eBay

ben_hutcherson · ‎07-27-2017

When you auto-decline almost anything short of a dollar or two of the selling price?

I use best offer all the time on my listings. In fact, I intentionally price them a bit high(not unreasonably so) with the expectation of getting offers. That's just a bit of a habit left over from physical sales at trade shows and the like-many buyers, at least in the fields where I deal, like the feeling of "winning over" the seller with their price and negotiating is part of the game.

In any case, I use the auto accept and auto decline options any time I out up a listing. It depends on the price of the item, but a general range for me is to set an auto-accept price at 5-10% below the BIN and auto-decline at 40-50%. I consider the middle range "negoting territory" where I will weigh things like quantity in a multiple listing, my trading history with the buyer, if they're interested in other listings at the same time, or whatever. Sometimes I take the offer and sometimes I counter, or if they look like a problem buyer it gives me a chance to decline and block 🙂

I know every seller has their own policies, but sometimes best offer listings just baffle me. A little while ago I was looking at BIN listing for a camera lens. It's a somewhat desireable and collectible lens, but there are plenty of them on Ebay at any given time. Just for reference, this isn't a new, mass market item-it's 40 years old and no longer sold new, so it's a situation of there being no standardized reference for prices. It had a BIN of $239(plus shipping)-a price that is a BIT high for the condition to me and not a price where I'd buy this example, but considering that it was a best offer listing I thought I'd be able to negotiate a price that made me happy.

I first shot off $215, which I thought was a BIT low but not out of line, and expected that I'd probably get a counter. Instead, I got an auto-decline. I then upped it to $225, and again got an auto-decline. Finally, I just tried my absolute top dollar price($230), and was again rewarded with an auto-decline.

That's fine-I'll look for either a better condition or less expensive example. And yes, it's only $10, but still that price was pushing it for where I was comfortable.

None the less, though, I don't think that for a best offer listing, $10 off a $250 item(with shipping), or 4% off, is an unreasonable offer to make. So, it makes me wonder-why even put up "best offer" if you're going to set to auto-decline offers that are a tiny bit smaller than your asking price? If they'd just put a BIN w/o best offer, I'd have probably just passed on the listing.

ersatz_sobriquet · ‎07-27-2017

There's some reason you went after this camera instead of similar ones, so what's the reason? Seems if there are so many others priced more reasonably to you, that you would just buy one of the others.

I bet a lot of sellers that are being forced into using best offer by the new ebay listing form are auto-declining anything except up to a penny less than what they listed the item for. It's a bad move on ebay's part and it is discouraging to sellers as well as buyers.

dhbookds · ‎07-27-2017

Agree with above seller, we're seeing more complaints about B/O being on listings that sellers don't want them on.......

ben_hutcherson · ‎07-27-2017

No particular reason aside from it being in what I consider a "sweet spot" of condition where I thought I could get it for a price where I was happy and it was available now. It also stuck out as being well photographed so I could clearly see everything on it-something of a double edge sword for the seller since I can see things that would drive the price down.

If I wait a couple of weeks, I can probably find a similar one at a more agreeable price, or just wait for one of the reputable non-Ebay vendors to get one in stock.

jesusrocks3339 · ‎07-27-2017

I agree, it is annoying to never get a counter offer.

When I get an offer I almost always counter back something even the low ball offers. I try to salvage a deal out of it, because some will come up enough to make it work. Even when I do not make an offer listed I will consider every offer that comes in, even if I can only skim off a buck or two off the asking price. I just figure I got a "live" one, why not try to work with it.

yeah, I was wondering why every time I list that box for best offer is there now. I thought it was because I often used it, I did not know it was auto filled on every listing for everyone.

d-k_treasures · ‎07-27-2017

@dhbookds wrote:
Agree with above seller, we're seeing more complaints about B/O being on listings that sellers don't want them on.......

What difference does it make now when the buyer can make an offer anyway even if BO isn't on the listing?

_____________________________
"Nothing is obvious to the oblivious"

omgitlightsup · ‎07-27-2017

I've noticed that a lot of sellers have this attitude that "if I wanted to sell it lower I'd have listed it lower."

They perceive offers as insulting to their business acumen or as some kind of effort to "stick it to the man." You're just being given an opportunity to close a sale quicker. When I worked as a salesmaker in a retail store, the working expression was "AFTO - ask for the order." I was allowed to give the customer a significant discount or throw in free accessories (by discounting the main item by their price) to get the customer's wallet out. This philosophy seems to have fallen out of favor in today's "gimme gimme" economy.

If you have any idea what you're doing here, an offer either will or will not be worth it to you. You are the best person to answer that question, and if it's not worth it, decline or ignore it. You're not being asked to reevaluate your worth as a person.

Anyone who has taken a freshman economics course knows that prices are set by the market, not by merchants. The only way to gauge demand is through sales.

Think about grocery stores that mark down produce to accelerate sales before the sell-by date, or hotels that offer discounted rooms after 11 PM.

Many sellers have noticed that BOs are being added automatically to their listings. There are several threads about it here. IIRC, you can still go in and un-check that box; it isn't being forced on you. Just suggested in a very heavy-handed way.

readabouthorses · ‎07-27-2017

According to several posts on the Ebay For Business Facebook page when sellers asked about the Best Offers that Ebay added to their listings they were told by Ebay reps that these Best Offers cannot be removed by the seller. They did say the seller could go into the listing and add an auto accept/decline to the listing but they could not remove it.

omgitlightsup · ‎07-27-2017

I think that if enough sellers ignore it, it will go away. Bidders will get the same "what's the point" mentality, even with sellers who want to accept offers, and just stop clicking on the button.

Or maybe bidders will find a way to retaliate against sellers who have an offer button but won't use it. We'll have to wait and see.

readabouthorses · ‎07-27-2017

@omgitlightsup wrote:
I think that if enough sellers ignore it, it will go away. Bidders will get the same "what's the point" mentality, even with sellers who want to accept offers, and just stop clicking on the button.

Or maybe bidders will find a way to retaliate against sellers who have an offer button but won't use it. We'll have to wait and see.

If they ever force the Best Offer button on my listings I would just go in and set an autodecline for just a little bit below what I set on the BIN price and let it roll. I didn't haggle prices when I was selling $10,000 horses so I sure don't want to do it on a $5.00 magazine.

luckythewinner · ‎07-27-2017

@jesusrocks3339 wrote:
I agree, it is annoying to never get a counter offer.

By definition, every offer has a built in counter offer ... $0 less than the asking price. IMHO too many people consider "Best Offer" to mean just "Tell me how much you will take".

ben_hutcherson · ‎07-27-2017

@readabouthorses wrote:
@omgitlightsup wrote:
I think that if enough sellers ignore it, it will go away. Bidders will get the same "what's the point" mentality, even with sellers who want to accept offers, and just stop clicking on the button.

Or maybe bidders will find a way to retaliate against sellers who have an offer button but won't use it. We'll have to wait and see.
If they ever force the Best Offer button on my listings I would just go in and set an autodecline for just a little bit below what I set on the BIN price and let it roll. I didn't haggle prices when I was selling $10,000 horses so I sure don't want to do it on a $5.00 magazine.

That is certainly your perogative to not negotiate, but I like said in some types of trading it's par for the course.

Used car sales are probably the most familiar, but in many fields of collectibles or other non-retail markets it's expected.

As I said, with some buyers there's a certain psychology with regard to "winning." I don't look at it that way, but as I said when I see something priced above where I like and an invitation for offers, by all means I'm going to make an offer.

BTW, the question sometimes is asked "do you do that in retail stores?" For me, if I'm buying new in box off the shelf items, no I don't. If it's a display model, by all means yes. If I'm in an antique store, junk store, or otherwise second hand store then yes.

Going back to my camera lens example that started this thread-there are two camera stores in town that I visit regularly. They are a few blocks apart. One is a big, bright storefront with a wall of new items from all the big makers plus nicely arranged aisles of other assundry stuff. There again, I'll negotiate on a display item there(their display items do get used and handled a fair bit). Their used stuff is priced pretty fairly, but I've had them offer price breaks when they could tell I was on the fence about something, and I've outright made offers on used items.

The other store is dark and piled to the ceiling, and only sells used equipment. I'm good friends with the owner, and negotiating is a regular part of my business there. Often times I'm buying stuff that he hasn't gotten around to pricing, or maybe stuff that's technically not for sale, I'm certainly going to negotiate(if I can get a price on the not for sale stuff). Sometimes I'm dredging up stuff from the bottom of the pile, and I'll dump a bunch of unpriced stuff together and just ask for a lot price. About the only time I don't try to haggle is if it's a new acquisition that I want and I know is going to sell quickly if I don't buy it. Even then, I'll often get a "regular customer" price break in that they cover the sales tax and sell it to me OTD at the marked price.

omgitlightsup · ‎07-27-2017

ben_hutcherson wrote:
BTW, the question sometimes is asked "do you do that in retail stores?" For me, if I'm buying new in box off the shelf items, no I don't. If it's a display model, by all means yes. If I'm in an antique store, junk store, or otherwise second hand store then yes.

It's kinda funny... a lot of people don't know this, but nearly every big-name retail store in the US (Sears, Macy's, etc) will entertain the notion of an offer. There have been TV news reports about it every few years for decades. People just don't think it's polite to make offers.

The only places that have never negotiated are discount stores like Walmart and Big Lots.

The difference is whether they pay their employees to sell or to push buttons on cash registers.

rainbowcolorz · ‎07-27-2017

@jesusrocks3339 wrote:
I agree, it is annoying to never get a counter offer.

When I get an offer I almost always counter back something even the low ball offers. I try to salvage a deal out of it, because some will come up enough to make it work. Even when I do not make an offer listed I will consider every offer that comes in, even if I can only skim off a buck or two off the asking price. I just figure I got a "live" one, why not try to work with it.

yeah, I was wondering why every time I list that box for best offer is there now. I thought it was because I often used it, I did not know it was auto filled on every listing for everyone.

I was reading about a seller who listed an item of hers for $9.99 / Free Shipping and had Best Offer. It was nothing special - I think it was a used pen and pencil set in a dirty case.

A prospective buyer submitted his offer for $7.99 and it was declined, then the seller countered with $9.98 and said something like -- "there's no way I'm going to sell this for the eBay fees and to cover postage only".

The prospective buyer countered that with $8.99 and said he thought the seller was interested in selling her item. The seller then said there was no way she was going to accept anything less than .01¢ on her original offer of $9.99.

I was wondering to myself why the seller just didn't list her item for $7.99 with $2.00 shipping and not have Best Offer. It probably would have sold to that prospective buyer. <shrug>

jesusrocks3339 · ‎07-27-2017

@rainbowcolorz wrote:
@jesusrocks3339 wrote:
I agree, it is annoying to never get a counter offer.

When I get an offer I almost always counter back something even the low ball offers. I try to salvage a deal out of it, because some will come up enough to make it work. Even when I do not make an offer listed I will consider every offer that comes in, even if I can only skim off a buck or two off the asking price. I just figure I got a "live" one, why not try to work with it.

yeah, I was wondering why every time I list that box for best offer is there now. I thought it was because I often used it, I did not know it was auto filled on every listing for everyone.

I was reading about a seller who listed an item of hers for $9.99 / Free Shipping and had Best Offer. It was nothing special - I think it was a used pen and pencil set in a dirty case.

A prospective buyer submitted his offer for $7.99 and it was declined, then the seller countered with $9.98 and said something like -- "there's no way I'm going to sell this for the eBay fees and to cover postage only".

The prospective buyer countered that with $8.99 and said he thought the seller was interested in selling her item. The seller then said there was no way she was going to accept anything less than .01¢ on her original offer of $9.99.

I was wondering to myself why the seller just didn't list her item for $7.99 with $2.00 shipping and not have Best Offer. It probably would have sold to that prospective buyer. <shrug>

For me everything is with free shipping. I sell mostly lightweight items. Many cost $2.61 to ship with tracking. And if they are larger or more expensive I work the shipping into the price.

Free shipping may get me more seats in the house. If those buyers click on only the items with free shipping, I want to be part of the search.