I think some sellers really need to learn to use "best offer" better.

[inhawaii]

I think some sellers really need to learn to use "best offer" better.

I made a $8.00 offer on a $8.99 item I have been watching.

I didn't consider it a "lowball" offer.

My offer was auto-denied.

That's fine. No problem.

I bought one from someone else. There are literally thousands of them on ebay.

The next day I received an offer from the same seller for the same item for $7.64.

I am currently contemplating a sarcastic reply.

[anjofak]

I came to the conclusion that if an item is in massive quantities and has a price range of $0.99- $1,000,000.00..

It's life saver to burn it.

[epowerbargains]

You are way too nice and helpful for sarcasm! I would be gobsmacked if you actually did that it is not your style!!! Humor aside, some sellers might not even be aware of or remember what they set as an auto-decline. Heck, sometimes I am lucky to find my car keys LOL.

[inhawaii]

.... and then there's my other "best offer" pet peeve.

Offer a seller who has "best offer" enabled one cent less than the asking price and get DENIED.

[inhawaii]

---

@epowerbargains wrote:

Humor aside, some sellers might not even be aware of or remember what they set as an auto-decline. 

---

So a friendly "reminder" to this seller may be helpful.    😉

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Some sellers set the auto deny when they first list, and forget to reduce it along with the price when they reduce their price---which they might do several times. We all make mistakes. Also, I have discovered if you use the phone to list, there are times when the ebay listing tool has set the autodecline....(I think when I've used an existing listing from someone else as the base for my listing).

You can send a friendly suggestion to the seller that he check his autodecline settings, but experience has taught me that even a very friendly, non-sarcastic letter doesn't go over well with everyone. If it were a boardie or someone I've bought from before, I might send it. A person I did not buy from, someone I don't even "know" from someplace like the boards? I wouldn't feel compelled to provide my guidance. But that's just me.

[blingfling123]

".... and then there's my other "best offer" pet peeve.

Offer a seller who has "best offer" enabled one cent less than the asking price and get DENIED."

@inhawaii 

There are many sellers that do not want to use the best offer option and eBay keeps putting it on their listings anyway, so they use the full price or denied vs having to keep taking BO off the listing.  That way eBay does not keep changing their listings and they do not have to worry about offers. 

[vikingsandpintos]

I sold an item recently, had listed for $14. Someone made an offer for $12. I didn't realize I had make offer enabled on that item, but since it was a reasonable offer I sold it anyway. 

Now, if it had been one of those $3 offers on an $14 item.....     lol!

[ten_o_nine]

I don't know why you are negotiating 99c with a seller like you, is it worth your time or theirs? just pay $9 instead of $8 and stop the madness.

[ms.rodriguez*]

Let them know what happened.  Maybe they are naive.   Maybe you missed by a cent.  May he set it to accept 8.01 but not 8.00.   

[12345jamesstamps]

I have never done a "best offer" on buying from a seller. I guess if I want it I would just buy it.

After all, going out on a Friday night to the bars can cost $75.+ for me on Polk Street in San Francisco.

I did have someone ask for .15 off on two different items on two different times and just gave it to him.

I wonder if the person really needed that extra .15.

[buyselljack2016]

Walk away. No contact with the seller is needed.

[powell-memorabilia]

---

@inhawaii wrote:

I think some sellers really need to learn to use "best offer" better.

I made a $8.00 offer on a $8.99 item I have been watching.

I didn't consider it a "lowball" offer.

My offer was auto-denied.

That's fine. No problem.

I bought one from someone else. There are literally thousands of them on ebay.

The next day I received an offer from the same seller for the same item for $7.64.

I am currently contemplating a sarcastic reply.

---

Some sellers need to learn about negotiations - too many think that it is just about meeting close to the middle of offers.  Several weeks ago, I offered $50 on an $80 item.  That's as high as I wanted to go.  If seller had done his research, he'd see that $50 would be about what he should expect.  Seller countered with something around $60.  I declined and moved on.  One week later, I put in an offer at $40, seller countered with $45.  I was really tempted to tell him that he should have taken my week-ago offer, but thought better of it.  

[ten_o_nine]

I understand negotiating an $80 item, but $8 knowing what sellers have to do for that $8, we need to support sellers and not take advantage of them.

[powell-memorabilia]

OP's point was that sellers should better manage their offer settings.  But, you have a fair point, but I don't consider it wrong to offer $8 on an item that the seller is willing to offload for $7.64.  Personally, I really wouldn't screw around with a discount of $1, but some do like that buying experience.