Better to list at most competitive price or higher price with Best Offer?

[goldrushfinds]

Many people say you should enable Best Offer, as it increases sales. Problem is, I typically try to put most competitive (that I can afford to do) price on an item from the begining to appeal to buyers. Do you intentially list a bit high and offer Best Offer or just list at your most competitive price. Also, have you tested both ways and come to any conclusions?

[itsjustasprain]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

IMHO putting Best Offer on a listing is like hanging out a sign saying "pay me as little as you think I will take".

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Definitely. In my selling account my Fixed Price listings are just that. No Make Offer. If my price is too high for someone they are free to look elsewhere.

Also keep in mind that if your listing gets sorted by price in search results it will be on the basis of your asking price - not the secret lower price that you would be willing to settle for. So I would just list it for what you are happy to get and be done with it.

[l5vw]

Does adding best offer add any sort of bump in search ?

[kensgiftshop]

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@chariot_badges wrote:

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

When I listed items, I listed at the price I wanted.

I never used best offer an I don't by from sellers that use it.

When I see best offer, I know the seller has already jacked up the price to cover the difference of the offer they'll accept.

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Without even checking of sales of like items?

You don't care what 'market value' of the item actually IS?

As soon as you see the "BIN" button, you're decision is made not to purchase that one?

I price at the middle or so of fair market value.  I offer a BIN button.  My rule is to never to below a certain number ... and never more than 20% discount from 'the price'.  I recognize that the market can move away from what I priced it at six months ago.  It can go up ... or down.  If a buyer sees an item that is worth $20 and I have it listed at $50 - I'd like to know that. 

I appreciate anybody that can show me that I have an item over priced - I will fix it.

BTW:  20% of my sales are a result of BIN offers.  Also, my sales prices are up 11% YOY.  (I'm keeping up with inflation.)

I'm barely hanging on with the fingernails of one hand ... and fingers crossed on the other hand.  

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A few items I would check to see what they were selling for, but I wouldn't list by those prices.

I don't sell to get get rich, just to get rid of stuff and have something to do.

The stuff I sold didn't cost me anything, so if I made a couple bucks, that's a couple bucks I didn't have before.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

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@chariot_badges wrote:

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

When I listed items, I listed at the price I wanted.

I never used best offer an I don't by from sellers that use it.

When I see best offer, I know the seller has already jacked up the price to cover the difference of the offer they'll accept.

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Without even checking of sales of like items?

You don't care what 'market value' of the item actually IS?

As soon as you see the "BIN" button, you're decision is made not to purchase that one?

I price at the middle or so of fair market value.  I offer a BIN button.  My rule is to never to below a certain number ... and never more than 20% discount from 'the price'.  I recognize that the market can move away from what I priced it at six months ago.  It can go up ... or down.  If a buyer sees an item that is worth $20 and I have it listed at $50 - I'd like to know that. 

I appreciate anybody that can show me that I have an item over priced - I will fix it.

BTW:  20% of my sales are a result of BIN offers.  Also, my sales prices are up 11% YOY.  (I'm keeping up with inflation.)

I'm barely hanging on with the fingernails of one hand ... and fingers crossed on the other hand.  

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Ebay prices are often erratic, based on coincidence and sometimes ignorance.

There are prices which reflect purchases by other resellers who have seen an item offered by a seller who has no clue what they have and what it might sell for.

There are sales which are made by sellers who are desperate to pay their rent, credit card bill or mortgage.

There are both high and low priced sales that will never ever occur again.

Some sellers are better than other sellers in conveying the value of what they are offering, and are willing to wait for a buyer. Make an offer is better than price reduction because the sold listing will not reflect exactly what the seller was willing to accept.

It does not matter if you use Make an Offer or not, there are plenty of buyers who will message you an insulting offer and waste your time.

Many sellers know what a fair retail price of what they list is, and are unwilling to take less. Those sellers do not use Make an Offer. Many other sellers have no clue and stumble around trying to price their items.

[rockystradingpost]

As a seller, I do it both ways. 

I've found that some buyers enjoy the haggling, and I've actually had multiple sales where Best Offer was enabled, but the buyer went ahead and paid full price.

As a buyer, seeing Best Offer enabled doesn't bother me at all. I'll make an offer and negotiate as high as I can. 

[reallynicestamps]

Depends on the customer.

The item usually sells for $10 and shipping will be $5. - total $15

Some love to get the lowest price no matter what the shipping cost.

• Sell for $5 with $10 shipping.

Some love to have a simple transaction and will pay more to have Free Shipping.

• Sell for $15 Free Shipping.

Some love to get the bargain of Free Shipping.

• Sell for $15 Free Shipping or $20 with Free Shipping.

Some like to haggle.

• Sell for $20 + Free Shipping with Best Offer enabled.
• Or enable Best Offer with parameters set so all Not Acceptable Offers automatically declined and all Acceptable Offers automatically taken.

Some feel that the higher the price the better the product.

• Sell at $20 with $5 shipping.

Some buy the first item they come across.

• Opt for Promoted Listings at the eBay suggested fee.

Some check out only the first page of listings

• Opt for Promoted Listings at the 2% minimum fee.

There are eight billion people on Earth and every one has a different personality and world view.

[dbfolks166mt]

     I quit using OBO a long time ago I simply got tired of addressing all the offers I have better things to do with my time. Even with the auto-decline setup and in place it was more time than I was willing to put toward it. 

[chariot_badges]

@tobaccocardyahoo 

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@tobaccocardyahoo wrote:

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@chariot_badges wrote:

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@kensgiftshop wrote:

When I listed items, I listed at the price I wanted.

I never used best offer an I don't by from sellers that use it.

When I see best offer, I know the seller has already jacked up the price to cover the difference of the offer they'll accept.

---

Without even checking of sales of like items?

You don't care what 'market value' of the item actually IS?

As soon as you see the "BIN" button, you're decision is made not to purchase that one?

I price at the middle or so of fair market value.  I offer a BIN button.  My rule is to never to below a certain number ... and never more than 20% discount from 'the price'.  I recognize that the market can move away from what I priced it at six months ago.  It can go up ... or down.  If a buyer sees an item that is worth $20 and I have it listed at $50 - I'd like to know that. 

I appreciate anybody that can show me that I have an item over priced - I will fix it.

BTW:  20% of my sales are a result of BIN offers.  Also, my sales prices are up 11% YOY.  (I'm keeping up with inflation.)

I'm barely hanging on with the fingernails of one hand ... and fingers crossed on the other hand.  

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Ebay prices are often erratic, based on coincidence and sometimes ignorance.

It does not matter if you use Make an Offer or not, there are plenty of buyers who will message you an insulting offer and waste your time.

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Yea, I don't suffer fools for very long.  

When I get someone who's splitting pennies and countering I decline the offer and put them on  the blacklist. 

Same for insulting offers.   Offer me $5 on a $50 ask and ... yer done.   The first time.

Time IS the most valuable asset.  

It and my patience is finite.

[vintagecraze50]

I agree. For the items we sell we would rather price competitively be possible the best or close to the best price rather than upping the price which in many way I believe screws up the search for the best price to begin with. Some people acquire items at much lower prices and can then also list with the best offer and they can be in the competitive price range as well. For us the Price is the price.