Why can buyers harass you with offers when listing did not state make offer?

[kdb55082011]

 New to selling on eBay, but already getting frustrated. I take care to make things clear in my listing. If my listing has a set buy it now price or a starting bid and it does not say make offer, how can buyers message me with an offer? Usually under 50% of listed price? They’ll cut your item down, want free combined shipping etc and take up much of your time needlessly. With 900 listings I just can’t wheel and deal with anyone that asks. Shouldn’t eBay have a policy against that? I see eBay is all about the buyer, but the buyer doesn’t pay their fees. Weekend warriors are the worst! I do my best to make my customers happy, but I do not want offers! I will send offer when I want to! Pffft!

[loc2blue]

WELL PUT>>>>>>>

[loc2blue]

read jscar59 reply he makes sense

[tide_redux]

I treat all potential buyers with respect, even those making unsolicited offers 75% below asking price.  If there is wiggle room, I counter offer with my lowest acceptable price or simply respond with "thanks for your interest but I'm sticking with my asking price".   Sometimes the counter offer is accepted, most times it is not and sometimes the buyer comes back at a later date and purchases one of my other items.  No sense alienating anyone these days.

[winebreath]

Not always. I get insultingly lowball offers. But what is better? Those or silence?? No sale either way.
<<People low ball you with unsolicited offers because you are new to selling.>>

[winebreath]

That ties up the item so no counteroffers or edits can be made on the sale item for 48 hours, or it did that in the past from my experience.

[americantimesusa]

over step their bounds as customer or landlord. You come in my business and need help we will help you to the best of our ability. Come in looking for something else the response is subjective.

[mesodude]

About a third of my listings are one-of-a-kind consignment and the prices are usually set by my clients. Often if their item doesn't sell the first time on eBay, they'll try a different platform. Meanwhile, I'll occasionally have watchers message me when a listing is still active to say "your" item is overpriced. Or someone will message me after a listing has ended (or been deleted) to say they thought I'd re-list it and please tell the owner of the item I'm willing to offer x dollars, etc. Point is, be careful about assuming that the person listing the item is a price gouger or even the owner of the item. Also, if you really, really want something and you can afford it, sometimes it's best to jump on it. IMO, some people get too hung up on what they think is "overpriced" or  how much profit they  think someone else "deserves" to make.

[keziak]

I'm not really on point with this thread because I choose to put Best Offer on everything and put in my ad that I welcome offers. I also now do the thing where I send offers to people watching my stuff. I get sales both ways.

I do get really low offers sometimes and just decline them, no hard feelings. The thing that does annoy me is when I get an offer of, say, $5. I counter with $8. They counter with $5.50. At that point it's just a game I don't feel like playing and often I just decline. If I wanted to sell for $5 or $5.50 I would, I wouldn't put out MY best/counter offer of $8. But that's just me.