What's with offers?

[citrine146]

My listings are all auction types and none of them have Best Offer or Buy It Now options.

I, therefore, find it odd that I've been receiving offers on my listings more frequent than previous.

Just wondering if a buyer sees this offer option without me knowing;  OR,  whilst looking at my items,  a buyer is shown similar items from other sellers.

Has anyone experienced the same thing?  Perhaps best to receive offers than none at all?

A big mystery.

[ymeagainlord]

Have you checked your auctions to see if eBay has added BO?

If they haven't, it looks like people are just getting used to seeing that now and think they can make offers on any listing.

[castlemagicmemories]

Ebay changed the scenery last year. They decided that anyone can make an offer on any listing, at any time, whether or not the Best Offer is present on the listing. A very radical change from previous policy, which stated that if a seller did not have Best Offer on the listing, that meant they were not interested in receiving offers, and it was a policy violation to do so.

Possibly this change was in response to many buyers who were only doing this anyway, as many don't know policy or how the site runs, nor do they necessarily care.

[reallynicestamps]

Sellers can set their Best Offer policy to automatically reject any offer under their chosen amount or percentage.

Sellers who get a lot of unacceptable Offers can raise their asking prices and then set their rejection level lower than the acceptable price.

ie

You want $50 for your item.

You would accept $45.

Set your acceptance at $45.

Any lower offers will be automatically rejected.

OR

You want $50 for your item.

You set your asking price at $55.

And set your acceptance at $50.

Your customer gets her 'bargain' and you get your price.

win/win.

[castlemagicmemories]

Thank you! But the OP is about receiving offers on listing that do not have Best Offer enabled. In other words, the offers are just coming in as Ebay messages, so the auto accept/decline function won't work on them.

Sorry.

[7606dennis]

The issue I see with the Best Offer option being added to auction style listings is that it can lead to legal issues in some instances where the seller's state auction laws require auctioneers and auction businesses to be licensed.  Provided there is no bids on the item when the offer is accepted there should be no problem, but if the offer is accepted after a bid has been placed there could be an issue.  Frankly, I would advise licensed auction business owners to be extremely cautious and recommend not using the auto-accept feature.

Personally, I find that receiving offers is a good way to screen potential buyers since it lets you see their feedback left for others and bid retraction record.   Something that isn't always possible otherwise.

Of course, there are those among us that still go by the old "if I didn't include the BO in my listing, I don't want to receive offers" thinking.  This is okay, but with eBay adding the option to seller's listings without so much as a "by your leave,"  I'm not as quick to place them on my BBL as I once was.  I usually just let the offer expire.  However, people sending offers through messaging may easily find their way onto my BBL.

[reallynicestamps]

@castlemagicmemories

Good point.

That should not be happening.

There have, however always, and I do mean always since 1998 when we started listing here, been people who make offers on auctions.

When experienced sellers are asked about those, which are usually for an amount higher than the current high bid *, the seller is usually told that it is at best sketchey and at worst a scam.

Best Offers or any offers can be refused.

The seller is not helpless.

Refuse politely and tell the customer to bid or refuse and block.

Seller's choice.

*but, of course, not the high bidder's maximum bid.

[janet9988]

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@castlemagicmemories wrote:

Ebay changed the scenery last year. They decided that anyone can make an offer on any listing, at any time, whether or not the Best Offer is present on the listing. A very radical change from previous policy, which stated that if a seller did not have Best Offer on the listing, that meant they were not interested in receiving offers, and it was a policy violation to do so.

Possibly this change was in response to many buyers who were only doing this anyway, as many don't know policy or how the site runs, nor do they necessarily care.

---

The policy has not changed. Buyers just dont get in trouble for it so they don't care.

https://www.ebay.com/help/buying/buy-now/making-best-offer?id=4019&st=2&pos=2&query=Making%20a%20Bes...

[citrine146]

Many thanks to all your comments.
Yes, just to clarify, I receive the offers through the Ebay messaging system.

And yes, I do reply kindly to some and ignore the others. When an item is worth USD400 and already listing for USD60, and an offer comes at USD40 (including shipping) with the reason along the lines of "I'd like to buy it but I may not wear it anyway", best not to reply further. It's an insult to the brand, more than anything else.

[citrine146]

I've had a few of those ie offering a higher price than my starting bid and to end auction if I do agree. Again, some I did. But for the favoured items eg Hermes ties, Balenciaga bag, anything Chanel, etc, I don't end them early and let the auction take its course.

I don't block those who make me offers though.

[membersinceaug2001]

I rarely get any offers even with it turned on.  People just pay the full price.

[jonathankirkland]

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@citrine146 wrote:
I've had a few of those ie offering a higher price than my starting bid and to end auction if I do agree. Again, some I did. But for the favoured items eg Hermes ties, Balenciaga bag, anything Chanel, etc, I don't end them early and let the auction take its course.

I don't block those who make me offers though.

---

To me, that just screams scam. But if it's worked out for you then great.

I believe that ebay deciding to add best offer to any listing they feel like is insulting and extremely detrimental to their site and to the integrity of both buyers and sellers. But I also believe this will lead to a huge increase of people sending sellers offer who do not have best offer included because they are seeing it so much.

I just hate this "race to the bottom, sell it immediately even at a 90% discount!" mentality ebay is perpetuating, all just to pad their bottom line.

[ted_200]

Just wondering if a buyer sees this offer option without me knowing;  OR,  whilst looking at my items,  a buyer is shown similar items from other sellers.

OP is in Bahrain, the listings are denominated in GBP.  I'm not sure if any of that matters, or if it could result in any different functionality - here or in other countries.

I looked at the listings, I did not see Best Offer added to any of them.  They do have higher start prices and low sell through, and eBay has said they were going to add Best Offer to Auction listings that were not selling. 

It doesn't look or sound like that's happening here though, OP says they're just coming in through Messages.  I suspect it's just because eBay has been adding Offer to so many other listings, and because there is no enforcement (or in reality, no policy) against making offers on listings that don't have it offered. 

They most certainly are showing similar items from other sellers on your listings though.

Perhaps best to receive offers than none at all?... When an item is worth USD400 and already listing for USD60, and an offer comes at USD40 (including shipping) with the reason along the lines of "I'd like to buy it but I may not wear it anyway", best not to reply further. It's an insult to the brand, more than anything else.

Well, it demonstrates there is interest in the item anyhow, even if the Offer is somewhat ridiculous.  Have you ever thought about trying any items like that as a Fixed Price (say $100) with Best Offer added to the listing?  It is entirely possible you could attract an offer at $60 or $70 that way, and get it sold... and maybe have someone pay $100 sometimes?  IDK, I don't do clothes, it's just a thought...