Can you change a list price (on an auction) while there is an offer pending?

[gretschwhtfalcon]

Hi,

Just wondering. I clicked on "make revision" just to see what is grayed out and what isn't. The list price of the auction is not grayed, but didn't know if it's considered unethical to change it. I have an item listed for an $1800 bid, and a current offer pending is $1200 - the guy has already indicated that he can't go any higher than that. So, in the meantime, with a dozen watchers, I was considering that it might not be a bad idea to lower the bid price while there is such significant interest. 

[gretschwhtfalcon]

I don't see an edit option and so wanted to add that at the most I was going to drop the price by no more than $200 - likely wouldn't affect the current buyer's offer anyway since he already said he's at his limit.

[mam98031]

You can revise your auction and lower the price if you want to.  A pending offer is NOT a sale.  You can revise the price until there is a bid on the auction or time is running out on it.

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/listings/revising-listing?id=4356

[7606dennis]

Are you talking about an actual auction format listing or a fixed price listing?

Are you talking about a bid that has been placed or an offer that has been made to purchase the item outside of the normal biding process?

If you have a reserve set at $1800 you could lower the reserve, but anyone that has already placed a bid would have to re-bid  since eBay's rules do not permit a reserve to be lowered below a bidder's bid.  If you do lower the reserve to below the high bidder's bid, the system lowers that bidder's bid to just below the new reserve and the bidder would have to re-commit to the higher bid if they wished to continue. 

[*madison]

The op hasn't got any bids yet. Starting bid price is $1,800.

[ms.rodriguez*]

You can’t edit while you have the offer. Decline it. Tell buyer, you can’t go that low. Once you decline, you can edit. I suggest that you put the lowest price that you will accept as a best offer. If it sells, remember that you need SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION on any item that sells for 750 dollars or more.

[gretschwhtfalcon]

Signature confirmation? Why?  I sold an item for close to $900 last year and just did the usual PayPal. 

[gretschwhtfalcon]

I got two different replies - yours indicating the bid price could be changed while there is an offer pending, and another saying that I can't. The price isn't grayed out, so I don't see why I couldn't . What's happening is that I'm getting these low-ball offers starting at $1000-1100 and the buyers increase until they get to the accepted minimum offer of $1200. Tough to know what to do since this most recent offer is a guy who lives within 2 hours of me (item is 'local pick-up only'. Hate to wind up possibly 'shooting myself in the foot' by refusing all these offers. 

[coffeebean832]

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@gretschwhtfalcon wrote:

Signature confirmation? Why?  I sold an item for close to $900 last year and just did the usual PayPal. 

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Because it's required for seller protection.

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/selling-policies/seller-protection-policy?id=4345

If a buyer reports that an item hasn't been received

If you ship an item within your stated handling time and provide tracking information to the buyer before you or the buyer asks us to step in and help with a request, you're protected.

Tracking information needs to include:

1. A delivery status of "delivered"
2. The date of delivery
3. The recipient's address
4. Signature confirmation if an item has a total cost of $750 or more

https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/security/seller-protection

What is Proof of Delivery?

Proof of Delivery is online documentation from a shipping company that includes all of the following:

• The item’s status as delivered.
• The date the item was delivered.
• The recipient's address, showing at least the city and state, or city and country, or zip/postal code (or international equivalent). The address information on your shipping receipt must match the address on the Transaction Details page.
• Signature Confirmation, if the full amount of the payment (including shipping and taxes) is $750 USD or more. This is documentation that can be viewed at the shipping company’s website and indicates that the item was signed for on delivery.

[gretschwhtfalcon]

This is a pick-up only item.....not shipping

[mam98031]

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@gretschwhtfalcon wrote:

Signature confirmation? Why?  I sold an item for close to $900 last year and just did the usual PayPal. 

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That is a real risk to the seller.  By not doing the signature confirmation, you do not qualify for Ebay or PP seller protection.  I believe the threshold is $750 and above requires it.

[buyselljack2016]

@gretschwhtfalcon 

You take the amount that you are happy with.

The lower you make your starting price, the lower the offers will be.

If it is not grayed out you can try it to see what happens. Don't know why someone here has to confirm if it will, or will not work. Either you can or you can't.

Enter the amount, hit the button.

[7606dennis]

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@gretschwhtfalcon wrote:

I got two different replies - yours indicating the bid price could be changed while there is an offer pending, and another saying that I can't. The price isn't grayed out, so I don't see why I couldn't . What's happening is that I'm getting these low-ball offers starting at $1000-1100 and the buyers increase until they get to the accepted minimum offer of $1200. Tough to know what to do since this most recent offer is a guy who lives within 2 hours of me (item is 'local pick-up only'. Hate to wind up possibly 'shooting myself in the foot' by refusing all these offers. 

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Are you talking about offers or bids?  There is a distinct difference.  As far as I know you can edit the listing if an offer has been received because the offer has not been accepted.  In the case of a bid being placed, editing is no longer possible. 

[gretschwhtfalcon]

I understand what you mean....but if I get a notice that the money for the sold item already came in at PayPal before the item is shipped out, then I can't see what's left to worry about, short of the item not getting there for some reason. I always take out insurance anyway.

[upgradedendmills]

When I get what I consider a lowball offer, I usually respond "I don't think we are close enough in valuing my item to negotiate, but Thanks".  You would be surprised how many times this results in a much more reasonable offer being made.