eBay

kansas_gal06 · ‎01-05-2013

Part timers, please help! I am not sure whether I want to accept a best offer or not.

Let's say I have an item listed at $20 plus $3 flat fee shipping along with Best Offer.

If someone offers me $10 and I accept, what do they end up paying?

Is it $10 or $13?

buyselljack2016 · ‎05-17-2017

@grandm826

Good suggestions, but suggestions fall on deaf ears at eBay. (eBay is not on these boards)

This topic has been brought up many times, but eBay thinks everyone in the world can understand the policy as it is

grandm826 · ‎05-17-2017

OK - I still think my suggestion that the best practice for sellers is to clarify this Best Offer policy explicitly in their auction to avoid confusion or confused buyers is a good one. Cheers

(I'm also filling out the ebay customer service survey with my suggestion)

loveyourimagination49 · ‎05-17-2017

@grandm826 wrote:

For listings in which the seller has specified shipping costs for the item, the Best Offer price includes only the listed item. For listings in which the shipping costs aren't specified, the buyer can choose to include shipping costs in their offer.

Thanks for your response - I've quoted the relevant text from the "Making a Best Offer - Other Terms" section of the eBay help.

I believe this line --- "the best offer price includes only the listed item" can be interperated by a buyer in two ways. It could be understood that "the best offer price will get you the listed item" or it could be determined to mean "the best offer price is made on the item cost only, stated shipping costs will be additional" which is what people here are confirming is the intended meaning. The meaning of "the price includes" and "only the listed item" is ambiguious.

SUGGESTED REVISION:
Buyer is responsible for the shipping costs stated in the listing, the Best Offer amount is made on the item cost only.

Also regarding shipping, to clarify what "stated in the auction" means:

Fixed price shipping = stated in auction
Calculated shipping = is that considered "stated in the auction"?
If I check global ship program = does that mean "stated in the auction"?

Sounds like the best practice might be to add in the description a line like --- Buyer is responsible for the shipping costs stated in the listing, the Best Offer amount is made on the item cost only.

alan@ebay

Care to share with the appropriate team?

Thanks

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.

tyler@ebay · ‎05-18-2017

Great suggestion - I agree on the potential confusion. I'll get it submitted, thanks!

Tyler,

loveyourimagination49 · ‎05-18-2017

Much appreciated. This has been needed for a very long time.

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.

snowy3 · ‎08-07-2017

I'm a seller and I never see the note added, if there is one. I've had three sales fall through, with very angry would-be buyers who do not understand that the shipping in the original listing is non-negotiable. If I could at least see the note from the buyer asking for free shipping, I could counter back intelligently. If I just accept the offer, it looks like I accepted any additional terms, which I never even saw. All three buyers were surprised when the invoice I sent kept the shipping as it was in the listing.

I feel like I'm missing something here...

loveyourimagination49 · ‎08-07-2017

@snowy3

For listings in which the seller has a specified shipping cost, the buyer is responsible for the shipping costs stated in the listing, the Best Offer amount is made on the item cost only. For listings in which the shipping costs aren't specified, the buyer can choose to include shipping costs in their offer.

That is from the help page ^^^^

The help section needs updated <<<NTS

The message regarding item price only is right under the note section. (Unless that's changed too)

Sorry for your issues. I can only offer to treat meanness with kindness and see if you can work something out with them.

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.

snowy3 · ‎08-07-2017

Do you know where I should look to see if anyone has added "terms" to their offer? I have never seen them.

loveyourimagination49 · ‎08-07-2017

They must have changed something. It use to show when you clicked on view best offer. Then it would say this person included a message. ( something like that.

Are you on a mobile or using the app, if so that maybe why. If not then I'm not sure 🤔
Hopefully someone who's had a recent one will comment.

Everyone has options. Just be sure the best option is right for you.

hidy-hoo · ‎08-08-2017

@snowy3 wrote:
Do you know where I should look to see if anyone has added "terms" to their offer? I have never seen them.

@snowy3 Hi, snowy...you have entered the realm of eBay Double Speak! Unfortunately, depending on what device the buyer is using, i.e. phone with classic view, phone with eBay app, ipad, tablet or PC, plus the browser, the seller will see something different on each sending device...the word "terms" leads me to believe that your buyer is using a phone and if you are on a PC it may not show .

This is a guess on my part as I never use the "best offer" option... unless eBay nefariously checks the "best offer" box on one of my new listings without my permission and I don't catch it in time before the listing goes live....really annoying! When that has happened and I do receive an offer, I automatically assume that the buyer is unaware of the policy stating that shipping costs are never included in an offer....so I respond with a dollar amount that "includes the shipping cost". I don't spell it out, i.e., mention that my counter includes shipping as that will only muddy the waters and further confuse the buyer. They either accept the offer of not...their choice...bottom line...always assume that the buyer is including shipping in their offer and you should be OK.

How much better life would be, if a liar's pants really did catch fire!

mokoko-trends · ‎08-16-2017

Hi, I see this is an old question, but I was just looking for this answer. I just recieved a best offer of $18 on an item I priced at $25.00 + $3.99 shipping. I took the best offer of $18 and YES, the $3.99 for shipping was added to it, so the buyer ended up paying $21.99. Hopefully this helps any new sellers!