Do you ignore lowball offers? I do

[ten_o_nine]

I used to counter offer with what I would accept, but since I had no luck with those counter offers, I decided to just ignore them, just like this one ebay sent me a reminder on today, it's listed for $49 with free shipping and the offer was $12 .

I know I can set my best offers to auto accept/decline but wanted to evaluate each offer based on product/demand/inventory, I also know I can reject but that only means a $13 offer is coming and if I reject again, it creates a "not so good feeling about transaction", so what do you do? Should I reject or Ignore?

[terrycanarsky]

We do much of our business through offers, and low ball offers are mostly just a complete annoyance.  However, sometimes they can be negotiated to an acceptable compromise, and everyone is happy.

How I do it normally is - on stupendously low offers - counter with a note thanking the buyer for their interest and the admonition that we gladly consider all REASONABLE offers.  Sometimes the buyer slinks away, never to be heard from again.  Sometimes the buyer responds with a more reasonable offer, and we go from there.

The only time we put someone on the blocked list is if they have a history of wasting our time with consistent, chronically low offers.

~M

[ymeagainlord]

But they can't add to those metrics if the "offer" came in a message and not an official BO.

[ymeagainlord]

@myboardid I think that only happens when the buyer started off with a lowball offer.

[blacktopautoparts]

Exactly, I've had people do this to me when I relist an item and they have been a watcher for several relistings. They will continue to bug me with their low ball offer since they think the item didn't sell. Little do they know my inventory is paid off and if it sits for 5-6 months till the right buyer comes along, I am willing to do that.

I'll help someoneo out if they need a lower price, but not to a point where you are ripping me off. I just don't get people.

[ymeagainlord]

A friend of mine had a buyer have 4 offers that autodeclined, finally made one that autoaccepted and then didn't pay. I call that just "playing games"

[jason_incognito]

I think maybe I'll always start with a low offer.

The kind of seller that blocks is the kind of seller I don't want to do business with,

So many sellers with the block block block attitude? Please put that in the listing and it will prevent me from bothering you. Even if that meant I was gonna buy it outright and not even make an offer. Wouldn't want to offend you by somehow not going through all the steps exactly as you have decreed.

[ymeagainlord]

Well it was eBay who decided that buyers should get more than 3 chance to make an offer.

[turquoisetulips]

 Should I reject or Ignore?  ten o nine - op - unquote ---------------

I can't tell you ,,,  but as for myself I  don't ignore  low ball offers  no matter how absurd they are . Take yesterday for instance . I had a handbag clip on charm for sale already at a pretty reasonable price  at 5 dollars with 2.66 for shipping . A  interested party offered me one dollar for it,, lol . I simply declined  but I was very tempted to add a note asking '' what would make anyone think  a seller  would take 1/5 of their asking price  right off the bat '' ? Of course I didn't,,  but I  wanted to . Turned out this person ended up buying it  without any further offers . I know there's always going to be people who will try to get  something as cheap as possible  so things like that are bound to happen . However I still keep the best offer option on just because I like to see how many  people are interested in my stuff . tulips

[blacktopautoparts]

Jason, you might be a good buyer that is trying to get a good deal. Please realize that there are just as bad buyers out there as sellers, and if they don't get the low ball offer they like they'll buy the item at the agreed price and then will pull a fast one with a SNAD case to get more money off. I've had that happen quite a bit. Not saying you are like that, but it happens. In some cases there are good people that just want to get the item cheaper because that is the price they can afford, but in other cases you get those buyers trying to get something ultra cheap and will use the system to get it.

[turquoisetulips]

Sorry, but as a buyer I will typically start with a lowball offer if the item in question has a "shoot for the Moon" price. I know the asking price is ridiculous so I will wait until the last day or two to make a lowball offer. I know 90% of the time it will be rejected but I NEVER expect the offer to be accepted. What I am looking for is what the seller really wants for the item, not the fantasy price posted. After I receive the counter most of the time I accept and everyone is happy with the deal. slideshopper - unquote -  -----------------------------------------------------------

That's usually my experience as well . Its one reason I don't block  people for making low offers . Most of the time it works out okay . tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

Sorry, but as a buyer I will typically start with a lowball offer if the item in question has a "shoot for the Moon" price. I know the asking price is ridiculous so I will wait until the last day or two to make a lowball offer. I know 90% of the time it will be rejected but I NEVER expect the offer to be accepted. What I am looking for is what the seller really wants for the item, not the fantasy price posted. After I receive the counter most of the time I accept and everyone is happy with the deal. slideshopper - unquote -  -----------------------------------------------------------

That's usually my experience as well . Its one reason I don't block  people for making low offers . Most of the time it works out okay . tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

I have never had a single buyer cause a problem after I accepted their offer, and I sell a lot via this method.  I don't believe the nuisance buyer happens any more ofter when Best Offer is involved than it does when the buyer just buys without using BO. myboardid --  unquote --------------------

I agree , I think sellers who block  potential customers for making low ball offers  do so because they've had one or two bad experiences  that have jaded their views  on the practice  . I don't think this is a  wise healthy business   position  to take . I've sold many items  at a best offer I'm comfortable  with  and  just like in your case  I've had very little negative issues  come back at me , if any at all caused by best offers . tulips 

[rixstuff]

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@ersatz_sobriquet wrote:

It all depends. 

On an expensive antique I've taken as much as $500 less than what I had it listed for. I still made excellent money. 

The ones I avoid are the ones that try to get a $25 item for half. I don't like cheapskates. Comparing that to the huge reduction on an expensive antique you might think--You took $500 less but you won't take $12 less on the $25 item? How does that make sense? 

It makes a lot of sense. The expensive antique when rare is a matter of waiting for the right buyer to come along, and those items are so unique there is rarely a true comparison item, and/or the other like items are again "shoot for the moon" prices. So I sell it for less and still make a bundle. 

But the $25 item that the buyer wants half off feels to me more like a cheap person trying to take advantage of the ebay garage sale. The $25 price was not extreme to begin with. It's just some buyer who always fishes to try to get less than market value, and I'll be honest--I don't like those kinds of buyers. For some reason, that feels more insulting to me.  I try to avoid them because I agree with others that they are possibly the type to complain after the sale too. 

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Im guessing though that the $500 was 10-30% off not FIFTY like the $12 of 25 would be.  I am flexible but not insane. (well maybe but not about sales).

[rixstuff]

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@lex-talon wrote:

Most of the low ball offers I received are countered and usually the buyer is never heard from again. 

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As a buyer I have offered $80 on a $100 item only to be countered with $98.  Really? $2 off?  Never mind.

[turquoisetulips]

I have a friend of many years that this is the one thing about her that drives me nuts. She is like that on any exchange of money, anywhere she goes, any purchases she does. That's just how she is, and she's never going to change. I learned a long time ago to keep any monetary dealings out of our friendship.  ersatz - unquote -----------------------

Words right out of my own playbook ! You must know the same person that I do . I was with her one time when she purchased two taco's for lunch  but she wouldn't spend a few dimes on a drink to go with them . She just kept taking sips off everyone elses drinks . She refuses to grab a shopping cart at the grocery store for fear she might find something she needs . I could go on forever with bizzare examples  but I do often wonder what makes these types tick . tulips 

[rixstuff]

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@jason_incognito wrote:

I think maybe I'll always start with a low offer.

The kind of seller that blocks is the kind of seller I don't want to do business with,

So many sellers with the block block block attitude? Please put that in the listing and it will prevent me from bothering you. Even if that meant I was gonna buy it outright and not even make an offer. Wouldn't want to offend you by somehow not going through all the steps exactly as you have decreed.

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I agree.  I cant for the life of me understand PREVENTING people from buying.  Maybe the price is too high and I just want a reasonable discount.  Sellers may see the offers as "lowball" but if you get enough of them, the market is TELLING YOU what the price should be.  $200 may in fact be too much for that ratty old shirt but lower it to a reasonable $20 and it may fly out the door.  My granddaddy always said an unsold item is WORTH NOTHING and any item is only WORTH what someone will pay you for it.