Do I get so many low-ball offers because I'm still relatively new?

[t-bone543]

I like using the best offer option, but it sure does leave me open to a lot of low-ball and sometimes just plain silly offers.  I have avoided using the automatic reject tool because I thought it might scare potential buyers away, but I realize it is probably no different than the rejections I send manually. Those who use best offer, what would you estimate as your percent of legitimate offers received (legitimate might include offers you don't accept, but would consider a fair attempt by the buyer)? I'm just wondering if my relative newness leaves me susceptible to the low-ballers (much as new accounts get more scam offers), or does this get better.

[wrong66]

A bigger problem is getting paid once you accept a fair offer. 

[inhawaii]

That face that you are relatively a new seller may have something to do with it.

Your #1 "problem" is that you accept offers on most of your listings.

Do away with accepting offers on your listings will help.

Even though I don't accept offers, I still get them once in a while but they are easy to deal with.

[luckythewinner]

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@t-bone543 wrote:

I'm just wondering if my relative newness leaves me susceptible to the low-ballers 

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When a buyer looks at your sold items, he sees that almost half of them ended with a Best Offer. IMHO part of the reason that you get so many low offers may be because buyers think your prices are not your "real" prices. 

[dbfolks166mt]

     New or old seller it probably does not make a lot of difference in today's environment. I quit using OBO long ago simply because I don't want to take the time to deal with it. Set the price you want for the item and get rid of the OBO. 

[davenportpm1]

I am a reseller so not sure how you obtain your merchandise. I go out and hunt for vintage and antique items to resell and get mostly offers on my items. I have declined some offers because I know if I accept those offers, I will lose money instead of making money so what is the point. But there have been times when I see I can make a few dollars on an item and actually accept the offer. I started accepting offers even if I only make a few dollars because every time I decline an offer it sits there longer without selling. I then beat myself up saying I should have accepted because a few dollars is better than no dollars. Also, it gives room for more merchandise to post. I also consider that the buyer may really want that item and because of inflation they can only afford what they are offering. Sometimes I get some great offers and accept right away. So, it is up to your discretion on when and what amount you will accept an offer. Also, by the way I do not use the reject tool. I wait to see what they offer and make my decision then. These are my thoughts and/or process until sales pick up, hopefully, like they used too before inflation. I hope this helps. 

[12345jamesstamps]

Best offer option can come in handy if you need money now. I mean, your not gonna get it tomorrow..but quicker than item up for sale sitting there for weeks. Keep an eye on watchers for those items also. Just because they didn't pay for best offer doesn't mean they aren't gonna buy it later in a day or two.

[evelyb30]

If you want to use Best Offer, set the auto-accept and auto-decline instead of seeing all offers.   The system rejects the lowball ones before you even see them.  You can also set the reject and accept a penny  apart. This of course, as others have said, actually mean you'll get paid.  Immediate Payment Required doesn't work with an accepted offer although it should. 

[krazzykats]

I'd mix it up. 

Price the lower priced items with a best offer, or the higher priced items with best offer.  Then price some at buy it now without a BO.  Maybe list a few auctions too, and start those as low as you can.  

But on best offer, I do set a lower (decline) amount, so as not to waste time on offers that aren't acceptable.

Throw in a promotion on a few maybe.

[evelyb30]

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@evelyb30 wrote:

If you want to use Best Offer, set the auto-accept and auto-decline instead of seeing all offers.   The system rejects the lowball ones before you even see them.  You can also set the reject and accept a penny  apart. This of course, as others have said, actually mean you'll get paid.  Immediate Payment Required doesn't work with an accepted offer although it should. 

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DOESN'T actually mean you'll get paid , is what I meant to type.  heat/humidity/sleep deprivation fuzzbrain..... 

[t-bone543]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@t-bone543 wrote:

I'm just wondering if my relative newness leaves me susceptible to the low-ballers 

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When a buyer looks at your sold items, he sees that almost half of them ended with a Best Offer. IMHO part of the reason that you get so many low offers may be because buyers think your prices are not your "real" prices. 

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That is a really good point that I never considered.

[femmefan1946]

Likely the low-balls are because you are new.

But you can solve the problem.

You can set acceptable and not acceptable parameters.

So if you are listing at $100 but would sell at $85 you set an automatic acceptance of  $85. If someone offers $95 that is accepted and you see the sale.

If you set an not acceptable parameter of $80, any offer at or below that will be automatically rejected with  a polite message from eBay. You never see it.

And those two prices can be a penny apart.

[coolections]

Being new does not have a lot to do with how much an offer is.  The higher the price you are asking compared to the actual recent "sold" prices many times determines how low a buyer will offer.  A buyer may offer you 50% less than you are asking, they expect you to come back with a counteroffer. Say an item is worth $50 and you are asking $100 the first offer would be around $25. The buyer is expecting you to counter at least to $50.

If you are not willing to negotiate with the buyer, just use auto decline. Typically, when I make offers, I end up buying the items at around 30% less than the original asking price, or I pass on it.