Rash of Buyers Asking for Veterans or Military Wounded Discounts

[pogofuzz]

I've been quite active on ebay for 20 years and never until this month have I received messages from potential buyers asking for military related discounts. Retired military, vets, wounded vets, etc.  I'm getting messages "How much to buy it now for a wounded Vet"  Or "I am disabled ex-military. I can't afford your item but really would cherish it, how about a discount" type things.  When I saw my first one I didn't think much of it, and I did offer a discount and made the sale but only because it was something I was glad to get rid of :).  But now I've received several such messages over the past couple weeks.  Personallly I've decided they're all just people scamming for a discount.  Wounded vets don't really have a need for collectibles. Anyone else getting a bunch of these messages?

[rolenboy01]

Wounded vets don't really have a need for collectibles is a factual statement I fail to see how it's offensive no one has a need for collectibles therefore by proxy wounded vets do not either, are we confusing NEEDS with WANTS again?

[chrysylys]

The factual statement is that regardless of who they are (or pretend to be) or their background or financial or health status, NO ONE NEEDS collectibles.  Purchases like that are always optional.  If they don't have the money to pay full price, how do they have the money to buy it at 10 or 15 or even 20% off?

[rolenboy01]

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@chrysylys wrote:

The factual statement is that regardless of who they are (or pretend to be) or their background or financial or health status, NO ONE NEEDS collectibles.  Purchases like that are always optional.  If they don't have the money to pay full price, how do they have the money to buy it at 10 or 15 or even 20% off?

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Isn't that what I said?

[papyruspapillo]

I propose that Many or all of these discount-seekers are not really veterans.

[best_vintage_photos]

I don't have this problem because i use the 'Make an Offer' feature with all of my 'Buy-it-Now' items. That way, anybody can request their own discount. Then, on a case by case basis, one may decide whether they accept the offer, make a counter offer or simply ignore the offer.

I never used to like the 'Best Offer' feature, but have since changed my mind because it is a tool that can help you increase your sales. If i need the money, which is usually the case, lol, i may even consider offers that are on the low ball side.

[papyruspapillo]

Wars are fought for economic reasons; not because of idealism or a quest for justice. I had two cousins who were blown to bits in Viet Nam so that others could profit. Jettison the patriotic brainwash.

[rolenboy01]

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@best_vintage_photos wrote:

I don't have this problem because i use the 'Make an Offer' feature with all of my 'Buy-it-Now' items. That way, anybody can request their own discount. Then, on a case by case basis, one may decide whether they accept the offer, make a counter offer or simply ignore the offer.

I never used to like the 'Best Offer' feature, but have since changed my mind because it is a tool that can help you increase your sales. If i need the money, which is usually the case, lol, i may even consider offers that are on the low ball side.

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That's when they will ask for the SUPER DUPER Veterans discount but they will wait until after you accept their best offer and receive their item of course.

[best_vintage_photos]

"That's when they will ask for the SUPER DUPER Veterans discount but they will wait until after you accept their best offer and receive their item of course."

Yes. Many people ask for SUPER DUPER discounts. Just yesterday, or the day before a woman from California sent me an offer of $8 for a bracelet that was already discounted in my store by 30%. My discounted price is just over $16 with free shipping. I made a counter offer of just $3 more - $11. My rationale was this:

I'll take $8 for this item, but not with free shipping. It will cost me $3 to ship the item with tracking - hence my counter offer. If the $8 price was accepeted, it would have gone through as a sale, but after subtracting the $3 to ship the item, only $5 would remain. Then afer substracting eBay and PayPal fees and the costs of packaging supplies, only $3 and change would remain. Not really worth the time, right?

My counter offer was declined. So i still have my item, and a frugal woman in California still has her $8. I just say it's time to move on. Next . . . .

[d-k_treasures]

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@chrysylys wrote:

The factual statement is that regardless of who they are (or pretend to be) or their background or financial or health status, NO ONE NEEDS collectibles.  Purchases like that are always optional.  If they don't have the money to pay full price, how do they have the money to buy it at 10 or 15 or even 20% off?

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And if collecting 'collectibles' helps with PTSS or autism or any other syndromes/disorders, they shouldn't buy them because they don't "need" them?

Or a DAV who wants to collect and display a battlefield with lead soldiers, because that's pretty much what gets them thru the day because they are in a wheelchair, they don't "need" these?

Have a little compassion, please.

And since ebay encourages making offers -  going as far as changing listings in the dark of the night - gee, whose fault is it that the new buyer mentality is to try to get anything everything at a discount on here?

[retrose1]

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@d-k_treasures wrote:

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@chrysylys wrote:

The factual statement is that regardless of who they are (or pretend to be) or their background or financial or health status, NO ONE NEEDS collectibles.  Purchases like that are always optional.  If they don't have the money to pay full price, how do they have the money to buy it at 10 or 15 or even 20% off?

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And if collecting 'collectibles' helps with PTSS or autism or any other syndromes/disorders, they shouldn't buy them because they don't "need" them?

Or a DAV who wants to collect and display a battlefield with lead soldiers, because that's pretty much what gets them thru the day because they are in a wheelchair, they don't "need" these?

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If a normal person needs to buy items, they are usually labeled a hoarder and that is being considered a disability.  But if a disabled person does it, it is part of rehab?

I fall on the side that disabled or not, war veteran or not, if a person wants a discount because they 'can't afford to pay full price'  whatever the reason, then they should be budgeting their money better and shouldn't be buying that item at all.  And saying no and blocking them is really doing them a favor.

[chrysylys]

Y'all don't want to know the income I get by on.  It would depress most of you to even think about it.  But I still manage to buy things I want but don't 'need'.  I make do as best I can to keep things I like and find interesting around me.  I use Best Offer when it's available.  I will sometimes message a seller asking if they will combine 2 or 3 listings into one at a better price than inidvidually shown (they almost always accept too).  I will ask for discounts on closeouts or damaged items I find locally.  I will take advantage of any offered sales, discounts or programs whenever and wherever I can.  I will do my best to stack coupons with promotions and discounts if possible.

But I will never ask a seller to offer a discount simply because I am ' (insert condition, occupation or history here) '.

[tellmemama]

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General reply

And I'm wondering if any of these were made on listings where best offer was not offered in the first place.  My guess is you betcha.  Unfortunately eBay has wiped away any semblance of trust between buyers and sellers so I no longer believe anything.

And I suppose we should be offering more to the disabled veteran sellers then?

[johnfduda]

I'm a seller here and a vet, no combat, no purple heart.

Where do I sign up for the 10% bonus on my sales.......

[johnfduda]

Where's the back of the line......

[7606dennis]

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@themagicmountain wrote:

They need to show proof at those stores to get the military discount.

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Actually, Lowe's, starting the 1st of the year has tied the military discount to their MyLowe's card so it is going to be automatic.  Prior to that, cashier's had to enter it in.  The first time I got it the cashier noticed my hat and asked me if I was a veteran.  Since then I simply showed my VA card.

With Michael's, if memory serves, I was going over the list of discounts that they offer and came across it on the list.  There too I usually just show my VA card.

Of course, things like getting my Purple Heart tag from the DAV requires producing a copy of my DD214, and property tax reductions require proof of disability rating, but those aren't really discounts like those offered by some retail stores.