UGH! Send Offer Option Killing Sales.

[yellow-snapdragon]

Not sure who else here feels like the "send offer" to watchers option is killing sales. I get SOOOO many watchers on my listings and they just sit there and watch, I believe waiting for me to send them a lower priced offer. I know a lot of sellers send offers because in my buyer account almost as soon as I watch something I get an offer. I put multiple items in my watch list to compare, then I buy something and delete other items from watch list. And, yes, I will accept some offers as a buyer, but I will not hang around and wait for weeks, months for sellers to send me one. But I get these folks who throw my items in their list and... wait, and wait, and wait. I do not send offers and I won't send offers in the future because then buyers automatically expect you to do so from then on.  Sales are way down but there is interest, just no buyers. They've come to expect ALL sellers to send offers because so many do.  Do you send offers or not?   

[yellow-snapdragon]

Not so fast in thinking that blocking a certain buyer will prevent you from dealing with him... I have had a difficult buyer that I've blocked 3 of her accounts and just this weekend she bought something from me from a 4th. She buys my items and other sellers' items and re-sells them at huge mark-up. I get it, it's capitalism but she had the nerve to leave me a negative feedback on the 3rd buyer account last year after she received the item because I had already blocked her first 2. This most recent purchase was made using one of her seller accounts with a different buyer name but same ship-to address. Just a warning that some difficult buyers never go away! 

[beachislandtreasures]

Sometimes I will send offers at the same discount as my coupon or marked down price. You can turn off counter offers. I do that when I remember to catch it. I will sometimes offer at 5% which is the lowest you can send an offer. If they want it cheaper, they can use the coupon I posted or the markdown amount. There are times when I will accept a lower offer, but I won't take a low-ball offer. I will refuse it rather than have it hung up for days. I can also turn offers off when I have a markdown sale, but I don't always do that. Some sellers swear by raising the price and making a sale. If it's been listed for a while, several months at least, I will take it down and sell similar at the price I started with. As a seller, I work hard to sell, and put a lot of work and effort into it. If they don't want it, they can simply go elsewhere. I have learned the hard way and gave too much away. One thing I have been doing to get more sells is listing on more platforms. Also, what some don't realize is that even if they get an offer, another buyer can still come along and buy that item. It's not set in stone, and they will lose out if they wait too long with multiple watchers or other interested buyers. So I don't worry too much about offers being sent out, because as I said, someone can still come along and buy that item even with the offer sent. Anyone who thinks they are holding up a seller on that needs to re read eBay policies. 

[lakefor94]

---

@beachislandtreasures wrote:

Sometimes I will send offers at the same discount as my coupon or marked down price. You can turn off counter offers. I do that when I remember to catch it. I will sometimes offer at 5% which is the lowest you can send an offer. If they want it cheaper, they can use the coupon I posted or the markdown amount. There are times when I will accept a lower offer, but I won't take a low-ball offer. I will refuse it rather than have it hung up for days. I can also turn offers off when I have a markdown sale, but I don't always do that. Some sellers swear by raising the price and making a sale. If it's been listed for a while, several months at least, I will take it down and sell similar at the price I started with. As a seller, I work hard to sell, and put a lot of work and effort into it. If they don't want it, they can simply go elsewhere. I have learned the hard way and gave too much away. One thing I have been doing to get more sells is listing on more platforms. Also, what some don't realize is that even if they get an offer, another buyer can still come along and buy that item. It's not set in stone, and they will lose out if they wait too long with multiple watchers or other interested buyers. So I don't worry too much about offers being sent out, because as I said, someone can still come along and buy that item even with the offer sent. Anyone who thinks they are holding up a seller on that needs to re read eBay policies. 

---

@beachislandtreasures  that was a nice overview of how you are working it.

When doing markdowns, I turn off best offers from buyers on the listing. I have it marked down significantly enough to where that is ~about as low as I will go.  Most of my markdown items are long tail, but not all of them. 

When an opportunity comes to send an offer on one of the markdowns, I sometimes send it right away, sometimes wait a day or two and sometimes I just ignore the chance to send an offer. Just depends on the item.

When I do send an offer on a markdown item, I try to make a sale and go to the bottom line though I do not allow a counter offer. I have been hitting about 10% or so on offer conversion.  Certainly does help with monthly sales totals. Workin' it.

[hm3571]

I have been think the exact same thing.

Sending offers to buyer on Ebay has trained them to watch and item a wait for a lower offer before purchasing.

[hm3571]

It's interesting that you say that, sense you have no listing.

[chapeau-noir]

---

@hm3571 wrote:

It's interesting that you say that, sense you have no listing.

---

I'm on vacation and have been for a month.

[mam98031]

---

@hm3571 wrote:

I have been think the exact same thing.

Sending offers to buyer on Ebay has trained them to watch and item a wait for a lower offer before purchasing.

---

But if you are patient and only send them once a month, most buyers that want the item would not wait that long and purchase the item.  The rest still watching may need a little incentive.  So I issue offers.  But not at some crazy discount.  Usually around 10% or so.