Horrible eBay offers

[trdhrdr007]

Rant and rave all you want, but understand that you are a part of the eBay community, and as such you need to understand how it functions and follow the rules of engagement. Being considerate by responding with a simple no would suffice.

Being a mature business person will prove beneficial in the end.

That cuts both ways. I always respond to offers & am not the type to rant and rave. Having said that, it's been my experience that more than half of the offers I get are less than 50% of the BIN price with another 20-30% that are less than 70%. This is despite the fact that my prices are based on recent eBay sales. None of that would be a bad thing IF the person making the offer was making the first offer as an opening shot in a negotiation. I've found that at least 90% of offers at 70% or less of the BIN price are the only offer I will get from the "buyer".

 

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[diggummup]

That cuts both ways. I always respond to offers & am not the type to rant and rave. Having said that, it's been my experience that more than half of the offers I get are less than 50% of the BIN price with another 20-30% that are less than 70%. This is despite the fact that my prices are based on recent eBay sales. None of that would be a bad thing IF the person making the offer was making the first offer as an opening shot in a negotiation. I've found that at least 90% of offers at 70% or less of the BIN price are the only offer I will get from the "buyer".

You know there are two sub options (Respond to offers automatically) when you select the best offer option when listing an item with a BIN price?

1- Automatically accept offers of at least $____ and
2- Automatically decline offers lower than $____

Just fill in the lowest amount that you will accept on the 2nd option and you will no longer get offers for less than you are willing to accept. If you use option 1, you will get the lowball offers still.

I took offers on two items today that were listed for $29.99. I put $25.00 in the "Automatically decline offers lower than" and accepted a $25 on both of them. One of them had an offer for $24 and I didn't even know it, until I went to accept the $25 offer.

 

[trdhrdr007]

I have used the automatic accept/decline before. It weeds out a lot of the really lowball offers. Problem is I've been contacted by people that legitimately wanted to start a negotiation that were turned off by being automatically declined. At that time I had things set up to reject any offers less than 70% of the asking price and haven't figured out what an acceptable cut off level is.

 

[diggummup]

I have used the automatic accept/decline before. It weeds out a lot of the really lowball offers. Problem is I've been contacted by people that legitimately wanted to start a negotiation that were turned off by being automatically declined. At that time I had things set up to reject any offers less than 70% of the asking price and haven't figured out what an acceptable cut off level is.

I don't do it with every item but on the ones I do, I'm already pricing at the bottom end of recently completed sales, so I'm not going to play too many games with bickering back and forth. My prices are already about as low as I'm gonna put them on most items. I want this stuff gone, so cheap is fine but I'm not gonna give it away. Some things will take longer to sell than others. Anything that doesn't sell in 3 or 4 months goes to the garage sale pile.

 

[Honest Samuel]

That's insane. I would call eBay and complain

I am insane, but please do not call the Connecticut State Mental Hospital to have people in white coats to come and get me.

 

[Nitric]

I've had crazy low offers, it depends on the day, if it's something I don't really care about I'll let someone have it. On the other end of it? I've made crazy low offers on items. It's part of the fun! There are really no rules to what's "Fair" or correct. Either one, on either side of the offer can deny or counter offer. It makes it fun!! If some one doesn't want offers, then don't put "Make offer" in the listing.

The odd ball offers are what gets me...like $9.21, just to be a pain I'll respond with a counter offer of $9.32.

 

[Joe777Cool]

I've had crazy low offers, it depends on the day, if it's something I don't really care about I'll let someone have it. On the other end of it? I've made crazy low offers on items. It's part of the fun! There are really no rules to what's "Fair" or correct. Either one, on either side of the offer can deny or counter offer. It makes it fun!! If some one doesn't want offers, then don't put "Make offer" in the listing.

The odd ball offers are what gets me...like $9.21, just to be a pain I'll respond with a counter offer of $9.32.

When I have a listing for $100 and someone makes a low offer I usually just counter with $99.99

 

[mxh5891]

Getting low ball offers is just part of the game. If you don't want low ball offers then don't give people that option. I have been guilty of trying to low ball some offers on eBay. I even got a signed baseball when the person accepted it. You just never know.

 

[trdhrdr007]

Getting low ball offers is just part of the game. If you don't want low ball offers then don't give people that option. I have been guilty of trying to low ball some offers on eBay. I even got a signed baseball when the person accepted it. You just never know.

I list some items on the higher end of fair market value and/or price them high if there's no real comps. Those are the type items I let people make offers on. That leaves me open to bidiots that want to waste their time (& mine) by offering a fraction of the low end of market value. That's the price you pay if you want legitimate offers.

 

[mxh5891]

I list some items on the higher end of fair market value and/or price them high if there's no real comps. Those are the type items I let people make offers on. That leaves me open to bidiots that want to waste their time (& mine) by offering a fraction of the low end of market value. That's the price you pay if you want legitimate offers.

I'm willing to bet the people who give the low all offers have no clue what they are bidding on. At least a good majority of them anyways. Some people are just fishing for a good deal. They have no clue what "fair market value" is.

 

[Nitric]

"fair market Value". It's just the lowest amount someone is willing to accept or whatever people come to in an agreement with. If both parties agree and walk away, that was fair market value at that moment in time. There are no rules really....Just my opinion though!

 

[Nitric]

On the other end of it! I hate when people get upset over what you want to sell something for. There are people that say well that's not fair and want you to drop your price. It's all fair! I don't mind someone lowballing,but when the get upset over the high price is what doesn't make sense. I have stuff that I stick a high price on, some of it is uncommon and may not be another one on Ebay for sale. They are pieces from my collection that I don't really want to sell, but everything has a price! People will say "well the book says!" Books are a starting point. I'm still fairly new to Ebay but you run into it everywhere. You see it mentioned in the threads all the time. Someone will have something for sale and or try to buy something and people complain that they are getting" ripped off", Either person doesn't have to buy or sell!

Anyhow, just ranting on something that kind of falls along the lines you mention.

I'm excited today though! I snagged one of the rarest watch movements off of there. Even though what the guy was asking was a steal to me, I still had to go one step further and "lowball", he accepted and I got it! We just buy as low as we possibly can and sell as high as we can, that's what makes it fun! And there are plenty of deals to be made on there! I don't have enough money to snipe all the under priced stuff that comes through just one category!

 

[trdhrdr007]

The market price of an item can be whatever people agree upon at any point in time. Fair market value is better defined as the market value of an item based on what a knowledgeable, willing & unpressured buyer would pay to a knowledgeable, willing & unpressured seller. There's a big difference between the two.

The average eBay sale price is a better estimate of the fair market value than either the lowest OR highest price that particular item sold for.

 

[diggummup]

I'm willing to bet the people who give the low all offers have no clue what they are bidding on. At least a good majority of them anyways. Some people are just fishing for a good deal. They have no clue what "fair market value" is.

I'm sure there are some "clueless wonders" out there, but I think you'd be surprised how many people actually look for/find items on ebay for resale on ebay or local shows. I know I have before. Actually, I'm bidding on something right now that I hope to win for resale that isn't listed correctly. It's an auction so it's a longshot because if the right (or wrong in my case) person sees it then it's over.

They be sharks in the water on ebay, lol.

 

[cyberdan]

............asking was a steal to me, I still had to go one step further and "lowball", he accepted and I got it! We just buy as low as we possibly can and sell as high as we can, that's what makes it fun!

Nitric, that is the name of the game.
dollardan must be my middle name

 

[gunsil]

I buy and sell on the bay. I think most people who use the BIN or best offer feature often have no clue about the true value of their items for sale. I so often see a BIN or BO item worth ten bucks anywhere with an assinine BIN or BO for $200. When I sell I strictly use an auction format, but I only sell antiques, not junk. Most of the complaining by sellers seem to always come from those who sell low end items and used junk, I rarely hear complaints from those who sell legitimate antiques and collectibles in an auction format. Of course it really cracks me up to see the same lame item listed BIN or BO for months on end with a ridiculous price and no takers.

 

[arrington]

If it's an overpriced item that has been listed several times, I'll make a low offer. Sometimes they take it. The worst they can do is counter offer or decline.

 

[foiler]

Those that don't ask don't get.

 

[NHBandit]

I'll be "that guy" and go against the grain.. What kind of mugs ? If you're talking coffee mugs a lot of people are used to seeing them in the consignment stores for .25-.50 cents each. Are yours something special that warrants the kind of prices you're asking ?

 

[NHBandit]

He admitted to ignoring the offer the customer sent, customer gave a neutral feedback for the lack of communication. I don't think there is much of a chance of getting that removed.

We have all gotten low ball or down right insulting offers. I swear and ***** and complain for a minute, then reply with "no" or hit the "decline offer" button and move on with my day. Ignoring the customer is not the right thing to do and in this case resulted in neutral feedback.

I've been on Ebay since 1999 and nothing surprises me anymore with the way they are constantly screwing the sellers with new rules buttt.. How does someone leave feedback for a seller they have not made a purchase from ? Is this something new ?