Free shipping listings and Best Offers - is shipping free for Best Offers ?

[lookwii]

I am confused on how this works.

My listings offer the following:

Buy It Now

Free Shipping and

Best Offer

When I review the Offer received, it says "Shipping is not included in the offer price."

My question:  Do I add shipping costs on top of the Best Offer?  Or is shipping included in the Best Offer contrary to what it says in the Offer received.

Thanks in advance.

[partial*eclipse · Accepted solution]

In a Best Offer, the shipping portion of the original listing is just not in play.  If you accept an Offer on a listing that has free shipping, then that buyer gets free shipping, too.  So you should factor-in that cost when you're deciding whether to accept an offer.

[lookwii]

Thank you for the clarification.

[buffalosghost]

If you have a $30 item with Best Offer and Free Shipping and a $25 Offer is made, the price will be $25 from the buyer with free shipping being provided by you.

If you have a $30 item with Best Offer and a fixed shipping price of $6.00, the buyer might offer you $20 but would be responsible for $26 - the original $20 plus your listed shipping price.

In short, the offer does not include any shipping price you may have listed. If  $6.00 shipping is listed, the amount you should receive should be the amount of the offer plus your listed shipping cost.

[brighton_academy]

I really appreciate your explanation.  Very clear!

[winenegociant]

That is the way it is supposed to work. BO is not supposed to allow negotiation of the stated shipping. You will get offers that request it as in "will you take $20 including shipping?"

[briko741]

Can a seller "except" or "offer" a request to include free shipping or should a seller not negotiate when fixed shipping is applied?

[hitechworldtrading]

No you should not negotiate, unless you can make a successful sale.

Free shipping, where appropiate, for instance buyers makes offer for multiple quantity.

Otherwise, make counteroffer, or just decline. If the offer is unreasonable, for instance $1 for $5 item, I just decline.

[winenegociant]

I recall a recent thread where a seller accepted a best offer from an overseas buyer. US shipping was free, international was substantially more than free. The seller had accepted an offer assuming the buyer would be paying shipping, then the buyer paid with a US address. 90% of the posters here sided with the buyer and insisted the seller was at fault.

Things aren't black and white especially on ebay.

[7606dennis]

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@winenegociant wrote:
I recall a recent thread where a seller accepted a best offer from an overseas buyer. US shipping was free, international was substantially more than free. The seller had accepted an offer assuming the buyer would be paying shipping, then the buyer paid with a US address. 90% of the posters here sided with the buyer and insisted the seller was at fault.

Things aren't black and white especially on ebay.

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If the buyer had a US shipping address there is no issue since the shipping is free.  Provided the buyer didn't expect the seller from shipping it internationally, I fail to see the problem.  Why would 10% of those posters feel otherwise?

[winenegociant]

Dennis, you are another one not understanding the point.

[winenegociant]

Let me spell it out for you.

I am selling widget for $100 including shipping in the US.

I am selling that same widget for $100 plus $50 shipping to your country.

You make an offer of $75. According to ebay, the shipping is non-negotiable so I accept the offer expecting to be paid $125.

You pay using a US address and pay $75. Most of you seem to think that is fine BUT I never would have accepted an offer of $75 including shipping. I accepted an offer of $75 plus $50 shipping.

Now you are thinking I don't have to pay $50 for shipping because I'm sending it to New Jersey instead of Estonia BUT I DO HAVE TO PAY FOR SHIPPING. My accepted offer was for the buyer to pay $50 for shipping.

Even most of you sellers seem to think free shipping costs nothing.

[winenegociant]

Unbelievable!

[sandcrawler_collectibles_llc]

As a seller I've had recent problems with accepting best offers with free shipping. When I list a fixed item I always offer a best offer and free shipping to attract buyers, but I also provide free shipping with the BIN as an incentive because when they do a BIN I'm paid instantly via PayPal. When someone makes a best offer it clearly states that shipping is not a part of this offer. Thus if I accept a best offer shipping will be calculated at checkout. I've done this many times with no problem. However recently(in the past year) I've had 3 occasions where eBay did not give me the option to calculate shipping unless I created an invoice. So the buyer paid the best offer price -shipping. To me it is still 100% unclear and I think eBay needs to fix this problem.

[hp48_master]

NO NO NO.

If you offer free shipping, then when someone sends you their best offer, the other terms remain the same even though EBAY's offer system clearly says "Shipping is not included in the offer price."

Unfortunately, if you offer free shipping then the offer stands at free shipping with the offer too.

I just counteroffered by adding in my shipping to my buyer's $10 offer.

Remember, ebay charges their percentage on all monies transacted, including the shipping when the shipping costs not "free shipping" specified.

Thank you for your offer Unfortunately, I have to pay shipping at $3.50, Paypal charges me 5%, Ebay 10% on top of PP & USPS! I will accept your offer of $10 if you pay for shipping. $13.50 and I'll eat the 15% of that amount charged by PP and Eb