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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

Should I put a message in my listings stating "don't send me any offers" and "no I can't ship something for free"?  It has got to a point where every single day, multiple times a day that I am getting messages to lower a price or if I could ship something cheap.  Mind you, 100% of the time, someone comes along and just buys what I am selling that someone previosly tried to get at a much cheaper price with some crazy offer.......

I ignore every offer message and every "can you ship for free" (I love when they tell me they will pay for it right away..........you're darn right you would have to pay right away I tell myself, but you are still going to have to pay for shipping).

 

Anyway, would a nicely worded message work or has it worked for anyone else?  I'll work with someone if they are buying multiple items or if they have bought from me before, but I do not owe a one-time shopper a steep discount or "free shipping" which is not free whatsoever to me........

 

(I'll add that I have close to 2000 items listed in total on here......98% is listed as "Buy It Now" only).

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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

The number submitted for offers has NOTHING to do with shipping.  So they cant offer $8 on a $10 item AND ask for free shipping in the notes.  However, I find lately that many folks are offering just enough to make the shipping free.  So I list a $50 item with $3 and still get $47 offer.  Go figure.

Message 31 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......


@tellmemama wrote:

In my listings I write under the description that sorry there is no best offer and shipping is non-negotiable.  In 14 point red letters.  And yes, I still get them.  But I will say that ever since I started adding that line, they have significantly decreased.  I will say it gives me a chance to check out their feedback left to see if I even want to do business at full price.  It also tells me they likely haven't read the description.

 

Unless you can live with the offer, just delete it.


I do 2/3 of my sales with best offer and I use autodecline so I never see the lowball offers.  BIN, offers, auction doesnt matter as long as it sells and I get paid.

Message 32 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

I had one over on Etsy last month offering what seemed an oddball offer.

 

I accepted it though and shipped.  Not long after, it dawned on me why it was such an odd total.  I had been experimenting with online coupons there and made one for "free" standard domestic shipping on orders of $50 or more through the end of the year (coupon expires midnight tonight actually).  I had forgotten that I had a few things up priced at $49.95.  I went ahead and asked if that was the reason for the odd sounding offer, and he openly admitted it.  I didn't mind it, and commended him on his "shrewd wheeling and dealing."

 

A few hours later, I realized that he would have done even better if he had just asked if I could make the price $50, since that would have saved him a couple bucks more.  I didn't mention that to him after the fact though.  No need to since he was quite pleased with his dealing already.  🙂

If it works, sell it. If it works well, sell it for more. If it doesn't work, quadruple the price and sell it as an antique.

-- Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #80
Message 33 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

I don't get a lot of offers for free shipping but I try keep my shipping just above cost. I also use the First Class package rate for items under a pound. I also use flat rate and regional rate boxes whenever I can save money. When researching items that I sell I am always a little surprised at what some sellers are charging for shipping. Not unusual to see people wanting $10-12 for an item I can ship for about $4. I think this sometimes brings out the shipping complainers.

 

As for all the offers - I learned some time back to not let it bother me. Getting offers means you are getting lookers. I simply tell them, not at this time but to keep watching because I often have sales. I have even on some occasions liked the offer, added the best offer and told the I would accept.

 

 

Message 34 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

I'm not a haggler, but as a buyer, it can be off putting to me when a seller mentions things like "no offers", "price is firm", or "as-is no returns".  It just gives off the impression that the seller is a very stern person and may be hard to deal with if there is a problem.

 

As a seller, I completely get it.  I've listed stuff for sale various other places and been bombarded with offers that I wasn't interested in and got tired of fielding questions from tire kickers that had no interest in purchasing at the price I wanted, so I began putting those statements into my own ads in those places.  It weeded out most of the hagglers, but also probably turned off a lot of people that would've otherwise been interested at the asking price.

 

From my personal experiences, the hagglers have generally been the most nit picky buyers once they receive an item....looking for that partial refund I guess.  I list all my stuff BIN with no best offer here, but I still get people messaging me with offers.  If it's well below what I would be willing to go, I just ignore them.  If their offer is borderline, I'll counter-offer.  If it's something I just listed, but still may consider selling for what a person offers, I will respond and tell them I'd rather wait a few days to see if I can get the asking price, but if they still see it listed a few days later, send me another message.  If it's something that I have no intention of selling for less than the asking price, I'll generally just ignore most offers and only reply to the ones that are looking for small discounts.  The ones that claim they can get it cheaper elsewhere, I will gladly send them a link to a cheaper priced item (if there is one) that they can go buy.  I'm not selling to make a living, just getting rid of stuff I don't want anymore, so my ultimate goal isn't to make sales, my goal is to sell my stuff to people that I'm fairly confident won't end up being a nightmare to deal with.

Message 35 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

Adding that additional line is a choice you would have to make.  I think that some people would ignore it and message you anyway.   There were some comments that it might discourage some potential buyers who might make a reasonable offer.  I get offers on listings where there is no best offer and requests to lower my shipping charge or give it to them for free.  Some people are just plain ridiculous, and I've had a few that got argumentative.  Those of course get blocked from bidding on my listings.  I had one that wanted me to give him free shipping on a brand new deluxe guitar bag.  He stated he could get the bag for  $XX on Amazon.  Yet he was quoting the price for the cheaper standard version of the bag I was selling.  I politely said no, explained why  and he got nasty so I blocked.  However,  sometimes a polite reply even if you refuse might get you a sale.  I had a gal the other day message me to ask if I could lower my shipping charge and she would buy right away.  I sent her a reply that I couldn't do it because my current shipping charge was already lower than my break even point.  I gave her the exact shipping weight of the item and what the actual shipping cost was for her zip code.  It was verifiable and I thought she would pass, but she ended up buying the item.  So in this case the polite reply garnered a sale.

Message 36 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

hy not just set your price where you'll be happy with the best offer price?

 

Instead of listing it for $50 and then doing the bright red NO OFFERS! Why not list it for $60 with best offer?



"Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything" Colin Kaepernick the new face of NIKE
Message 37 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......


@bigchief2472000 wrote:

I'm not a haggler, but as a buyer, it can be off putting to me when a seller mentions things like "no offers", "price is firm", or "as-is no returns".  It just gives off the impression that the seller is a very stern person and may be hard to deal with if there is a problem.

 

As a seller, I completely get it.  I've listed stuff for sale various other places and been bombarded with offers that I wasn't interested in and got tired of fielding questions from tire kickers that had no interest in purchasing at the price I wanted, so I began putting those statements into my own ads in those places.  It weeded out most of the hagglers, but also probably turned off a lot of people that would've otherwise been interested at the asking price.

 

From my personal experiences, the hagglers have generally been the most nit picky buyers once they receive an item....looking for that partial refund I guess.  I list all my stuff BIN with no best offer here, but I still get people messaging me with offers.  If it's well below what I would be willing to go, I just ignore them.  If their offer is borderline, I'll counter-offer.  If it's something I just listed, but still may consider selling for what a person offers, I will respond and tell them I'd rather wait a few days to see if I can get the asking price, but if they still see it listed a few days later, send me another message.  If it's something that I have no intention of selling for less than the asking price, I'll generally just ignore most offers and only reply to the ones that are looking for small discounts.  The ones that claim they can get it cheaper elsewhere, I will gladly send them a link to a cheaper priced item (if there is one) that they can go buy.  I'm not selling to make a living, just getting rid of stuff I don't want anymore, so my ultimate goal isn't to make sales, my goal is to sell my stuff to people that I'm fairly confident won't end up being a nightmare to deal with.


The evil twin is the seller who SAYS they take offers but will really only consider taking $2 off a $300 item.  THAT IS NO DEAL!  Most of us I think would get an offer of $275 on a $300 item and laugh all the way to the bank but not them.  And they whine when it sits unsold for months on end.

Message 38 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......



 

Anyway, would a nicely worded message work or has it worked for anyone else?




'Buy it now' means no offers, so no need to add it to the description

I wouldn't ignore messages - formal response is better,  ''Sorry no offers for this item'', I reply

 

...also these messages often indicate problematic buyers, so you can check their feedbacks left, and block the buyers with persistent demanding messages. Eg I had the buyer messaging again and again:

"The shipping is sort of high''

''I think with the price you list, its fair for the free shipping included''

etc etc etc

and finally - she found tiny 'stain' looking on photo through microscope I think:)

Obviously, this buyer wouldn't be happy anyway, I think it's fair not to buy what you cannot afford;)

Message 39 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......




The evil twin is the seller who SAYS they take offers but will really only consider taking $2 off a $300 item.  THAT IS NO DEAL! 


agree. Best offer I thought at least 10% off

 

eg - item priced $26.99 with best offer accepted, I offered $24 - declined, counteroffered $26 🙂

Message 40 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......


@fave_looks wrote:


 

Anyway, would a nicely worded message work or has it worked for anyone else?




'Buy it now' means no offers, so no need to add it to the description

I wouldn't ignore messages - formal response is better,  ''Sorry no offers for this item'', I reply

 

...also these messages often indicate problematic buyers, so you can check their feedbacks left, and block the buyers with persistent demanding messages. Eg I had the buyer messaging again and again:

"The shipping is sort of high''

''I think with the price you list, its fair for the free shipping included''

etc etc etc

and finally - she found tiny 'stain' looking on photo through microscope I think:)

Obviously, this buyer wouldn't be happy anyway, I think it's fair not to buy what you cannot afford;)


I do look at the feedback they leave before accepting offers.  Some nightmare buyers just arent worth the trouble.

Message 41 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

I apologize for being off topic jerzee. May I ask why when going to your listings I was redirected to a page that asked me to confirm I was of age and willing to see "adult" type stuff? Perhaps I missed the "adult" stuff in browsing your extensive listings? Apologize for being off topic but my curiosity took over as I've never seen that screen before.
Message 42 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......


@linus.hux72fe wrote:
I apologize for being off topic jerzee. May I ask why when going to your listings I was redirected to a page that asked me to confirm I was of age and willing to see "adult" type stuff? Perhaps I missed the "adult" stuff in browsing your extensive listings? Apologize for being off topic but my curiosity took over as I've never seen that screen before.

Just a glitch...

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Member-To-Member-Support/Why-was-my-listing-showed-Adult-only-item-Req...

Message 43 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

"Just looking for input from sellers that have messages within their listings stating they don't want offers........"

 

I'm sorry you're getting hassled literally every day. That must be extremely annoying. But IMHO good sellers do not yell at potential customers. There is no nice way of yelling at us. The buyers you alienate are the good ones who actually take the time to read your description.

 

There is an alternative. Add custom questions to your seller Q&As that buyers see when they click Contact Seller, something like:

 

"Will you lower the shipping cost or offer free shipping upon request?"

"Sorry, no. The shipping cost is firm. It covers the costs of postage, handling, and packing. Please do not ask us to lower the shipping cost, as we will be unable to do so."

 

"Do you take offers of lower prices?"

"If we are willing to entertain offers, the Best Offer feature will be active on the listing. Please do not request a lower price on listings that do not have this feature enabled."

Message 44 of 73
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Offers and asking for free shipping messages.......

Not only   the sellers should add a line telling Buyers they dont want offers,  they  now  also  need to add an extra line :  if a buyer asks to lower the price after the  purchase is made, the seller will cancel the deal and block the buyer.  why?   b/c there are are so called "experts" promoting stuffs like this:

 

You can also contact a seller immediately after you've made a purchase to ask for a sweeter deal before shipment, though they're not obligated to give you one at that point, so make your request a pleasant, persuasive one rather than a demanding one to get results.

Source: https://www.thebalance.com/how-to-haggle-on-ebay-1139987

 

I dont care how "pleasant" the buyer sounds, I call it an Extortion & its disgusting.

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