How do you seasoned sellers respond to someone who messages you about giving them a deal?
I have been selling for a while but have not really had this come up until a few times recently.
Most of the items I list are Buy It Now or Best Offer. Recently I have had a number of potential buyers bypass the Best Offer function and just message me instead asking me to make them a deal.
Is this considered normal or by the rules?
How do you typically respond to such messages, if at all?
Am I right to be suspicious of such activity?
30 comments
steady2304
·1 year agoAs a seller I do not use the Best Offer option since eBay mucked it all up. If a buyer contacts me with an offer and it is reasonable, and I have wiggle room, I will lower the BIN price for them and have them purchase it so they have all payment options available. I tell them that it is only for X number of hours and after that it will be raised back up to normal price.
As a buyer, if the seller has the Best Offer option and I go to make an offer and it requires a payment method upfront, I back out and contact the seller and ask if they would accept $XX.xx amount and if so would they kindly send me an offer through eBay messages so I don't get my Buying ID enrolled into eBay's auto-payment system so that I can use whatever payment method I prefer when checking out. Most sellers, if my offer is good enough, gladly send the offer through messages or send me a counteroffer, and for those that don't I just move along and find another seller.
fbusoni
·1 year ago@nevilletetts
For me, it all depends on the item in question and how the message is phrased.
A buyer wrote to me a few months ago asking if I could sell her some champagne glasses at a discount that she needed for her daughter's wedding. She was polite, obviously educated, explained that she was on a budget, and most importantly comported herself appropriately. She signed her full name and I was happy to help her out.
Contrast that, say, to the incoming message that lacks a salutation of any kind, that is generally thoughtless, coarse, unrefined... one which stands out is "I give u $25." Or my all time favorite, just a number. That sort of buyer is added to my blocked buyer list immediately.
As is the one who writes, "what's your best price?"
(I don't like to play guessing games.)
Create a safe selling environment for yourself. eBay gives you the tools to do so.
gurlcat
·1 year agoI think you already know I agree with all that (we've discussed this before). And the reason I feel zero guilt for ignoring those terse ones is because I don't get the sense they really want the item. And I don't just mean that if they really wanted it they would take the time to write better than a caveman -well, that is part of it, but also I think most of them are resellers themselves, trying to get inventory as cheap as they can, and doing so by casting a wide net. -In other words, their message to me is probably one of dozens they sent in just the past hour, and that's WHY the messages are so short.
I don't think they even expect many replies, kind of like an online telemarketer knowing not to expect many people to answer their phone.
finderskeepers024
·1 year agoPeople have no boundaries. They do what they want and are rude about it. Ebay has created this.
luckythewinner
·1 year agoIs this considered normal or by the rules?
It happens, and it is permitted.
How do you typically respond to such messages, if at all?
That depends. If I am not interested in lowering my price for them, I respond and say no. If I am interested in lowering my price for them, I lower the price and tell them to be quick before someone else gets it first.
Am I right to be suspicious of such activity?
What is it about an inquiry from a buyer that seems suspicious?
tobaccocardyahoo
·1 year agoIt is normal for low life, bottom feeding buyers.
Sometimes I respond saying no and thank them, if they have been respectful.
Other times, I ignore the message and add the buyer to my Blocked Buyer List.
If they are one of my repeat customers and the offer is at a modest discount, I accept their offer.
Are they trying to cheat you? - I never give them a chance, but I do not think they are, they are just being their annoying selves. But, I do not want them as a customer, because many are annoying after the sale, if they are before the sale.
chapeau-noir
·1 year agoI get people asking (I don't have OBO on my listings, I'm just regular FP/IPR), and I don't mind haggling a bit if it so happens the item has been running for a while. If they want to bundle I just refund any shipping overage and tell them that - it hasn't posed a problem, but then I have it clearly in my listings that I do combine shipping and refund overage, usually when I pack and weigh for shipping, which is that day or the next day.
Anyway, I was all for immediate payment on offers, but the lack of bundling option puts me off, so I had opted out of the required immediate payment for offers. I'm not sure where it stands now. I'd use the flat rate for first item and secondary shipping for each additional item, but a lot of my stuff really has variable weights, sometimes into the couple of pounds, so that doesn't work very well.
adamcartwright
·1 year ago@nevilletetts
Even if I do not have OBO enabled and someone messages me an offer, I will try to make a deal with a reasonable-looking buyer because I'm in the business to move inventory.
If someone uses the phrasing "make me a deal," they're asking you to negotiate against yourself. I would block that person.
bonanza125
·1 year agoIt's not suspicious. Everything is done through Ebay anyway. The buyer just chooses to negotiate with me directly. There is no problem with that. If you don't want negotiate directly tell the buyer to make an offer through the system and go from there.
gurlcat
·1 year agoIt's funny seeing this thread tonight @nevilletetts because I ignore such messages 99% of the time. I feel they are hostile in nature, when there is a clear way to make offers IF the seller wants them. If they don't have Make Offer enabled then they obviously DON'T want offers, and if they do want them, well that's what the button is for.
BUT at this particular time I am in dire financial straits, so just tonight I made a rare exception and gave in. I'll show a screenshot of the conversation (starting at the bottom). -Can't see the times, but it all took place inside 10 minutes or so. ......Then they went M.I.A..
Total waste of time! I will go back to ignoring these, and advising anyone who asks to do the same. No reason to even think of trusting people who push against your boundaries.
gurlcat
·1 year agoUpdate to tonight's story (message #15): Right after I posted that, this person bought. THEN they send two more messages
Are these all genuine Monet? -Yes. (Monet is not an expensive enough brand for there to be fakes)
How many pieces are there? -I don't know. They are all in the main photo. (As in, count them YOURSELF if it matters so much to know the exact number).
Again, these were questions sent to me AFTER the sale. If there's any silver lining to this one, it's an EIS sale, so once it reaches Illinois I am done with it. But I give this buyer a 50/50 chance of cancelling by morning. So annoying!!
bdmh-enterprises
·1 year agoLOL I'd say there is a 100% chance you will hear from them, within days of it getting to the hub, asking where it is.
Multiple messages = problem buyer
gurlcat
·1 year agoWell, this just happened. 🙄
And I don't know what they meant by "deliver the goods together" -they didn't order multiple items. But it looks like they just learned about freight forwarders, so if I had agreed to change the address, then it would also mean refunding the shipping difference. -I don't even know if that's possible after an EIS sale is paid for, probably not. Oh well, I'm still just tickled pink that it is an EIS order! And yes I'll be blocking this PITA ASAP!
reallynicestamps
·1 year agoIt's normal, especially with buyers who don't notice the Best Offer.
I tell them that I have Best Offer enabled, so making an offer is ready to go.
If by some chance I don't have BO enabled, I ask them for their offer and say yes or no.
With BO I also have set automatic Accept/Reject prices, so I rarely see lowballs, often see Accepted Offers where the buyer has made two or more lower offers, and almost never see an offer through Messages.
As long as there is no attempt to move off eBay, I'm fine with it.
chevymontecarlo88
·1 year agoIf you have the best offer option on your listing, just reply that you are considering offers and encourage them to make one through the system. If you don't have any offers on the listing, just ask them what they expect to pay for it? Don't take it personally and use the opportunity to make a deal. That being said, i would not waste too much time negotiating on items that sell for under $100. Make it worth your time.
inhawaii
·1 year ago"Sorry, I am not acceptings offers at this time."
momtoabeautifuldaughter
·1 year agoI tell them if the listing has the best offer button they are welcome to use that and if listing doesn't have the best offer button then the price is the best it can be.
1786davycrockett
·1 year agoAll of my listings are "Buy it now," with no option for "Best offer."
Nevertheless, I often received emails from buyers wishing to play "Let's Make A Deal."
To which I point out the egregious eBay Final Value Fee of 14.95% on most of my listings (books and magazines), plus the recent increase in shipping charges from USPS -- both of which seem to be suitable deal-breakers.
Deal me out.
reallynicestamps
·1 year agoTo which I point out the egregious eBay Final Value Fee of 14.95% ... plus the recent increase in shipping charges from USPS -- both of which seem to be suitable deal-breakers.
In my opinion, buyers don't care what our costs are. Telling them a sad story is the dealbreaker, not the numbers.
fbusoni
·1 year agoAgree... its a matter of disrespect, of not recognizing a boundary that you have established.
Or even worse, not paying sufficiently close attention to the listing to see that you do not accept offers.
This is most definitely a defective personality type, and in my book they are always blocked.
luckythewinner
·1 year agoUp until recently, when you used "contact the seller" from an eBay listing that did not take offers, the eBay page would say "This seller does not accept offers. Do you want to send one anyway?"
So IMHO its kind of unfair to blame buyers for behavior that eBay actively encouraged for years.
ittybitnot
·1 year ago@nevilletetts
You are likely getting these since you require a buyer to provide a payment source in order to make an offer. Not only does this limit the payment choices a buyer can use to pay (i.e. no google pay, apple pay, spendable funds, PayPal credit, PayPal pay in 4, etc. etc. ) but it also removes the opportunity for invoicing, combined shipping.
For example, you have two listings for single comic books. Shipping is listed at $14.35 each. If I were to make you an offer on both, and you accepted, I would be billed separately for each one, which would be a total of $28.70 (plus tax) for two comics. Combined shipping would not be available to me, you could not send me an invoice. Sorry to say, I wouldn't bother until you get rid of those settings.
You can see yours here:
https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements
Buyer Rules:
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they place a bid.
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they make an offer.
eBay awarded them to all sellers, but still allow them to be turned off for those that wish to encourage multiple sales to the same buyer. All buyer IDs are in forced compliance now when they deal with sellers that retain these. They are adding more and more buyer IDs into forced compliance for being able to make a bid.
Though eBay says this procedure it to cut down on non-payers, it is the best they have come up with in a long while to discourage buyers that DO PAY. Of course you can limit your buyer pool all you like, but those that have turned them off report an increase in offers, bids, and thus sales.
So long as you know how to deal with non-payers, it should not be much of a problem to set them to OFF. Hoards of non-payers are not going to be arriving in black op helicopters on your front lawn...LOL.
I would reconsider your shipping prices in general, they seem rather high.
Good luck, and happy selling.
nevilletetts
OP1 year agoFor example, you have two listings for single comic books. Shipping is listed at $14.35 each. If I were to make you an offer on both, and you accepted, I would be billed separately for each one, which would be a total of $28.70 (plus tax) for two comics. Combined shipping would not be available to me, you could not send me an invoice. Sorry to say, I wouldn't bother until you get rid of those settings.
You can see yours here:
https://www.ebay.com/bmgt/buyerrequirements
Buyer Rules:
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they place a bid.
*Require buyers to provide a payment method before they make an offer.
eBay awarded them to all sellers, but still allow them to be turned off for those that wish to encourage multiple sales to the same buyer. All buyer IDs are in forced compliance now when they deal with sellers that retain these. They are adding more and more buyer IDs into forced compliance for being able to make a bid.
When did this happen, because in the past I have always been able to send an invoice combining shipping?
gurlcat
·1 year agoI've been an abysmal judge of time since the pandemic, but eBay has been experimenting/rolling-in this change for several months I think. Maybe over a year now.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoWhen did this happen, because in the past .....
@nevilletetts
It started last year sometime when eBay placed those requirements on all accounts with the default set to yes (unannounced, or course). It did nothing until they enrolled buyer IDs into mandatory compliance if they wanted to make an offer at all. eBay announced a few months back that ALL buyer IDs are now auto enrolled, and they continue to enroll buyer IDs to choose a payment source in order to proceed to bid on auctions. If the buyer doesn't comply, they can't bid on sellers that retain the "buyer rules". They can bid (or make offers) as usual with sellers that turn them off.
Unrelated to "buyer rules" eBay has declared that all SELLER GENERATED OFFERS (and accepted counter offers) will be immediate payment required. Though buyers can choose the payment source of their choice, these also will not be available for combined shipping/invoicing. Buyers have no "accept" feature anymore. They must pay each separately at full shipping if you happen to send them more than one offer. The products will remain for sale until paid for. Even when a seller accepts a counter offer, the buyer doesn't have to pay at all, and there are no consequences for them if they don't. So much for cutting down on non-payers in this scenario.
eBay makes more money on those individual non-refundable per item fees. They get to count multiple sales instead of one that combines items.
Some sellers think this is wonderful. As a buyer since 1998 put in punishment camp because other people don't follow the rules, I refuse to play. I buy vintage jewelry and sterling smalls. No sense making offers or bidding on multiple items that each have a $5 shipping charge. Nobody wants to pay $50 in shipping alone for 9 pairs of earrings and a silver spoon. The internet is a big place now. These things are not items that I need in order to live, but rather things I would simply like to have.
Some sellers will refund the difference after the fact for multiple items. They don't have to if they don't want to. Sellers that don't trust I will pay.....I don't trust they will refund any overage after the fact that I have to wait days to receive that money anyway.
nevilletetts
OP1 year agoThanks for the info. I have adjusted my settings accordingly and hope to see an increase in bids/offers.
As far as my shipping charges are concerned, priority mail costs what it costs. I tried using ground advantage but ebay doesn't seem to know what that actually costs and I always lost money. I use media mail when I can, but on comics that is not permitted.
ittybitnot
·1 year agoI tried using ground advantage but ebay doesn't seem to know what that actually costs and I always lost money.
@nevilletetts
Try using CALCULATED shipping w/ Ground Advantage (you simply add weight/dimensions and buyers are charged based on their location). Also make sure you change/remove/turn off the other setting that eBay placed on all seller's accounts along the lines of providing the same discount that eBay provides you as a seller when you use purchase a label here to your buyers. You don't have to pass on your discounted rate to your buyers, and you will lose less money that way.
albertabrightalberta
·1 year agoIf I get a message on a b.o. listing, I tell the buyer that I have a b.o. option on that listing and they can make their offer through the listing. You can tell them you may accept, may counter or may decline.
If the message is on an item without a b.o. option, I respond to let them know the price is firm.
In some cases in which a buyer sends a question, I might answer the question and also choose the "send offer" button to make an offer to them.
In all cases, the first thing I so is check potential buyers' feedback left for others and if I see a problematic buyer, I block and don't respond.
slippinjimmy
·1 year agoDear xxxx
My prices are firm, I can offer substantial shipping discounts for multiple item purchases.
Regards
xxxx
You have Best Offer on all your listings so you should expect to get some offers either directly or through the eBay offer system.
It's only suspicious if the user making the offer tries to take the communication off eBay. If you give up your direct email address or telephone number you set yourself up for fake purchase./payment messages.
bdmh-enterprises
·1 year agoUnless they start talking about off ebay sales there's nothing to worry about. Probably just fishing for a deal. I get it now and then.
I do find it annoying when people do it on fixed priced listings and I will ignore them as a rule, since it seems redundant to give them the price they're already looking at.
Now if someone sends an egregiously low ball offer, messages repeatedly or seems aggressive I will block those buyers. They tend to be problematic down the road.