Who is the interested buyer on eBay? and when to send them offer?

[dakbat-61]

I have a question about interested buyers...
Is every "watcher" considered an interested buyer? why am not given option to send an offer sometimes to a "watcher " most of times option is available and other times no?

Is every one who ads my item to their cart considered as interested buyers?
some of my listings have more watchers than number of interested buyers when send them offer does that mean not every watcher is an interested buyer?
and regarding sending offers to interested buyers is it better sending them once i get the option to send offer or better to wait some time ( 2 - 3 days ) before sending?

Thanks

[hartungcards]

You don't have any interested buyers until someone buys your item.

[dhbookds]

Variety of reasons offers may not be sent:   buyers can opt out of receiving offers......so even if one is  a watcher....ebay won't send him the offer.   They also limit the number of offers that can be sent to an individual........

 As to when to send offers........many differing opinions........ 

[dakbat-61]

yes i have sales already on the listings i am talking about i am talking about interested buyers only. Focus

[chevymontecarlo88]

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@dakbat-61 wrote:

I have a question about interested buyers...
Is every "watcher" considered an interested buyer?

Without knowing who is watching your items, consider them potential buyers. Some sellers (including myself) watch items that are similar to what they have listed for price comparison but there is no way to know there intentions.  I have tried sending offers to watchers immediately, a couple of days and weeks to months. Sending watchers an immediate offer (as soon as i can or see them watching) tends to give me better results. Most likely because most of my buyers (musicians) are looking to purchase immediately and if i don't get the sale, they will spend there money elsewhere. Strike while the iron is hot.

So i think anybody that pays attention to my listings is a potential sale (or problem) and if i can send them an offer, i send it immediately.(if i am looking to sell it at a discount)

[12345jamesstamps]

I can do it on my Iphone but never have.

I can go into "selling" and then "Send offer to buyers"...which I have 444...LOL

[reallynicestamps]

Watchers are more or less permanent. The Watcher you see may have added the item to their list in 2014 and never looked at it again.

Viewers have looked at the listing within the last 30 days and are real shoppers.

But a View is a sale that didn't happen.

Nonetheless, I think you have a better chance with Viewers taking up an Offer than not.

It takes seconds after all.

Best is having Best Offer on your listings, which prompt the Viewer to make an Offer right then as the impulse is still hot.

You can set Accept/reject parameters on your Best Offer so that you only see and have to deal with reasonable prices.

[simply-the-best-for-you]

@dakbat-61  Here's the details from eBay below, I got it from this page: 

https://www.ebay.com/sellercenter/growth/seller-hub-promotions/offers-to-buyers-best-offer

However another page says 2 days in cart.  It doesn't say anything about watchers, but watchers can also trigger an allowable offer, as can other types of "interest" such as multiple views and/or a certain amount of time. 

As to whether to send immediately or wait, that's totally up to you.  Some believe you should send immediately (strike while the iron is hot) , others prefer to give it time, in order to see if they buy at full price.  It depends on your inventory, competition, how bad you need the sales, etc.   Personally, I usually send them 2-3 times a day.  

How do I send offers to buyers?

Filter for eligible listings or send offers in bulk on the Active Listings page in Seller Hub.

Eligible listings include:

• Items a buyer opts to watch

• Items added to cart that have been there for at least 5 days

To find out which of your items qualify, visit Seller Hub and select “Send offers—eligible” in the Listings tab.

[mtgraves7984]

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@dakbat-61 wrote:

I have a question about interested buyers...
Is every "watcher" considered an interested buyer? why am not given option to send an offer sometimes to a "watcher " most of times option is available and other times no?

Is every one who ads my item to their cart considered as interested buyers?
some of my listings have more watchers than number of interested buyers when send them offer does that mean not every watcher is an interested buyer?
and regarding sending offers to interested buyers is it better sending them once i get the option to send offer or better to wait some time ( 2 - 3 days ) before sending?

Thanks

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@dakbat-61 

I find the question odd as I don't see any listings. Why the interest in Watchers and Offers? What's really up?

[piha_40]

Is every "watcher" considered an interested buyer? Why am I not always given the option to send an offer to a "watcher"? Sometimes the option is available, and other times it is not.

Is everyone who adds my item to their cart considered an interested buyer? Some of my listings have more watchers than the number of interested buyers. When I send them an offer, does that mean not every watcher is an interested buyer?

Regarding sending offers to interested buyers, is it better to send them as soon as I get the option, or should I wait for some time (2-3 days) before sending?

Thanks

[paxilill]

I suspect not all watchers are buyers, but that some are other sellers seeing if the item sells, generating bids or has buy it now price changes. 

[sakic92710]

I had 9 items with watchers.  I sent out offers on 7 of them.  1 sold but not involving an offer I sent out.  2 other watchers dropped out after annoying them with offers so now I have 6 with watchers. In my books, watchers are mall wandering window shoppers.

[piha_40]

On eBay, an "interested buyer" typically refers to someone who has shown interest in your item by watching it, adding it to their cart, or making an offer on it. Here’s how to identify interested buyers and when to send them offers:

 Identifying Interested Buyers
1. **Watchers**: Buyers who have added your item to their watchlist.
2. **Cart Additions**: Buyers who have added your item to their shopping cart.
3. **Bidders/Offerers**: Buyers who have placed a bid or made an offer on your item.

When to Send Offers to Interested Buyers
1. **Watchers and Cart Additions**:
- **Timing**: Send offers to watchers and those who have added items to their cart during peak shopping times, such as weekends or evenings. Additionally, consider sending offers if the item has been listed for a while without any sales or when you want to clear out inventory.
- **Frequency**: Avoid sending offers too frequently to the same buyers to prevent them from becoming annoyed. Once every few days or once a week is typically a good frequency.

2. **Bidders/Offerers**:
- **Timing**: Respond to offers or send counteroffers promptly, ideally within 24 hours, to maintain buyer interest.
- **End of Auction**: For auction-style listings, sending offers towards the end of the auction can entice watchers to place a bid.

 How to Send Offers on eBay
1. **Watchers**:
- Go to your **Seller Hub**.
- Click on **Active Listings**.
- Look for the **Send Offer to Buyers** option. This option appears next to listings with watchers.
- Select the listings and enter your offer price.
- Add a personalized message if desired, and send the offer.

2. **Cart Additions**:
- eBay does not directly notify you when someone adds an item to their cart unless it converts into a sale or the buyer makes an offer. Focus on watchers and active offerers instead.

3. **Bidders/Offerers**:
- For fixed-price listings, go to **Offers** in your Seller Hub to see if there are any incoming offers.
- Respond to offers with a counteroffer or accept/reject the offer.
- For auction listings, manage bids and send second-chance offers if the winning bidder doesn't complete the purchase.

 Tips for Sending Offers
- **Discounts**: Offer a meaningful discount to make your offer attractive, but ensure it still meets your profit margins.
- **Message Personalization**: Include a brief, friendly message with your offer to create a personal connection and encourage the buyer to accept.
- **Urgency**: Mention limited-time offers to create a sense of urgency (e.g., “Special offer for the next 24 hours!”).

By strategically sending offers to interested buyers, you can increase your chances of converting interest into sales.

[conservitvs]

I send offers (rarely) only to watchers on items on which I have not enabled the “make offer” feature. 

If “make offer” is already enabled, then why don’t those watchers make an offer?

Sending an offer to those people makes no sense to me. They are not buyers. 

[luckythewinner]

Is every "watcher" considered an interested buyer? why am not given option to send an offer sometimes to a "watcher " most of times option is available and other times no?

eBay's online help for the Send Offer To Buyer feature explains exactly what an interested buyer is. It is far more complicated than just a "watcher". 

https://export.ebay.com/en/marketing/promote-listings/offer-buyers/