Making a "private offer through messaging"

[raff4474]

Can somebody please explain the proper way to make a "private offer through messaging" (which ebay help says can be done to sell to a specific customer without offering it to others) but it doesn't explain how and I don't want to break any ebay rules. I already have the customer, the item and an agreement on price and shipping... what do I do now, to stay within the rules? How do I complete the sale without circumventing ebay?

[jtzvwbug]

@raff4474 

Sending a custom offer using the "Reply with offer" button:

If a buyer sends you a question about an item you have listed in a fixed-priced format, you'll have the option to reply with an offer. If you've already replied to the buyer but wish to make them an offer, you can find the Reply with offer button in your first message to them. 

The offer you send can be for more or less than the Buy It Now price, and you can send a buyer up to 3 offers. Each offer is valid for 48 hours or until the listing is sold, whichever comes first.

The option to reply with an offer is available to all sellers, whether you use the Best Offer option in your listing or not. However, this feature is unavailable on auction or multi-variation listings, and in the motor vehicle category.

If you're accepting Best Offers on a listing, you can send custom offers on that same listing to buyers who ask questions, unless the buyer has already sent a Best Offer. If a buyer sends a Best Offer, the Reply with offer button won't be available, but you can send them a counteroffer.

1. In My eBay: Messages, find the message from the buyer and select Reply with offer.
2. Change the offer price to the amount you and the buyer have discussed. The offer can be higher or lower than the price of the item.
3. Clearly summarize the details of your offer in the Message to buyer section, including any additional shipping costs. As long as the offer details are visible within messaging, or the Message to buyer field, the transaction is covered by the eBay Seller protection policy.
4. Review the offer and select Send

What happens when a buyer accepts a custom offer:

When a buyer accepts your offer, the sale will proceed as usual and you will not be able to change the title, handling time, or the custom label of the order.

You won't receive an email when your offer is accepted, but once the buyer pays, you'll find it in the Awaiting shipment section of My eBay.

The eBay Help Page > Adding Best Offer to your listing and sending offers to buyers 

[raff4474]

Thank you, that's most helpful for future reference if/when those conditions you mentioned may exist. But they don't in this case; here's my situation: I listed a dyed shirt for auction. Buyer won it, paid, I shipped. eBay has that transaction as "Ended". But the buyer left Neutral feedback that she had received a different size than advertised but wanted to keep it. In subsequent messages discussing how I could make things right with her, she requested I dye another similar shirt in the right size and let her buy it. I offered her a reduced price and she will pay the normal shipping. So, I just need to do a Buy it Now sale to only one person. I looked at all of our previous messages and there is not a Reply with offer button anywhere to be found. So the only thing I can think of to do is to make arrangements with her to put it on as a Buy it Now at a time when she is available to snap it up immediately before anyone else has had time to see it. Do you have any different ideas or suggestions? Thank you again. : )

[jtzvwbug]

@raff4474 

Hang on and let me @mention:

@wooden_flower and @comics-scifi-collectibles 

Have you ever done something like this? If so, can you share how you handled it because I've seen different answers as to how a seller can best handle a situation like this.

TIA

[comics-scifi-collectibles · Accepted solution]

@raff4474   " I offered her a reduced price and she will pay the normal shipping. So, I just need to do a Buy it Now sale to only one person. I looked at all of our previous messages and there is not a Reply with offer button anywhere to be found. So the only thing I can think of to do is to make arrangements with her to put it on as a Buy it Now at a time when she is available to snap it up immediately before anyone else has had time to see it. Do you have any different ideas or suggestions? Thank you again. : )"

The way I handle sales to a specific buyer is to list at as an auction with the starting price at the agreed on price.     Then once the buyer makes a bid you select END from the drop down menu next to the item and select Sell To High Bidder.     If someone else happens to bid before your buyer does then you cancel that buyers bid.    Put a note in the title too that says private auction.  

Here's how to cancel bids if needed:  

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/selling-auctions/canceling-bid?id=4140&st=12&pos=1&query=...

[raff4474]

Wow, I never would've thought of that. Thank you all so very much for all your help and for being volunteer mentors!! : )

[jtzvwbug]

@raff4474 

If you're still here, would you mark Comics response as your Answer???

ADDED: You did it. Thanks.

[wooden_flower]

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@jtzvwbug wrote:

@raff4474 

Hang on and let me @mention:

@wooden_flower and @comics-scifi-collectibles 

Have you ever done something like this? If so, can you share how you handled it because I've seen different answers as to how a seller can best handle a situation like this.

TIA

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@jtzvwbug @raff4474 

I rarely used offers, but when I did, I did it through messages.  When responding to a message from a buyer about a specific item, I had the option to 'reply with offer'.

This would not work on an ended item, so what @comics-scifi-collectibles described  - the buy it now with a high price and best offer - would be the way to go.

[raff4474]

Thank you very much @wooden_flower 🙂