What does the "Best Offer/Make Offer" option say to a Potential Buyer?

[mangorunner]

I've been mulling this around for awhile.  What does the Best Offer/Make Offer option say to a potential buyer?  Does it say that the seller knows that their item is probably overpriced?  Or does it give any message at all?  As a buyer, what does it make you think about the price of an item when you see that?  If you wanted the item, would it be likely that you would go ahead and pay the asking price without first attempting to negotiate a lower one?

[lex-talon]

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@mangorunnerwrote:

I've been mulling this around for awhile.  What does the Best Offer/Make Offer option say to a potential buyer?  Does it say that the seller knows that their item is probably overpriced?  Or does it give any message at all?  As a buyer, what does it make you think about the price of an item when you see that?  If you wanted the item, would it be likely that you would go ahead and pay the asking price without first attempting to negotiate a lower one?

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To me, I will accept only reasonable offers. Some buyers may think my items are overpriced, I do my research and go from there. As a buyer, I would send the buyer my best offer and hope they accept it.

If I feel their asking price is reasonable and want the item(s) very badly, pay the asking price. 

[disneyshopper]

The vast majority of my listings are fixed price, and usually about 20% less than what it sold for at the theme parks.  Some items have been listed for years, waiting for the right collector to come along.  For a few items, I have added Best Offer because I just want to get rid of them and open up the space for new purchases.  My warehouse space is bursting at the seams.

[castlemagicmemories]

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@ted_200wrote:

What does the "Best Offer/Make Offer" option say to a Potential Buyer?

That they're in a curio shop in Tijuana?

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Cue the mariachi band!

[castlemagicmemories]

I think some buyers think it says, Wooo Hooo, 90% off and free shipping!

[richards*collection]

I have them high prices because greed allows me to screen all buyers most of the time, I block buyers that give habitual negs and wont work with sellers to resolve problems. That being said, once in a while I get someone who has to have the item and they just pay the expensive price. I have had really good luck so far, I feel that ebay watches over me and hooks me up with honorable buyers most of the time, but I have been stuck with some nightmare buyers once in a great while. All in all, I feel that ebay does a good job of keeping me out of trouble, and takes good care of me, its been a wonderfull relation ship for about five years, I have had 3 other ebay accounts, and have stuck with this one now for about 2 years and it is going good with best offer.

[cargo11]

Best Offer - Hey I don't even have to have the "button" buyers send me "Best Offers" all the time - I have no problems reviewing their offer and either accepting it or a no thank you.    What I don't care for is sending the best offer on a 30 day listing and the seller sits on the offer to see what others offer for the item before countering or accepting.  The closer the end - then I may or may not get a chance at it.

[sam9876]

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

[7606dennis]

I've always taken it to mean that the seller is willing to receive an offer from someone wishing to negotiate a selling price lower than their asking price.  It does not mean that they will accept an offer made only allow it to be made.

Of course, in cultures where haggling is the normal accepted way of arriving at the selling price, it is quite common for the seller to ask high, the buyer to offer low and they meet somewhere in the middle.  In that case I always assume that the seller has given himself some wiggle room in his starting price.