eBay

shopkiger2 · ‎09-14-2017

So many times I've had someone ask if they could buy just one particular item out of a Lot of items that I have had listed together.

How do you all handle these types of offers?

I've went through the trouble before of lsiting the item that they wanted to purchase separately than relisting the others again without the one they wanted to purchase which took some time then they didn't even buy it...

Just wondering if there's an easier way to do this or if I should just decline these offers from now on.

emerald40 · ‎09-14-2017

Depends on the price of the lot vs what they will pay for that one item.

If the lot is say $20, and someone wants to cull the best item for say $10, it might be worth it.

I

fern*wood · ‎09-14-2017

The easiest thing is to politely decline. Sometimes I even state maybe at a later date if they don't sell as a lot.

Don't get me wrong, I have gone the other way too but ended up looking foolish a couple times, so I'm less likely to accommodate special orders now. Once I actually wasted around 2 hours going back and forth with a "buyer", taking new photos, missing most of a football game, ending listings and relisting as they asked, only to get the never mind message in the end. I could just see them laughing diabolically as they wrote me.

newnewnewmann · ‎09-14-2017

@shopkiger2 wrote:
So many times I've had someone ask if they could buy just one particular item out of a Lot of items that I have had listed together.
How do you all handle these types of offers?

I've went through the trouble before of lsiting the item that they wanted to purchase separately than relisting the others again without the one they wanted to purchase which took some time then they didn't even buy it...
Just wondering if there's an easier way to do this or if I should just decline these offers from now on.

Well, after your effort to accommodate them, they bail! Sounds like a friend I had once...

It could have worked.

I have done what you did, and the buyer came through. Most people I think would have honored their word but this one didn't or couldn't and so forget them.

Or you can tell the future buyer that you would sell the one item if the current listing ends unsold. Then list it with an agreed upon price.

ON VACATION
GONE FISHING
BACK AT 6

the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth · ‎09-14-2017

I certainly wouldn't change an already running listing. If it didn't sell then I'd list them separately.

I don't think listed items should be changed except in case of emergency. For that one person you make happy you can annoy a bunch of others. Plus nobody ever makes special requests in YOUR best interest.

newnewnewmann · ‎09-14-2017

@fern*wood wrote:
I could just see them laughing diabolically as they wrote me.

LOL!!

ON VACATION
GONE FISHING
BACK AT 6

femmefan1946 · ‎09-14-2017

As a rule of thumb the price for the single item (before shipping) would have to be more than half the value of the whole lot.

Then having confirmed that, I close the existing listing, which goes to my Unsold Items list for 90 days, and list the single item using the customer's ID as the title.

I use Fixed Price and a short listing period three days with Immediate Payment Required.

No sale? It closes and I am out a whole nickel, plus my time at 18 cents a minute (our local minimum wage).

Then I block the timewaster and relist my original listing from the Unsolds.

lex-talon · ‎09-14-2017

@shopkiger2 wrote:
So many times I've had someone ask if they could buy just one particular item out of a Lot of items that I have had listed together.
How do you all handle these types of offers?

I've went through the trouble before of lsiting the item that they wanted to purchase separately than relisting the others again without the one they wanted to purchase which took some time then they didn't even buy it...
Just wondering if there's an easier way to do this or if I should just decline these offers from now on.

I've had buyers ask to buy one item from a lot of 11-22 items.

It all depends on how much the buyer is willing to pay for that

one item. Are they really serious about buying the item?

What if the buyer changes his/her mind? All that work that for nothing. If you don't want to through all the hassle, just politely decline.

shopkiger2 · ‎09-14-2017

Same exact thing that I did. Then in the end they quit responding & didn't buy it. It was so frustrating.

siayan · ‎09-14-2017

I have done this in the past, not sure I recommend it but I have done it.

I change the title to say for example "Just the Blue one only". Then the first line if the item specifics and description "Just the blue one" Then if they don't buy it in a day I change it back.

But then again sometimes I just ignore them.

____________________________________________________________________
Prov 20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth.

sockmonkeydave · ‎09-14-2017

@shopkiger2

I had a lot listing for all the parts you need to replace the flap indicator in a Cessna 150.

I got a message from a guy who only needed some of the 10 item lot.

This listing was up for two years at 400 bucks... a fair price when I listed.

The first thing I did was check the current prices and I was shocked.

( don't know why but aviation parts increase in price twice a year )

In the end the parts he wanted brought me 400 bucks.

And I sold all the others as single parts.... good for me.

I had a huge collection of bolts, the hard part is counting and listing all of them

I sold the whole lot to one guy, must have been 50 lbs or more, three LFRB's.

But if someone needed just a few no biggie, just a quick edit to the listing.

Most of my lot sales go to people who run aviation businesses.

As a side note, I am doing a sub contract now, putting an airplane back together.

They only work on Russian jets (metric ) but one of the owners bought a little puddle jumper.

Ercoupe, for all my friends, I bid the job for 1500 bucks and an estemate of a month.

Man was I way off, should have ask for more money, but they are cool with the time over run.

They have no standard US nuts and bolts, nothing, I brought in my own collection, just to speed up.

There is a very good chance they will be buying a large amount of my standard hardware.

So in the end, splitting lots.... works for what I sell...

7198dave · ‎09-14-2017

If it were me, I'd be tempted to block them because if I say no, lot stays as is, they may buy the lot then return the lot except for the one item they wanted.