupid.
Soon as you accept you will likely get messages talking about paying with gift cards or some such nonsense.
reallynicestamps
·2 years agoDid you post it as Buy It Now for $21 and then get an Offer for $50?
Or did you post it as an Auction for $21 opening bid and get an Offer for $50?
With the first- there is a scammer (or a very confused or very stupid person) making the offer instead of buying.
With the second, if there are no bids, the customer wants to buy immediately without going through the drawn out auction process.
Best Offer on an Auction is expected to be higher than the opening bid and if accepted ends the auction, even if there are no other bidders.
How much did you want for it?
If $50 is okay, accept the offer, get paid*, and ship.
If $50 is less than you expect to get in auction, respond with a polite refusal and invite the offerer to bid.
*You do have your Managed Payments account set up, right?
aree4698
OP2 years agoI do indeed, thanks for the reminder!
dbfolks166mt
·2 years agoI don't see the listing on this account so I will assume this is your posting account/ID I am assuming this is in an auction format, you don't have a BIN on the auction listing but you do have OBO enabled.
Not sure of exactly what the item is with regards to more specific details but as @gator08041971 mentioned do a bit of research to see what similar items have sold for. If they are selling for similar prices then the $50 offer is within reason and maybe the buyer just doesn't want to wait for the auction to end on the 24th.
It's probably not a huge risk but scammers seem to target about everything these days.
gator08041971
·2 years agoAnd that game may be worth more than that, just fyi.
Always research your items so you know what to expect.
pjcdn2005
·2 years agoIs this an auction or buy it now? If it is a buy it now listing it is likely a scam as the buyer would just have bought it at the asking price. If it is an auction it’s not abnormal for a buyer to offer more so that they don’t lose out on the auction. Some sellers will end an auction early if they think that is a good price.