Can't make counteroffer - "Your offer is higher than the Buy It Now price"

[estebanpark]

I am having an issue trying to make a counteroffer on an item I have listed. A buyer has made an offer on the item and I would like to make a counteroffer. Everytime I try to type in a value greater than the starting price of the auction I get the error "Your offer is higher than the Buy It Now price" which prevents me from making a counteroffer.

The issue is that the item was not listed with a Buy It Now option. I can't even make a counteroffer for more than the auction starting price. Is this an error with the system or have I missed something?

Attached is a picture of the error. 

[d-k_treasures]

You are listing this at an auction, and ebay put the stupid make offer on it.

The buyer can offer more than your starting price, but you can't counter higher than what you are starting it at.

If you want 60 bucks for it, just accept the offer. Why would you counter at 99 cents LOWER than what the buyer is offering?

And if you think it's going to bring more than 59.00, just let the auction ride.

[lintbrush*]

The whole Best Offer on an auction is a new thing and I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it's apparently requiring you to counter with an offer lower than your opening bid price.  I'm not sure how that makes sense.

If you're willing to accept 59.01, why not accept the 60?

[estebanpark]

I put the $59.01 counteroffer in there just to illustrate that I couldn't counter with even a penny more than the starting price. I initially looked for more than $60 but the error persisted. 

[estebanpark]

I put the $59.01 counteroffer in there just to illustrate that I couldn't counter with even a penny more than the starting price. I initially looked for more than $60 but the error persisted. 

[castlemagicmemories · Accepted solution]

Just go in and revise the listed price, and tell your buyer.

[coolections]

You cannot make an offer higher than the original starting price as it defeats the purpose of an auction. It would not be an auction if you raised the price. Buyers are the ones who do that on auctions.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Well that's just stupid. If the minimum you want for an item is the starting price, why would any seller accept LESS than the minimum starting bid?

As a seller, I would only consider offers GREATER than the opening bid. No wait, I wouldn't because taking offers on an ongoing auction violates the principle of auctions and is ridiculous and futher erodes the purpose of auctions on this once great platform.

[coolections]

@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth

Because it would be a total scam and I believe it is against the law for a seller to RAISE the price. It would be similar to shill bidding. Buyers are the ones who either raise the price, or make offers lower than the starting price. I see nothing stupid about it alt all.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Sellers can raise the starting and BIN price any time if nobody has bid. It's not shilling.

A higher Best Offer would work just like auction with BIN works now except the buyer could ask for a BIN price. If the BIN price is ethical, the BO should be too.

Usually Best Offers in the real world are better offers. If they're going to do this for auctions (allow lower offers) they should rename it to WORST OFFERS.  

Not that I agree with either. I think auctions should be auctions.

[lintbrush*]

Okay - I understand.  You really don't want $59.01.

If you have a price in mind that you'd be willing to accept, you could always add a Buy It Now option.

You do run the risk of the item selling for $59

Nevermind, I see you edited the listing and up the starting price to $65

[readabouthorses]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Well that's just stupid. If the minimum you want for an item is the starting price, why would any seller accept LESS than the minimum starting bid?

As a seller, I would only consider offers GREATER than the opening bid. No wait, I wouldn't because taking offers on an ongoing auction violates the principle of auctions and is ridiculous and futher erodes the purpose of auctions on this once great platform.

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It's not only stupid but very disturbing that the little ole eBay BOT that sent the message doesn't know the difference between an auction starting price and a Buy It Now price. There are no BINS to be seen on that listing so why even reference them in the message that popped up?

[d-k_treasures]

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@coolections wrote:

@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth

Because it would be a total scam and I believe it is against the law for a seller to RAISE the price. It would be similar to shill bidding. Buyers are the ones who either raise the price, or make offers lower than the starting price. I see nothing stupid about it alt all.

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Did you happen to look at the screenshot? The buyer is the one who made an offer higher than the starting price. Since they allowed the buyer to make that offer, why shouldn't the seller be allowed to counter the same way?

Of course, this make offer on auctions is one of the stupidest things ebay has done, and obviously not very well thought out(as usual).

[ymeagainlord]

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@coolections wrote:

@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth

Because it would be a total scam and I believe it is against the law for a seller to RAISE the price. It would be similar to shill bidding. Buyers are the ones who either raise the price, or make offers lower than the starting price. I see nothing stupid about it alt all.

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But it's not a scam for eBay to add a Best Offer to an auction?

WTH would a seller accept an offer LESS than the starting price?

[kim_y_buran]

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@coolections wrote:

You cannot make an offer higher than the original starting price as it defeats the purpose of an auction. It would not be an auction if you raised the price. Buyers are the ones who do that on auctions.

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But this is not an auction - what the buyer is actually trying to do  is to bypass the auction by haggling with the seller.  Regular bidding rules should not apply here.