Seller increased price by $15 and sent $5 off to a watcher: ethical?

[beautifulbeauty2012]

I marked as "watched" $30 item and received $40 "offer" from a seller. He changed the price to $45 and "offered" me $5 off from the new price. I knew I wasn`t losing my mind and went to the revision history-indeed price was revised.

Do you think it is ethical? Obviously, I declined that "offer" and blocked him. Does the seller think buyers are stupid? I can see increasing by a buck or two, but $15 on $30 is just rude.

[luckythewinner]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

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OK, I'll break it down:

• Seller has watcher
• Seller raises the price
• Seller then sends watcher offer for a bit off the now raised price.
• Watcher goes "huh...is that right or not?"

I say yeah, seller can do what they like, but it's not very good marketing, and I find it amusing.

Seems pretty simple.

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Okay, I'll break it down:

• Buyer receives offer
• Buyer decides whether to buy at that price

The seller raised the price for everyone, not just the anonymous watcher he sent an offer to.

[brandsonhands]

Wrong. The offer was targeted to OP after the seller increased the price after he saw the OP was a watcher.

1. Seller listed item for $30

2. OP put that item in Watched list

3. Seller increased the price and sent the "discounted" offer with a higher price because he assumed that OP was paying no attention and was stupid.

4. OP went to the listing revision history and indeed the price was alternated soon after the OP put it to watched list and right before OP got the targeted offer.

[retro_entertainment_collectibles]

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

Then after reviewing for a price change (that part makes perfect sense, only I delist and relist when I do it) they send that same watcher a discount. 

I guess people here do that kinda thing so they don't see the humour in it. OK.

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I believe I've had similar occur but not 110% positive.  Some weeks back before heading to camp I'd put a few items on watch one of which had free shipping.  When I looked at it again a few days later back from camp a flat shipping fee was in place for $7 bucks more than it'd actually cost to ship and an offer awaited that had timed out due to me being at camp.  At least that what I thought happened because I'd never put it on watch with price + the shipping.

[brandsonhands]

You can easily check the revision of the shipping, price, etc in the listing revision history. 

[spreadlovelikefire]

Maybe it would help to know that when a seller sends an offer that they are sent blindly.  The seller would have no idea how long you've been watching or interested in the item or who you are.

[luckythewinner]

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@brandsonhands wrote:

Wrong. The offer was targeted to OP after the seller increased the price after he saw the OP was a watcher.

1. Seller listed item for $30

2. OP put that item in Watched list

3. Seller increased the price and sent the "discounted" offer with a higher price because he assumed that OP was paying no attention and was stupid.

4. OP went to the listing revision history and indeed the price was alternated soon after the OP put it to watched list and right before OP got the targeted offer.

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So I am wrong, and the price was not raised for everyone? 🙄

[tdl_collectibles]

Yes, I dont really see this as unethical.  I had an item listed for $210 a few weeks ago, I sent out an offer to some watchers for $200.  Someone messaged me and said the best he could do was $190.  

I did research and found out that I was actually already the lowest on eBay so I ended up raising the price to $230.  

I might end up sending out offers soon for $215 to $220 soon so it isn't my issue if no one took the offer at $210 if the market shifts a bit.  For all I know, maybe the lowest online is $190 again but I haven't had a chance to look. 

[robbie31415]

It's okay, it's obvious they aren't going to accept that they aren't special and being targeted.

The fact that the listing became offer eligible sparking a price revision seems like a crazy concept.

[brandsonhands]

LOL. The seller sent the "offer" to OP right after OP added it to the watch list. Did you read?

[brandsonhands]

The higher price was sent to OP directly. That is the point. Raising price for everyone with or without naive watchers is normal; what happened here is not what you are talking about.

[brandsonhands]

You didn`t increase the price to $300 and sent the $250 offer as soon as you saw someone is watching your item, did you? That is what happened. Your situation is different and you actually sent a real discounted offer.

[chapeau-noir]

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@luckythewinner wrote:

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@chapeau-noir wrote:

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OK, I'll break it down:

• Seller has watcher
• Seller raises the price
• Seller then sends watcher offer for a bit off the now raised price.
• Watcher goes "huh...is that right or not?"

I say yeah, seller can do what they like, but it's not very good marketing, and I find it amusing.

Seems pretty simple.

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Okay, I'll break it down:

• Buyer receives offer
• Buyer decides whether to buy at that price

The seller raised the price for everyone, not just the anonymous watcher he sent an offer to.

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That's missing the context.  Sure, I could prove anything if I just altered the argument to suit my conclusion.

[robbie31415]

Who cares about the context when it's based on assumption?

Facts the price got raised for everyone.

[chapeau-noir]

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@robbie31415 wrote:

Who cares about the context when it's based on assumption?

Facts the price got raised for everyone.

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Nothing was based on 'assumption' - it was a simple, very simple, series of small events.

I'm gobsmacked at this thread. Truly.

[luckythewinner]

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@brandsonhands wrote:

The higher price was sent to OP directly. That is the point. Raising price for everyone with or without naive watchers is normal; what happened here is not what you are talking about.

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The higher price was added to the LISTING before the offer was sent.

This means that higher price is now being charged for EVERYONE who views the listing.