THE MOTHER OF ALL LOW BALL OFFERS

[turquoisetulips]

Not really looking for advice  ,, I just thought this was too humorous  not to share . I have a  living memory locket for sale[ one of many ] for 15.65 or best offer - free shipping . Basically the same as most of my inventory . Today I got an offer  of one dollar  on it . Of course  I  politely declined  ,,  but it had me wondering what this person  was thinking . I guess its true what has been said  that a lot of people don't understand shipping charges or have any idea what they cost . I guess they  never purchase postage stamps or ship a package   so they would have at least some idea . I can't  rightfully call this person   a '' buyer '',, not just because I declined his one dollar  offer  .Mainly because it  would have cost me more than twice  the amount he offered just for the shipping  alone [never mind the cost of the locket itself ]  which in turn would have  made me the buyer  lol .  This is what I find so funny and now I'm curious . Anybody else have a story ? Tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

 Hilarious low balling people are part of the fun of this hobby! annasunicorns  

Love your attitude ! yes its the  fun stuff like this that  help make it all worthwhile . Dealing with the human race can be stressful at times  but then comes comic relief  to save the day !  tulips

[emerald_door]

I once received an offer of $5 on an item that was listed for about $50.  I declined it.  The potential buyer was also a seller on the same ID so I looked at her listings and made her an offer of $5 on a $100 item. 

[annasunicorns]

I have another good one! Well annoying. Buyer makes offer on blanket. Accepted. Buyer then says can you wait 2 weeks until I get paid? Fine, I hate doing those but Id been trying to move this for awhile so I wait. 2 weeks later, messages, they can only buy it if I give them free shipping too. My response out loud was, HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA.

I was more professional in print but yeah. People are funny.

[pingpong517]

i ted to have a lot of $5 offers..... with the same thought in mind i've wondered if they were serious or not...

BUT my only thought to these very low ball offeres...is that they have nothing to lose...and just what if I were to accidentally hit "acept"..... a smart person might guess that i wouldn't want to cancel and receive a ding....so I might just bite the bullet and go ahead with the sale...thuxs they win, and I throw up.

[pingpong517]

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@sam9876 wrote:

Best Offer is the same as shooting yourself in the foot. 

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no it isn't.... my foot really hurt.

[turquoisetulips]

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@myboardid wrote:

I use the auto-decline with Best Offer so I never see the truly low-ball offers.  It helps keep my blood pressure under control!  But I have used a similar response to offers that are too low - that I would lose money at that price. 

When I first started using Best Offer I was very hesitant and hated bargaining, would get angry and stubborn.  Now I've learned to take it with a big grain of salt, and if I can't work out a mutually agreeable price, then to not take it personally and just move on.  I always end my counter offers with something like "If you choose to accept my offer, I look forward to completing this arrangement with you" - something positive and friendly.  And I can laugh at the offers that would be insulting of I let them.  Because of the aforementioned auto-decline, I only see those if I go to the listing itself and search for them.  With almost 1000 listings I don't do that very often.  --- myboarddid 

I've learned a few things  along the way myself . One is when I'm getting the usual 10 dollar offers from re sellers   on one item in particular,, it means that item is probably going to sell very  shortly for my asking price . I  make my own jewelry so it would be easy to feel insulted  by reseller offers ,,   but I no longer look at it that way . Its actually a compliment . Tulips 

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[turquoisetulips]

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@emerald_door wrote:

I once received an offer of $5 on an item that was listed for about $50.  I declined it.  The potential buyer was also a seller on the same ID so I looked at her listings and made her an offer of $5 on a $100 item. 

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LOL !!! Good one  🙂  tulips

[pburn]

Here's my latest "best offer" story (as a buyer):

I missed bidding on an auction I'd been watching, but I noticed it had zero bids, and the seller relisted it at a $20 starting bid--plus shipping.

I offered $20.

Seller counter-offered with $19.50.

True story.

[turquoisetulips]

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@coffeebean832 wrote:

You asked what the buyer might be thinking. I suggested something. That doesn't mean I agree with them. I would never offer $1 for one of your necklaces.

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and you very well may have been right . They may be even used to getting one dollar bargains . However I just needed to explain  why they'd be wrong  if that was  what they were thinking in this case . tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

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@pburn wrote:
Here's my latest "best offer" story (as a buyer):

I missed bidding on an auction I'd been watching, but I noticed it had zero bids, and the seller relisted it at a $20 starting bid--plus shipping.

I offered $20.

Seller counter-offered with $19.50.

True story.

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LOL ,, too bad we can't share  names - I'd like to know that guy.   Tulips

[turquoisetulips]

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@lex-talon wrote:

A few days ago, I had a buyer make an offer of $1 on a cd that I listed for $15. Of course I declined. An hour later, the buyer replied, "Thanks anyway". 

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That would tug a little on my heartstrings - tulips 

[turquoisetulips]

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@pingpong517 wrote:

i ted to have a lot of $5 offers..... with the same thought in mind i've wondered if they were serious or not...

BUT my only thought to these very low ball offeres...is that they have nothing to lose...and just what if I were to accidentally hit "acept"..... a smart person might guess that i wouldn't want to cancel and receive a ding....so I might just bite the bullet and go ahead with the sale...thuxs they win, and I throw up.

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Lets hope those are far and few between  - tulips 

[dinpavent0]

I tell the buyer flat out it costs me 3.50 to ship, I don't print my postage, i go directly to post office and I have free shipping on all my items. Alot of my items are around $10 so I am only making like $5 an item already on those type of listings and I get $1-$5 offers all the time on stuff I already have very lolw to begin with and free shipping. I decline and just up front with them. I had a person do that send me a dollar offer and I told them that I couldn't do that I would lose money and how much it cost me just for shipping not including fees, then came back with $1.50. I just blocked them at that point. Very annoying. I don't mind giving deals at all, but I can't give out free items plus cost myself more by paying for shipping. Ridiculous, so no you are not alone ....lol

[ten_o_nine]

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@parkersparrow wrote:

I usually write back to those kinds of offers with: "Sorry, if I were to sell to you at that price I would end up losing money."  In hopes they will get the hint without being rude. 

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Don't make it personal, just accept, decline or counter.

[directfashion]

Profit on eBay is already low enough. I just would just counter offer it for $14.75 :). If the buyer complains, just show them how much everything cost. I had a buyer that wants to buy 10 pcs of the item that I only make 50 cents profit each. I gave them 25 cents off each, he got **bleep**. He thinks his 10 pcs offer is so great that there should be a huge discount. Some buyer thinks sellers are making a killing.