How many times can I send offers to watchers once they have expired?

[my_boston_baked_beans]

How many times can I send offers to watchers once they have expired?

Looked at the managed offers, and I am unable to reinstate an offer wo watchers once expired?

Thanks

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

You can send an offer to a watcher. If that offer expires, you cannot send another offer for the same item to that watcher. If you get another watcher on that item, you can send an offer to that watcher. And so on.

ebay shows which listings are eligible for offer. If you currently have 6 watchers, but already sent offers to 5 of them, when you go to send an offer, ebay will show you that it is being sent to only one watcher (the one who had not previously received an offer).

It is further complicated by the fact that buyers can set preferences to not receive offers at all.

[soh.maryl]

Just curious:  How do you know that any watcher is a prospective buyer?

I, and probably others, sometimes just watch out of curiosity.  Some sellers watch because they have a similar item and want to see how much yours sells for.  

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@soh.maryl    You don't know. Many sellers had asked ebay for many years to provide the ability to send offers directly to watchers, and we now have that ability. But of course, not all watchers have any desire to buy. Those watchers can ignore your offer or decline it (or set their preferences so they are not sent offers). This is one reason a seller can't continue to send offers to a buyer after the buyer has declined or the offer has timed out....ebay realizes not all watchers have any interest in buying, and they don't want to get repeated offers. 

On the other hand, enough watchers DO buy so that this has been a very successful program for ebay. As for me, I do send offers, but I have long assumed most of my watchers are other sellers, with no real interest in buying. It's just the nature of my inventory. But...I get enough buyers from it to keep doing it, especially since it is easy and quick to do.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

By the way, since it is possible that a watcher IS interested, but not at your offer price, you can send an offer with explicit permission for the buyer to counter offer if he wishes. 

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@my_boston_baked_bea… In case I misunderstood your question. When you send an offer you can check:

  "Automatically send offers

Your offer will be automatically sent to future interested buyers."

That way, your offer will be sent when the item is eligible again, without the need to actually send a new offer. I haven't used that feature. I think it's probably most useful for sellers with multi-quantity listings. 

[femmefan1946]

Watchers watch.

Buyers buy.

If you make a change in the price, or if a closed listing is reopened, your watchers will be notified.

One offer is enough. If she wants it, she will buy. If not, she's watching.

[luckythewinner]

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Watchers watch.

Buyers buy.

I watch first, and then wait for the inevitable "offer to interested buyers".

eBay pretends this is a tool to make a sale, but IMHO all it has done is train buyers to watch and wait. 🤔

[whitewaterford]

Yes, one offer per user per item.  However,  if I have had an item listed for a long time,  sometimes, I will cancel the listing and relist it.  When that happens, I lose all watchers, but I think it zero's out the offer count and you could potentially send another offer, but of course you never know who you are sending it to and that potential buyer could possibly be someone who received and offers several months prior.  (I don't like to bother my potential buyers with repeat offers in most case. )  

[femmefan1946]

It's my understanding that if you relist as Relist (not Sell Similar) that your earlier watcher was ... watching... then she gets Notice that you have relisted.
Whether or not the seller gets those watchers back, or whether the watcher disappear with the relist to my mind is less important that that the watcher is notified.

Because again, watchers, watch.

[sin-n-dex]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@femmefan1946 wrote:

Watchers watch.

Buyers buy.

I watch first, and then wait for the inevitable "offer to interested buyers".

eBay pretends this is a tool to make a sale, but IMHO all it has done is train buyers to watch and wait. 🤔

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All my repeat buyers know that if they want a deal, to put it on their watch list and wait for me to send them one. I send offers every couple of days.

I don't think I really told anyone to do that... they just did it with one item and I sent an offer. Then the next thing I know, a bunch of similar items are available for offers later. On a good week I can convert 1 in 5 offers into a sale... on a bad week, maybe 1 in 10 or 1 in 15.

C.

[moondogblues]

I don't put things in my watch list in the hopes of getting an offer but I have bought quite a few things after getting an offer, especially if it's a good one.  Ten % or more and I'm intrigued.

[caial741]

That’s frustrating. What if a few weeks later your interested in sending a lower offer 🤦‍♀️

[kh-stanley1]

Hi everyone,

Due to the age of this thread, it has been closed to further replies. Please feel free to start a new thread HERE if you wish to continue to discuss this topic.

Thank you for understanding.