Declining a "Best offer" - Give an explanation or no? As a buyer or a seller - which do you prefer?

[bsarafian]

I don't have "Best offer" on all of my listings but I do have them on a portion of them.  If I get an offer that I just can't accept I usually decline and provide an explanation unless it's really way off base (say, less than 50% of listed price). I'll usually give a counteroffer and in the message say something like : "After shipping and ebay/paypal fees I would be left with X for my item (in same cases this has been zero or even less) because of that I am unable to accept your offer. This (the counteroffer) is the best I can do.  Thank you for your interest" In some cases the potential buyer has come back and accepted my counter, in others I don't hear anything more.

As a seller, do you find it worthwhile to explain when you need to decline an offer?  As a buyer do you appreciate an explanation or does it matter to you?

[sharingtheland]

I don't use Best Offer so when I get an unsolicited one, I just say, "I'm sorry but at this time my price is firm.  Thanks for your interest."   I use "at this time" as a, well, teaser.

If I did use Best Offer and got a lowballer, I would just change it to:  "I'm sorry but at this time I am not able to reduce my price by that amount.  Thanks blah blah..."   Or something to that effect.

I wouldn't go into fees, shipping, profit or other explanations.

Edit:  Oh, as a buyer what do I prefer?  The few times I make an offer via Best Offer I either get an auto decline, which ticks me off because I never lowball, or my offer is accepted.  I don't remember getting a message.

[thekozz7]

Following the great advice I've received here, I don't give much in the way of an explanation. I simply write:

"Thank you for your offer, but we are firm on the price."

I don't have "Best Offer" on many listings but I do receive quite a few offers on listings that don't have it. Which makes me wonder if I should use it more often. But when I get those offers, if it's reasonable, I use the "Reply with offer" link.

[thekozz7]

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@sharingtheland wrote:

I wouldn't go into fees, shipping, profit or other explanations.

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That's smart, because in doing so, it may open up an opportunity for a buyer to try to  haggle with you further. Best to leave it short and simple.

[southern*sweet*tea]

I use best offer. I rarely decline since I don't get a lot of lowballers, but when I do decline, it's without explanation.

As a seller, I don't owe anyone an explanation as to why I do or don't accept an offer.

As a buyer, sellers who explain or try to "educate" me on why they can or can't take my offer just seem...sort of pathetic and desperate.  IMO those are the types of sellers (pathetic and desperate) that tend to attract buyers with less than honorable intentions.

No means no. You don't need to justify it. If you must reply, be polite and say "sorry, I can't accept your offer. Thank you for your interest."

[bsarafian]

I should edit myself in that I don't always go into such detail but I did recently explain to a couple of buyers who were new and didn't realize what it cost to ship items. Evidently they appreciated it because they came back an bought the items at my asking price. For someone who was obviously not new I would just give the polite version of "thanks but no thanks" - an experienced buyer already knows when they're giving a lowball offer. Very interesting range of responses - always good to get other points of view.

[this*old*attic]

I have a standard reply for low ballers:

“Thanks for your interest! I can’t go quite that low, but I’m happy to meet you in the middle at XXXX.” 

Please note - XXX is rarely anywhere in the middle, it’s actually the price I’m willing to accept.

No explanation or details, short but sweet, saves some face and invites completing the transaction.

[lintbrush*]

Buyers shouldn't be informed of your business practices.  They do not need to know about your selling fees, PayPal fees and expenses, profits and/or loss.  It's unprofessional.  

I would be taken aback if I walked into a B&M and the owner started sharing that type of information, and I likely wouldn't shop there again.

When using BO, I have auto-decline set.   I don't even see the lowballs. 

If the offer happens to be my bottom line, I'll usually counter with a polite message.  

[sharingtheland]

sweet*tea, I don't respond to the people who say, "Will you take $15?" when the widget is listed at $75.

If someone messages (I don't use Best Offer) with an amount maybe in the parking lot of the ballpark, I do respond (ya never know) by saying thanks but no thanks.  I don't counter.

I really don't lowball; if something is listed for $30 and I offer $25* and I get DECLINED then I wonder why the seller is using Best Offer.  Unless BO is on the listing, I don't make unsolicited offers.   And usually the only time I make an offer is if the seller has an extraordinarily high shipping charge.  I have to assume there's some wiggle room there.  

[7606dennis]

I would not go into details as to why I handle a particular offer the way I do.  I owe no explanation to the one making the offer as to why I decided on to do them the favor of lowering my price for them.  As a seller, my options are to accept, decline, counter offer or allow the offer to time out. (Sort of like a pocket veto.)

One thing I like about people making offers is that it allows me to check out their feedback left for others and their bid retraction record.  However, I can see nothing good coming of telling the person making the offer that they had too many retractions for my liking or that the feedback the have left makes me think that they are a problem buyer.

Of course, if I make a counter offer, they should know that their offer was below what I'm willing to take for the item.

[bsarafian]

However, I can see nothing good coming of telling the person making the offer that they had too many retractions for my liking or that the feedback the have left makes me think that they are a problem buyer.

I agree completely - a perfect example of "Don't poke the bear!"

[mountainmommie]

I am a woman of few words and more action. Chances are you're gonna get what you want for what you want it for if you approach me with respect and common sense.

[lex-talon]

As a seller, do you find it worthwhile to explain when you need to decline an offer?  As a buyer do you appreciate an explanation or does it matter to you?

As a seller, if an offer is low ball, no explanation is needed.

As a buyer, no need for a seller to explain. Sellers and buyers have a right to remain silent if they choose to do so.

[uzumakey]

I don't offer an explanation - I think it's implied when you decline that the buyer's offer was too low. Personally I block buyers whose offers I don't accept (again, because they've lowballed me) then wait for the offer to expire. I don't feel I owe anyone a response or an explanation, particularly when buyers can become retaliatory over the smallest things. It's possible an incensed buyer could be declined then use an alternate account to buy the item and leave a neg - people can be crazy.

If I offered an explanation to a lowballing buyer it would be for my own benefit, to blow off steam. Unless I'm trying to negotiate by doing back-and-forth offers, further interaction is not really necessary.

[eleeper-half]

"I really don't lowball; if something is listed for $30 and I offer $25* and I get DECLINED then I wonder why the seller is using Best Offer. "

Because eBay checked that off automatically in the template?  That's happened to me.