Just wondering
 

Why would you list a card for $1999 on eBay "make an offer" if your bottom line is $1899? Just don't get the thought process. Obviously people can do whatever they want to do. Why not just list it for $1899 and lose the make an offer, because obviously you have almost no flexibility on price. Good seller, I just don't get it.

Steve, I ask that question all of the time.

I recently made a "Best Offer" of $89.99 on a $99.99 item.

The seller replies "I can't accept less than $99.00 for it."

What!!!!

I have seen an item on ebay for at least 3-4 yrs. I have offered on it about 5 different times. It is a 400-500 item. I have offered up to 400.....the lowest they have gone is 410.....it's been years (several) and they still won't budge 10 bucks on 400 :)....it is still there...

I've used "make an offfer" mostly when I'm having a hard time pricing something. Maybe it's a $400 card. Or maybe it's more like a $225 card. I'm just not sure. So make a reasonable opening offer and let's negotiate. If I know I "have to get" $390, hell. I will just list it for that.

Maybe they listed it at $100 more than their bottom line so guys that like to negotiate can feel good about them selves when they get $100 off the asking price.

As a former seller I knew several of the regulars that bought from me. I would always jack up my asking price a little for those I knew would ask for a better price no matter what I told them for a price. Sometimes it can be a win for both sides.

I don't see the issue. Does the card sell for 1900-2000 or is he wanting a World record price? I would say he thinks that he can get at least 1900 for it, but BO gives him the option to go lower at a later date and see what others think it is worth. At least he is willing to come down 100 instead of 10 or 20.

I made an offer on a card slightly above VCP on a card that was 20% over the highest sale ever. I got a counter at 5% less. A couple months later I got a notice that it sold for a little more than my offer, but in the range of previous sales. It made me wonder why the seller didn't make me a reasonable counter.

I've seen it done several times where a buy it now doesn't sell for listed price so the relist price actually goes higher :confused:
It didn't sell for $279 OBO so it makes sense to up it to $299 OBO??

Seen this several times. Have a funny story. I have horded several rare error cards for a very long time, it is a sickness.:)

There was a seller who used to list some very rare stuff, cards that it would be the only one on eBay. In their listing they would put "if this card does not sell at this price I will raise the price when I relist it". As a hoarder I would have at least a few of them so when they relisted their card at the higher price I would list one at a lower price just to be a jerk.:)

Leon,

I can lend you the $10, not a problem.

LMK

You could email back that you decided to invest the $400 in stocks 3 years and now that it has grown to $600 you will be glad to pay the $410.

Some sellers just don't understand the time value of money.

At the risk of giving away my secrets i almost always have 20% room if I use make an offer.

+1

It is crazy and it is principle for me now. I even commented on it a few years ago (on the board) but have never said exactly what it is as I think someday I might get it.

Frank- thanks for the offer of 10 bucks. Let me think about it. :cool:

I always thought the psychology of make me an offer is to convince the buyer he got some great deal because you sold him an item listed at $2000 for $1700 (even though of course you are thrilled with the $1700). Everyone wins. But to signal that you are open to negotiations but really not be open to negotiations, eh, just don't see the point. Sort of like a car dealership taking out a full page ad in the paper to say on Saturday we are marking down the $42,000 car to $41,000, get in here as quickly as you can.

I agree 100%. It always makes me scratch my head when I get a counter-offer like that. Like your example, it's totally fine if the guy wants $1900 for the card, but why signal to you that he has room to negotiate if he doesn't? Honestly it seems like more of a headache to the seller than to you.