Does the *groveling for a sale* thing work for you?

[dubiousgain]

And by that I mean, sending a watcher of ones listing, a lesser price offer; And to be sure, call it what you will, but in my opinion, that IS, groveling.... and I don't think it has ever panned out for me. I think that 80% (if not more) of my watchers, are chronic watchers, for various reasons.  And by the same token, as a warcher, I don't think I've ever accepted a seller's offer)  So back to my  original question, how many times has sending a watcher an offer, resulted in a sale for you?

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

If a listing has one watcher , and that watcher has set up preferences to not receive notices, the listing won't be eligible. Also, if a listing has 3 watchers, but the seller sent them an offer on the listing a week ago, the listing won't be eligible, because those three have already received an offer.

[chapeau-noir]

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@dinpavent0 wrote:
Right, I understand that , if someone watching the offer can be sent. What I was trying to say is, for example if I have lets say 115 items that are being watched, ebay only shows two items i can send offers on that are being watched out of the 115 that are being watched. What criteria does ebay use to pick the items that sellers can send offers on out of the items that are being watched? Is that a little more clear?

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I did understand you, but I've never had that big of a gap between items being watched and ability to actually send offers, and I've been using that feature fairly regularly - usually I'll have say 55 items with watchers (I don't have a lot running) with 45 able to send offers to (I never send that many) for various reasons, including the ones mentioned by @my-cottage-books-and-antiques .  It's conceivable, I guess, but that seems like an extreme gap.

[7606dennis]

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@lovefindingtreasures2 wrote:
Nearly ALL my now very pitiful sales on 2 ID's come from making an offer to watchers.

I'll grovel, I need to eat and so do my animals 🙂

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Perhaps you should re-evaluate your pricing system if you have to offer to cut your already posted asking price before a potential buyer makes you an offer.  Frankly, if a seller messaged me with an offer to sell me something that they have listed at $100 for $90 just because I put it on my watch list and I haven't made an offer myself, I'd be leery.  I'd pretty much figure that they had the price jacked up and I'd be expecting to get it for a lot less if I decided I wanted it at all.

[chapeau-noir]

I agree about evaluating pricing, but as for offers, this is such a simple yes/no situation.  Someone sends an offer - is it worth it you (collectively) or not?  No necessity to try to read minds, gauge motive, etc.  Yes...or no.  Life is complicated enough as it is. ٩◔̯◔۶

[yuzuha]

I just sent an offer to a watcher on the last item of a multi-quantity listing.  All of the other ones had sold and I didn't want this last one sitting around taking up a listing space-- I wanted to get it out since it's a seasonal item.

Got a sale in less than 20 minutes.  No complaints here.

[turquoisetulips]

I find this thinking really strange.  I guess because I don't prefer to pay full price if I can get something for less.   Is this how you feel about stores that run sales? fern' wood  

Stores will often run sales on unpopular  items that aren't moving very well  . You'll rarely see a  low  bargain  price  sale on the latest  hottest  selling items . If I put a watch on something  it usually means  I haven't decided on it  yet . It doesn't encourage    me to buy it  if  I think others are going to think it's as ugly as a mud fence . Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

Perhaps you should re-evaluate your pricing system if you have to offer to cut your already posted asking price before a potential buyer makes you an offer.  Frankly, if a seller messaged me with an offer to sell me something that they have listed at $100 for $90 just because I put it on my watch list and I haven't made an offer myself, I'd be leery.  I'd pretty much figure that they had the price jacked up and I'd be expecting to get it for a lot less if I decided I wanted it at all. 7606dennis 

It's happened  in the past  when I've purchased something I think is  real great,,, at first,,   but I didn't think it through  enough  . After a few days I realize that everyone else  is right ,, it's horrible . Tulips

[equid0x]

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@gracieallen01 wrote:

Yes, but Macy's is doing a mailing and everybody gets the sale flyer - not just the one that show an interest.

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On could argue that if Macy's knew who was interested, would they be sending everyone a flyer?

But really, I think most watchers are other sellers or maybe even people who are thinking about selling something and want to see what they are selling for. 

[equid0x]

@ed8108 wrote:

Selling as a business ?

It's Very simple, If a seller feels entitled to receive a certain price for a particular item, that seller should not then be sending offers to watchers, just enjoy & hold the item forever if no one will pay you the price you want.

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On the one hand an item may truly have perceived value, on the other, the item is valueless (to your business) if you never sell it. 

Accepting less for an item does not always make it less valuable. 

Not finding a buyer willing to pay full price does not indicate that a seller must sell the item for a pittance. 

[equid0x]

@southern*sweet*tea wrote:

My COGS are practically non-existent, so I can sometimes do a deep discount and still make money.

And this addresses something I have been saying on here for years, which is that professional sellers are forced to compete on the same platform with casual sellers who don't care what they get for an item, or others who do stuff like this "just to keep busy."

This is a problem. I think any physical retailer would be very upset if a "competitor" moved in next door selling the same items, but all at or below cost because their "COGS are practically non-existent" or they're "retired and trying to stay busy" or "they inherited some goods and just want to get rid of them."

Pretty much the only other sellers that would fall into that category would be sellers of stolen inventory, or inventory obtained from the trash. 

Add to that the likelihood that casual sellers will be much more likely to not follow the rules and have problematic transactions. I think its not a good look for eBay, puts sellers in an untenable situation, and weakens the public image of the platform. 

It was appropriate in the beginning for eBay to allow casual sellers in order to increase the visibility of the platform, but I think the time has long since passed that sellers need to meet some minimum standard in order to sell here. I'm not talking about service metrics(although, if implemented correctly - this could be a part of it). More like, having a business license, Tax ID, good credit history, etc and if they have no history, requiring a deposit to sell. 

On the corollary, I think its also long since due that buyers be required to register, be required to have a working method of payment on file, and be held to buyer performance standards like thresholding returns requiring an account review, allowing sellers to leave buyer feedback(even if private) that is also thresholded to require an account review, disallowing banned users from registering new accounts, and generally setting the expectation and creating an environment whereby rules for buyers are also expected to be followed. 

[equid0x]

@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Any time some people don’t agree with something a poster says they accuse them of bing an eBay shill. 

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I think the reason for that is that there are pretty obviously several shills on the board. I can think of a few names that come to mind who always seem to repeat the same things on here on thread after thread even when what they are saying has been proven wrong here on the boards multiple times. 

I'm not sure if these people actually work for eBay (definitely a possibility) or if they're just here farming "helpfuls" to get on the top of the message board stats. 

[equid0x]

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@lovefindingtreasures2 wrote:
Hmmm... I remember when I was a kid, Kmart used to announce "blue light specials" with instant deals in the stores. When I was in Europe, same thing, this deal is good for the next 10 minutes kind of thing.
Flash sales happen in other stores too.

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I remember those, too. The walmart here used to also have demonstrations and giveaways announced in store but I haven't seen that in a few years. 

[equid0x]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

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@dubiousgain wrote:

Haggling ...Yes... Circus barker, No.  With a haggle, the  buyer persues the seller.... NOT the other way around. Does the shop keeper run out in the street, and grab a pedestrian and say: "Hey, I noticed you glanced in the store window at those socks" ?? AB---surd. 

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Good grief, yes - in fact, it's almost worldwide behaviour.  In Australia I see shop employees in doorways advertising their wares and inviting you in, like you, yourself - it's an old sales trick.  In England, I've had booth owners come around their counter and greet me and tell me about the deal they can make me.  Here in the US, I've had small merchants tell me that, for me, I get a deal.  I do a lot of buying for my own business and I travel a lot.

So what happens when you throw your hook into the water and the fish don't bite? Have you groveled to the fish?  Have the fish rejected you?  Send the person an offer - if they want it, they'll take it.  If not, you haven't 'lost', you're not left with dirt on your knees and tears in your eyes.  You just move on - making anything more of it is what's really absurd.

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There is a wide gulf between greeting a customer, selling to the customer, and being desperate. 

[equid0x]

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@yuzuha wrote:

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@dubiousgain wrote:

Haggling ...Yes... Circus barker, No.  With a haggle, the  buyer persues the seller.... NOT the other way around. Does the shop keeper run out in the street, and grab a pedestrian and say: "Hey, I noticed you glanced in the store window at those socks" ?? AB---surd. 

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Have you ever been to a flea market?  Because that sort of thing happens all the time there.  If a vendor sees that you seem interested in an item, it's not at all uncommon for them to offer you a slight discount, especially if it's getting close to closing time.  The last time I went to the local flea, I walked away with an entire garbage bag of stuffed animals for $15 because I'd asked the vendor how much it would be for 4 or 5 of them and he said "You can have that whole bag for $15."  I hadn't even asked for a discount-- he just offered it to me, and he ended up getting a sale.

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He just wanted them out of there. 

[equid0x]

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@patd3283 wrote:

If you have ever been to the markets / bazaars in Turkey, this happens all the time.  Have had them follow me for blocks.  Eventually end up getting a good or great deal.  Bought a sheep skin coat for DD for $5. which was originally offered at $50.  He must have been desperate - ended up feeling really sad about it and went back and paid him a little more.

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Wow, that's quite a story!