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?

[fern*wood]

I admire your enthusiasm on this subject---I truly do.  You offer answers in a non condescending tone which is quite refreshing.  I always have to wonder, though, how much selling experience reps such as yourself have.  If you have quite a bit---I'm even more impressed with your desire to win me over.

I think I've just been here too long, gone through too many changes, seen too many penalties, to not be somewhat jaded in my thinking.  I tend to worry about the different scenarios changes such as this might create, that may have not been well thought out.  The life of an ebay seller isn't that easy, and over time,  I have become much less trusting.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

To me, that's the exciting thing: this is NOT a new tool, it's a recognition that this existing tool can be used in a way most of us didn't realize. I agree there's room for improvement, in part, that's because I don't think ebay ever gave this functionality much thought when the tool was first developed. Yes, it's kind of a work around , but I'll use it when opportunities arise and hopefully if enough people use it, ebay will start to make some improvements.

[terrycanarsky]

BUT, is a fully supported feature on eBay today. 

Please, so I might better understand, let us compare the Private Offer with Make Offer system:

- Make Offer:  Negotiations may go freely back and forth several times.

- Private Offer:  Seller makes offer, buyer cannot make a counter-offer (at least, this is our experience).  Concern(s):  Buyer has moved on and does not want unsolicited offers for stuff - or -  the buyer may feel he/she has to accept the seller's offer or do without. 

- Make Offer:  Invoicing may be done directly after an offer is accepted.

- Private Offer: Not sure - see below point

- Make Offer:  The potential buyer's postal code is readily available to estimate shipping.

- Private Offer:  Shipping is not/cannot be included with the seller's offer.  Including a postal code may trigger eBay's automated warnings regarding selling off-eBay.  Concern:  Regardless of assurances otherwise, most sellers know that CS does not always 'follow the same script', thus this may potentially cost sellers more time and resources to explain, fight, clear.  Edit:  I just checked a couple messages with this ability at random.  The postal code is provided in the message reply, so this may not be as big a problem as thought.

- Make Offer - An offer is of a particular item listing.

- Private Offer - May also include unlisted items.  Concern(s):  Increased returns because there is no way currently to provide photos of the additionally included items offered.  There is only a 1000 character message box. -or- The buyer doesn't want unsoliticited offers on stuff he/she didn't inquire after.

As a seller, I can certainly see benefits, and as I stated before, we use the Reply with Offer in very select circumstances. 

As a buyer, I'm in the camp that doesn't want a seller contacting me with offers when I've simply asked a question about something, least of all offering me stuff I haven't asked about!  I am much less likely to spend my money with someone who does that than I am someone who simply answers my query.  (And I know about this from the 'inside'!)

Wait times for CS (or, for us, Merchant Support) are already ridiculously long.  This morning, we waited on hold for ~45 minutes to speak with MS.  Merchant Support is a highly knowledgeable team, the 'regular' CS is notoriously not.  Adding yet more potential things which can go wrong due to infrastructure not quite being designed to support an action to an already stressed system benefits no one.  (Currently on hold to discuss a suspicious message from a buyer blatantly attempting to commit what appears to be questionable actions.  There is a 'Reply with Offer' on the message which might otherwise be deemed applicable.)

~M

[moo*cow*corner]

@jmb344

A little late to the discussion, so please forgive me.

To me, sending or posting a photo of a whole dinnerware set, and if the buyer only buys some (not all) is a recipe for disaster. Most buyers now expect everything shown in a photo to be included. INR or SNAD anyone? 

Then again, I can see how PO might be very useful for something like dinnerware, as @bubbleman2010 suggests.

A long time ago, I was warned for mentioning in my listing for dinner plates that I also have matching bowls, cups/saucers or whatever available (keyword spam-specifically, offering items not shown in the original listing). I put in a generic blurb to check my store for more items in this pattern.

I do see this kind of thing all the time done by other sellers. Has the KWS rule changed?

How would we be able to let prospective customers know that we have different matching pieces available without running afoul of the KWS policies?

Does an PO require immediate payment to close and show as sold? I'd sure hate to go to all the trouble to make a deal and have the buyer just flake on payment. Ugh.

[dtexley3]

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@moo*cow*cornerwrote:

@jmb344

Does an PO require immediate payment to close and show as sold? I'd sure hate to go to all the trouble to make a deal and have the buyer just flake on payment. Ugh.

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Sorry, leaving off the part I can't answer.

Private Offer is basically an abreviated reverse of a Best Offer.  BUYER sends you a QUESTION about a product, you can reply with an offer.  It appears to be essentially a one-shot reverse best offer, so like BO I doubt IPR would apply.

[moo*cow*corner]

In the meantime, IPR is automatic on all kinds of other listings, along with an inability to combine shipping or request invoice...makes perfect ebay sense I guess.

I'd like the PO to be IPR in order to close. Too much could get tied up in waiting for a buyer to corral their cash to pay for a big ol' bundle.

Non-payers is one reason I quit doing Best Offer. That and a goodly percentage wanted to continue dickering after delivery...DAD for short. LOL!

[jmb344]

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@terrycanarsky wrote:

BUT, is a fully supported feature on eBay today. 

Please, so I might better understand, let us compare the Private Offer with Make Offer system:

- Make Offer:  Negotiations may go freely back and forth several times.

- Private Offer:  Seller makes offer, buyer cannot make a counter-offer (at least, this is our experience).  Concern(s):  Buyer has moved on and does not want unsolicited offers for stuff - or -  the buyer may feel he/she has to accept the seller's offer or do without. 

- Make Offer:  Invoicing may be done directly after an offer is accepted.

- Private Offer: Not sure - see below point

- Make Offer:  The potential buyer's postal code is readily available to estimate shipping.

- Private Offer:  Shipping is not/cannot be included with the seller's offer.  Including a postal code may trigger eBay's automated warnings regarding selling off-eBay.  Concern:  Regardless of assurances otherwise, most sellers know that CS does not always 'follow the same script', thus this may potentially cost sellers more time and resources to explain, fight, clear.  Edit:  I just checked a couple messages with this ability at random.  The postal code is provided in the message reply, so this may not be as big a problem as thought.

- Make Offer - An offer is of a particular item listing.

- Private Offer - May also include unlisted items.  Concern(s):  Increased returns because there is no way currently to provide photos of the additionally included items offered.  There is only a 1000 character message box. -or- The buyer doesn't want unsoliticited offers on stuff he/she didn't inquire after.

As a seller, I can certainly see benefits, and as I stated before, we use the Reply with Offer in very select circumstances. 

As a buyer, I'm in the camp that doesn't want a seller contacting me with offers when I've simply asked a question about something, least of all offering me stuff I haven't asked about!  I am much less likely to spend my money with someone who does that than I am someone who simply answers my query.  (And I know about this from the 'inside'!)

Wait times for CS (or, for us, Merchant Support) are already ridiculously long.  This morning, we waited on hold for ~45 minutes to speak with MS.  Merchant Support is a highly knowledgeable team, the 'regular' CS is notoriously not.  Adding yet more potential things which can go wrong due to infrastructure not quite being designed to support an action to an already stressed system benefits no one.  (Currently on hold to discuss a suspicious message from a buyer blatantly attempting to commit what appears to be questionable actions.  There is a 'Reply with Offer' on the message which might otherwise be deemed applicable.)

~M

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@terrycanarsky Maybe if I'm able to convince you of the value, you'll become an advocate too. You don't ever want to send an unsolicited offer to a buyer. You try to help educate them as the expert. "Thanks for asking about this product, just so you know I have this complimentary item for it as well if you are interested. It's an extra $30." or in the parts world, "Since you are installing this part, you'll probably need this X part as well to complete the repair. I have it for sale for $X if you buy this part." The idea is to be helpful, not pushy.  Only send the offer once you all have agreed on something. Buyers get invoiced once they accept your offer, same as BO. I think you can exchange postal codes without problems. You can exchange pictures through messages, just not private offer. CS should review these as well should concerns arise.  I hope this helps.

[tev4all]

General reply 

This whole process looks to be  a work around to the Paypal /ebay agreement of 80% of all transactions to be completed through PP before completely dumping PP as payment processor.

[jmb344]

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@tev4all wrote:

General reply 

This whole process looks to be  a work around to the Paypal /ebay agreement of 80% of all transactions to be completed through PP before completely dumping PP as payment processor.

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@tev4all When buyers check out through messages in private offer they typically checkout with PayPal, same as any other transaction.

[moo*cow*corner]

@jmb344

Another general question- Sorry if I missed this, but does the actual PO page have a character limit?

If I'm bundling several items and properly describing quantity, condition, shipping terms and all other relevant information...and the actual offer page is limited to 1000 characters, that's not enough.

Yikes! That's a terrible run-on sentence. Need moar coffee!

[lovtaco0]

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@blueberryjellyfishwrote: 

Private Offers take place over eBay messaging, so how does eBay communicate, if at all, with payment processors like PayPal? If a buyer files a SNAD through PayPal instead of eBay will screenshots of eBay messaging and the offer screen be taken into account? Does eBay work with PayPal to keep them informed about features like Private Offers and is PayPal receptive to accepting screenshots as evidence in a case since the details of the deal are not viewable in a public listing?

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@jmb344 do you have an update on this question? I'm very interested in eBay's answer. Thanks Josh.

[lovtaco0]

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@moo*cow*cornerwrote:
@jmb344

Another general question- Sorry if I missed this, but does the actual PO page have a character limit?

If I'm bundling several items and properly describing quantity, condition, shipping terms and all other relevant information...and the actual offer page is limited to 1000 characters, that's not enough.

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It's limited to 1,000 characters. Unless and until they increase that you would have to spell everything out in eBay messages then fit what you can in the private offer box.

[moo*cow*corner]

That's not good news for a long winded seller like myself. I like covering every base I can think of, and then some!

Thanks for the quick answer!

[jmb344]

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@moo*cow*corner wrote:
@jmb344

Another general question- Sorry if I missed this, but does the actual PO page have a character limit?

If I'm bundling several items and properly describing quantity, condition, shipping terms and all other relevant information...and the actual offer page is limited to 1000 characters, that's not enough.

Yikes! That's a terrible run-on sentence. Need moar coffee!

---

@moo*cow*corner I'm not sure what the character limit is of the "message to buyer" section, but someone previously mentioned 1,000. I think the initial reply to a buyer message is 1,000, and subsequent messages are 2,000. You may need to put the offer specifics in a member to member message, then send a private offer. Another enhancement request!

[fern*wood]

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@jmb344wrote:

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 Maybe if I'm able to convince you of the value, you'll become an advocate too. You don't ever want to send an unsolicited offer to a buyer. You try to help educate them as the expert. "Thanks for asking about this product, just so you know I have this complimentary item for it as well if you are interested. It's an extra $30." or in the parts world, "Since you are installing this part, you'll probably need this X part as well to complete the repair. I have it for sale for $X if you buy this part." The idea is to be helpful, not pushy.  Only send the offer once you all have agreed on something. Buyers get invoiced once they accept your offer, same as BO. I think you can exchange postal codes without problems. You can exchange pictures through messages, just not private offer. CS should review these as well should concerns arise.  I hope this helps.

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How are you proposing to inform the buyer of a possible offer or bundle without it being unsolicited?  I thought that was what this was promoting---to let the buyer know what you can do or have to sell that they may not be aware of. 

The make offer option is only available (at least in my experience) on the initial email from the buyer.  That offer button is there regardless of the question.  So once you respond to this buyer that button goes away.    I can't answer the question by telling them of other things I have to sell to see if they are interested before actually making an offer, and then write again using the make offer button --- it would be gone.