eBay

collectibles201818 · ‎08-11-2019

A way we think that eBay can improve is by having just an "Make Offer" button only on a listing. Sometimes we come across items that we don't know the price to, or we may be the only ones on eBay selling a certain item, so we think it's important that sellers have an option where they don't have to put a price on a item, but to have only a "Make Offer" option as well.

So for example, how this would work is that when your posting an item on eBay, you can have the option to not put a price on a item, but to have the option to have just only a "Make Offer" option only. So let buyers make you the offer, and you decide if you want to take the offer or not. So their will be no price on the item thats posted, just a make offer button only on a listing. This way, it kind of makes you not guess a price for a item. Although, you would still have to put a price on shipping though.

Anyways, this is just an idea for eBay to improve, so let us know what you think.

turquoisetulips · ‎08-11-2019

@collectibles201818 wrote:
A way we think that eBay can improve is by having just an "Make Offer" button only on a listing. Sometimes we come across items that we don't know the price to, or we may be the only ones on eBay selling a certain item, so we think it's important that sellers have an option where they don't have to put a price on a item, but to have only a "Make Offer" option as well.

So for example, how this would work is that when your posting an item on eBay, you can have the option to not put a price on a item, but to have the option to have just only a "Make Offer" option only. So let buyers make you the offer, and you decide if you want to take the offer or not. So their will be no price on the item thats posted, just a make offer button only on a listing. This way, it kind of makes you not guess a price for a item. Although, you would still have to put a price on shipping though.

Anyways, this is just an idea for eBay to improve, so let us know what you think.

Sellers can always check items close to matching theirs in the advanced sales '' sold'' category to get an idea on how to price their items. Tulips

kathieskorner · ‎08-11-2019

Personally I think Best Offer and the newest make an offer to watchers or those asking questions have been responsible for driving eBay into the ground. Even for reasonably priced items - buyers are now waiting for a discount. As a long time seller I just dont want to waste time glued to eBay responding to offers that I have no intention of accepting.

If you don't know what an item is worth and willing to accept whatever anyone offers - you can always list the item as a 99 cent auction.

toybrats · ‎08-11-2019

NO, that is an awful suggestion. Buyers will ONLY make a cheap offer. I sell with 2 ebay accounts. My other account has the "good stuff." My rule that I follow is that I will NOT list anything until I know more or less what it's worth. Do some research and get an idea of the value of your item and then you start it at that price. Or you go a bit higher and put a best offer on it.

I do think that the new best offer policy is leading ebay towards the bottom. Now buyers want a best offer on a 4.99 diecast car that is mint and over 30 years ago. So on my main seller account, I now starts all of those 4.99 cars at 5.99 and the best offer is 4.99. If the buyer doesn't like that price on a 30 year old , mint diecast, then I welcome them to try to find it elsewhere.

lovefindingtreasures2 · ‎08-11-2019

Agreed @kathieskorner. All the newer options are cheapening down the buyers at an alarming rate.

Thank goodness for other selling platforms.

lovefindingtreasures2 · ‎08-11-2019

You will only get lowball offers @collectibles201818, eBay is not the same marketplace it used to be. Sadly.

Interesting idea but I think you would be very disappointed at the results it brings.

collectibles201818 · ‎08-11-2019

In response to our message, the idea would be that you would still have the option of having a Auction Price & Fixed Price, but you would have a 3rd option as well of having a "Make Offer Only" option as well.

So you would have 3rd choices of how you would like your listing to be like.

1. Auction Price

2. Fixed Price

OR

3. "Make Offer Only"

a_c_green · ‎08-11-2019

@collectibles201818 wrote:
Sometimes we come across items that we don't know the price to, or we may be the only ones on eBay selling a certain item, so we think it's important that sellers have an option where they don't have to put a price on a item, but to have only a "Make Offer" option as well.

If you don't know the value of what you're selling, maybe you're not ready to sell it yet.

If you're overpriced, no harm done; it won't sell until you lower the price. If you're underpriced, it will sell in a heartbeat, and you'll be left with the (probably accurate) suspicion that you could have gotten a lot more for it if you only knew what you had.

You're proposing a third option, where you're not even going to attempt to try to guess what it's worth, but will somehow decide when an offer comes in. All that seems to ensure is that for lack of a better idea, you'll be susceptible to take the first (or perhaps second) lowball offer that comes in. That seems to be the worst possible way to sell items here, especially when you've got all the power of the Intertubes available to you to learn more about the item that you have. Ten minutes of Googling can make all the difference in the world. Try it and see.

muttlymob · ‎08-11-2019

@a_c_green wrote:
If you're overpriced, no harm done; it won't sell until you lower the price. If you're underpriced, it will sell in a heartbeat, and you'll be left with the (probably accurate) suspicion that you could have gotten a lot more for it if you only knew what you had.

Good bet that the suspicions could be confirmed by doing a search for newly listed items shortly after buyer receives the item.

divwido · ‎08-11-2019

I don't think you have enough experience to think that through. Let's just put that with the 99 cent start price-Ideas that turned out to be a money loser.

Plus, I'd never want to imply that I don't know what something is worth. I get enough sad offers. That would kill off eBay.

Good Moms let you lick the Beaters.

Great Moms turn them off first.

srhfc · ‎08-11-2019

They do...buyers think sellers are stupid....yet we're the ones holding the merchandise.
Yes, I'm VERY TIRED of the ridiculously low-ball offers i get....but the work around is to select and add a value into "automatically decline offers below $XXX", this has been a lifesaver for me and my time. Seller 's must use this option when accepting offers...else they will be wasting their time with those clown buyers looking for something for nothing.
Amazon and e-bay individual sellers/ re-sellers already put many of the big retail brick and mortar stores out of business....and we'll be out of business too if we don't clamp a limit on acceptable offers.

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎08-11-2019

Why do we need something else when this is essentially how an auction works? You're basically suggesting an auction where the seller does all the work instead of the auction software.

kataggr-44 · ‎08-11-2019

Buyers can also get a bit confused as to what the seller is looking for especially on auctions --make an offer. Seller had an item listed for $200. I made what I thought was a reasonable offer, but he said no way under $1,000. I didn't intentionally low ball him, but never dreamed he was looking for that much especially when his listed amount was 1/4 of his wanted amount.

clu3 · ‎08-11-2019

What you're proposing sounds like an auction with a low opening bid.

Having the option to accept or decline sounds like you already have an idea of price, so why not give a jumping off point? I don't think buyers are climbing over one another to be "fair" in what they offer, most are just looking for the best price they can get.

@collectibles201818 wrote:
A way we think that eBay can improve is by having just an "Make Offer" button only on a listing. Sometimes we come across items that we don't know the price to, or we may be the only ones on eBay selling a certain item, so we think it's important that sellers have an option where they don't have to put a price on a item, but to have only a "Make Offer" option as well.

So for example, how this would work is that when your posting an item on eBay, you can have the option to not put a price on a item, but to have the option to have just only a "Make Offer" option only. So let buyers make you the offer, and you decide if you want to take the offer or not. So their will be no price on the item thats posted, just a make offer button only on a listing. This way, it kind of makes you not guess a price for a item. Although, you would still have to put a price on shipping though.

Anyways, this is just an idea for eBay to improve, so let us know what you think.

luckythewinner · ‎08-11-2019

IMHO eBay will never give sellers the opportunity to pick and choose between buyers to that degree. They are in the business of facilitating sales, not erecting bigger barriers to them.

There is nothing more frustrating for a buyer than to have a seller advertise that an item for sale, but then refuse to sell it - or even name a price. IMHO it will just tempt sellers to hold out hoping for a "home run".