Private Offer

[blueberryjellyfish]

Hi alan@ebay. I could not make it in time for the chat but I hope you can help with my question.

When I use the Private Offer feature through eBay Messages I cannot find any place on the Reply With Offer page to check a box and have a copy sent to my e-mail and it does not occur automatically as with regular messages or best offers.

I can go to the listing on my selling page and "review all offers", but I want a copy in my e-mail, too.

One reason is that I want confirmation the offer has gone through to the buyer. Sometimes buyers tell me they didn't receive the offer.

From the chat:

For SNAD, just make sure the offer bundle is clearly detailed through your member to member messaging, and in your "message to buyer" section of the offer. That way eBay can see what was included in the order and the associated prices.

This is another important reason to have e-mails of the offer & text for our own record-keeping.

Can you request for copies of Private Offers to be sent to the seller's e-mail and for this feature to be added sooner rather than later, please?

[dhbookds]

I can see it being a real help to alot of categories........  clothing, yes that's dark blue......and by the way, I've got these pants to match that I haven't gotten listed yet...........

Why in the world Ebay can't announce this kind of "enhancement" in the seller release or on the seller announcement board, I can't fathom......They really need some "real" sellers to advise them what's important to sellers.

Thanks jmb for NOT being limited to Parts and accessory people....and opening up new opportunities to everyone..........it's appreciated. 

[blueberryjellyfish]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiqueswrote:
tunicsalot, Not sure this is a major hurdle. My impression is the "reply with offer" button won't appear in the buyer's message because the listing has ended, but couldn't you ask the buyer to send you a message in an active listing,then use the reply with offer button and sell the ended item same as you would sell an item that hasn't yet been listed?

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I don't see why you couldn't do that, but if you do remember that random active listing will end when the buyer accepts the offer. Either way you need to put up a new listing. I would rather go through a listing tied to the correct item because it makes dealing with SNADs a whole lot easier, especially if PayPal is involved.

[blueberryjellyfish]

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@dhbookdswrote:

Why in the world Ebay can't announce this kind of "enhancement" in the seller release or on the seller announcement board, I can't fathom......They really need some "real" sellers to advise them what's important to sellers.

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I've used Private Offers for years but never knew we could bundle items not yet listed. I guess that's the new part.

I think these changes to Private Offers are another way for eBay to combat off-eBay sales.

[tunicaslot]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiqueswrote:
bubbleman, Yes, you would be able to do that.

tunicsalot, Not sure this is a major hurdle. My impression is the "reply with offer" button won't appear in the buyer's message because the listing has ended, but couldn't you ask the buyer to send you a message in an active listing,then use the reply with offer button and sell the ended item same as you would sell an item that hasn't yet been listed?

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That's a thought - but if we are allowed to sell either ended listings or items that have never been listed - then how are you protected from an SNAD on the item that was never listed. What does CS go back to and look at - how can you win your case that the item was as described when you have no listing to prove that.

Maybe it's been available for awhile - but could be yet another way for a bad buyer to take advantage of a seller. I'm so confused and better just let this go....

[blueberryjellyfish]

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@tunicaslotwrote:

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how are you protected from an SNAD on the item that was never listed. What does CS go back to and look at - how can you win your case that the item was as described when you have no listing to prove that.

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Scroll up to the beginning of this thread where that was discussed. CS will look at the eBay message exchange and also the text in the offer. The problem I see is on the PayPal end since they have no visibility to a private offer the way they would a public listing.

[dtexley3]

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@blueberryjellyfishwrote:

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@dhbookdswrote:

Why in the world Ebay can't announce this kind of "enhancement" in the seller release or on the seller announcement board, I can't fathom......They really need some "real" sellers to advise them what's important to sellers.

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I've used Private Offers for years but never knew we could bundle items not yet listed. I guess that's the new part.

I think these changes to Private Offers are another way for eBay to combat off-eBay sales.

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I was told that it was another way to help reduce off-eBay sales. 

And I can see situations where using "reply with offer" to bundle items or add items could be a great benefit.  However I also see a lot of pitfalls.  I'm a systems analyst, pessimism is a job requirement.

I do think the issue of possible Paypal SNAD and/or CC chargeback has to be addressed.  I don't know about everyone else but my ability/willingness to accept additional risk as a seller is pretty much maxed out already.

[fern*wood]

As I stated in chat, I've used the make an offer button many times already, but only for the item in question.  I still have my doubts that adding unseen items willy nilly won't cause a problem with SNADS or at least returns. 

They always say good photos, descriptions, measurements, etc are needed, but now they say we can just add this and that in a message and you're good to go?  I always have believed I should redo a listing with new description/photos if I change it in any way with an offer.

[tev4all]

In confusion , there is profit.  

This whole year will be full of confusion.  

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

there's no requirement that the seller's offer include items that aren't listed. Seller can confine the offer to listed items, or I think could ask the buyer to wait till he gets the other items listed, if the seller is terribly concerned about INAD claims.

[fern*wood]

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
there's no requirement that the seller's offer include items that aren't listed. Seller can confine the offer to listed items, or I think could ask the buyer to wait till he gets the other items listed, if the seller is terribly concerned about INAD claims.

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That's what I plan to do, since I've had success with the offers.  I was just surprised how excited they were about the additional items without any caution thrown in.   In fairness he did mention brake shoes, so maybe that category is more forgiving.

[jmb344]

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@fern*woodwrote:

As I stated in chat, I've used the make an offer button many times already, but only for the item in question.  I still have my doubts that adding unseen items willy nilly won't cause a problem with SNADS or at least returns. 

They always say good photos, descriptions, measurements, etc are needed, but now they say we can just add this and that in a message and you're good to go?  I always have believed I should redo a listing with new description/photos if I change it in any way with an offer.

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I see the concern. To protect yourself, add photos through messaging, And say whatever else you can to the buyer so that they know what they are buying. But using private offer will be a fantastic way to  sell items you haven’t had a chance to list yet. Now, if a buyer needs to buy a bunch of different things, you can just send them a price to purchase without requiring the buyer to add a bunch of items into a cart and checkout. 

[jmb344]

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@fern*wood wrote:

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@my-cottage-books-and-antiques wrote:
there's no requirement that the seller's offer include items that aren't listed. Seller can confine the offer to listed items, or I think could ask the buyer to wait till he gets the other items listed, if the seller is terribly concerned about INAD claims.

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That's what I plan to do, since I've had success with the offers.  I was just surprised how excited they were about the additional items without any caution thrown in.   In fairness he did mention brake shoes, so maybe that category is more forgiving.

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Truth be told, to me this is super exciting. But I see the concern with buyers who need to return items. Be as transparent as you can within messaging, but the important part is keeping the transaction on eBay. This helps you do that easily.

[jmb344]

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@bubbleman2010 wrote:

I sure hope its true. A set of dinnerware breaks down to 12 listings. I can reduce that to one listing and pay for a subtitle and add to the decription to have them PM to bundle more pieces to the set..... A huge cost savings for a seller...

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It’s true 👍. Take a picture of the whole set so people know what is available.

[jmb344]

Private offer was discussed last week on eBay Radio with Griff. Listen to the segment here: 

https://voicemarketingradio.com/ebay-radio-show-715-segment-7-top-rated-seller-hour/

[7606dennis]

Personally, I do not wish to receive offers through messages and block anyone that sends one.  If the listing doesn't have the best offer option attached, I am not willing to entertain them. 

Up until relatively recently it was eBay's policy to consider an offer made when the BO option was present as an attempt to work an off-eBay deal.  Now they seem to be okay with it, but have their bots running at warp speed accusing seller's of attempting to make off-eBay deals.  I'm not sure of the reason for the 180, but buyers should be aware that not all sellers like it.  The fact that eBay can do a 180 while stepping up efforts to catch people making off-site deals, should be looked at with a skeptical eye.  Who is to say when eBay's pendulum will swing back the other way.