Sending Offers To Watchers

[panzerzwei]

I feel that sending offers to watchers for me is a waste of time. In the last year when I have done this, they never buy the item.  Perhaps they have a similar item and see if your item sells at a certain price.

[heckofagame]

The effectiveness of this would depend on what kind of an offer is being sent. Buyers like large discount offers. 

[soh.maryl]

It has been mentioned here that not all watchers will ever be potential buyers.

Sometimes it's fellow sellers because they have a similar item and want to see what yours sells for.

Or someone has mentioned a particular listing on the Boards and we go to it to see what they are talking about.

For myself, I sometimes put more than one of the same item on my watch list, trying to decide which I want to make an offer on, or whether or not the seller might reduce the price.  For instance, right now have on my watch list 3 listings each for several items.  Obviously am not going to buy all six of them.  

[mtgraves7984]

Sending Offers To Watchers

@panzerzwei 

I don't do it often, but I did send one a couple of weeks ago after a watcher sent me a message that included the price he'd pay for the item, should I agree. I did, so I shot the offer... the buyer paid and I shipped a long-tail item. Never say never...

[simba6]

You are correct, most watchers never buy the item.   If an offer is given it has to be more than 5%.   Many of the offers I receive are in that range.

So unless it's a big sale, offers are a waste of effort.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

We have covered the varied nature of watchers on many threads.

Sending offers does not make sales for watchers who want price info. It does not make sales with buyers who will buy when they have the money, which is statistically unlikely to be within the two days your offer is valid, It does not make sales to watchers who want you to drop your drawers unless you drop your drawers,

It can sometimes make it harder to sell to those watchers because you have already devalued the item in their eyes,

Psyching out buyers is hard. Trying to psych out buyers and failing is worse than not trying.

A friend with a lot of retail experience told me years ago "your first markdown is your best markdown", that means to make the markdown price appropriate because multiple markdowns have diminishing returns. An offer to your watchers is a markdown.

[luckythewinner]

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I feel that sending offers to watchers for me is a waste of time.

Every seller is different. If you think it is a waste of time, don't do it. I sent 8 offers last night and had 2 purchases this morning. 

In the last year when I have done this, they never buy the item

I find the nature of the item, the supply and demand for it, the original price, and the size of the offer all matter. 

Perhaps they have a similar item and see if your item sells at a certain price.

People watch for many different reasons. I have items that I have been watching for a year. 

[theteamsetguy]

@panzerzwei ,

What kind of offers are you sending? 5 to 10 percent off will not excite very many buyers. Buyers these days are used 50% off before they get excited due to all the stores offering similar discounts.

[hartungcards]

"I feel that sending offers to watchers for me is a waste of time."

How long does it take you to send an offer - and how much does it cost you?

[iguana69art]

anyone can check past sells of any item on ebay at any time they wish to. No ones watching to see it your item sells . People put things on their list and then never look at it again , or they think you're going to send them a 1/2 price discount . They should know that's never going to happen ....

[iguana69art]

lol, I have watchers on 1.99 items with real shipping charges ..... they will never get a discount offer . You can't tell me they can't figure that out ...

[iguana69art]

I do the same thing when I want to buy , but I buy and delete all the items off my watch list . I don't leave them on it for 3 years or more ....

[fbusoni]

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@panzerzwei wrote:

I feel that sending offers to watchers for me is a waste of time. In the last year when I have done this, they never buy the item.  Perhaps they have a similar item and see if your item sells at a certain price.

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One is of course entitled to feel anyway one wants... we cannot help what we feel.

But we can use logic to determine how we act.  

If you see no results from sending offers, then perhaps your offers are not substantial enough.

How you manage your sales is up to you.   If I want to move something, I might send an offer that will appeal to a buyer's "dealmaking" sensibilities.   And I often get a positive reply.

[chariot_badges]

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@simba6 wrote:

You are correct, most watchers never buy the item.   If an offer is given it has to be more than 5%.   Many of the offers I receive are in that range.

So unless it's a big sale, offers are a waste of effort.

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Those little things you do here make a big difference to eBay.

It appears to me that the more you mess with, tweak, end and sell same, add new inventory ... just generally churn your account, the more 'leads' you get fed by eBay.

The sales manager, sitting in his glass office watching the 'sales associates' work sees a dozen salesmen.  One is asleep at his desk, hung over.  Two of them are flirting with the receptionist.   Four of them are 'on break'.  

The other five are greeting new people walking in, explaining the features of the product, answering questions about delivery and shipping, and when things are slow they call people who've visited before and did not buy.  

Now, the fat man in the glass office gets a lead.  A good lead.  Somebody wants to buy something.

Who is he going to give that lead to?

The hung over guy?  the flirters?   the people taking a 'break'?   Nope.

Why end and sell same?   Is that a waste of time?   

Some say so.  

"You're doing well this month.  So, how come your sales numbers are so high?"

"Oh, I dunno.  Just lucky I guess.  Excuse me, someone just walked in ..."

[dryophelia]

@iguana69art 

At this time, it seems eBay is no longer allowing users, at least on mobile devices, to see sold transactions. 

They have also removed the ability to change to zip code through the shipping tab (*spoiler* there is no tab).  
And I have to log in if I leave for more than half an hour.
And my phone won’t hold my password. 

But, the coffee is hot and the morning sun is bright. ☕️ 🌞