Don't ebay "Best Offers," peeve you sometimes?

[Brianruns10]

There's a nice '52 Topps Campos perfectly centered on ebay right now. It's a PSA 5, and the buy it now price is $65...a bit steep I feel, for a card that's a low order 5, a bit dingy with some pretty dinged corners.

The seller had a best offer option, and it declined me TWICE, first when I offered $40, then $50. And now I have only one more chance at the buy it now before I'm locked out (thanks to ebay's asinine 3 strikes policy with best offers).

I mean, what kind of haggling is it, when you won't even consider offers that are within $15 of the ask price? Drives me nuts. Either just go for a straight up buy it now, or consider the offer. You can always decline it. Don't waste my time with a best offer option that is disingenuous.

[okmaybent@aol.com]

I had a similar experience on a $58 off centered card. Turns out after "blowing" my 3 chances with 35, 40 and 45 ... he wanted 55. Geez. If you want 55 then dont put best offer. Most people arent thinking your level of fexibility is only $3.

[7nohitter]

I agree, can be frustrating...especially when you're only willing to accept offers $3 less than asking price. However, there have been many times where I've offered a price far lower than I thought would be accepted, just to get an idea of where the seller was, and I get the "you bought the item" reply. Nice!

Currently I'm picking up the Perez/Steele greatest moment pieces, autographed, and have been getting some great deals!

[Exhibitman]

The 3 strikes thing is idiotic but I like the Best Offer mechanism otherwise and use it all the time. The best part for a seller is that it lets you set an automatic decline ceiling, an "I will consider it" range, and an automatic accept floor, and if the offer tops that floor, it accepts that offer, not the lowest bid increment over the floor.

[EvilKing00]

i rarely make an offer on "best offer", but rather email the seller first and haggle it out, then if we agree i send in my offer, that we have already agreed on.

[Bestdj777]

It is definitely a by annoying when there is only minimal wiggle room in the asking price. There is one seller that consistently has cards I'm looking for, overpriced them significantly, and is only willing to take a slight discount through best offer. Now I'll only make offers if I really need the card and am willing to overpay.

That said, I've also had great luck with it. Last year I sent a seller offer of close to 1,800 below his asking price. He countered for a very reasonable $1000 under, and I got a great deal on a very beautiful card.

[tonyo]

My favorite is when I make offer, then the seller counter offers with their "buy it now" price.

[novakjr]

I've had some great experiences with best offers, where I throw a ridiculously lowball offer to start with that ends up getting accepted. However, I've also had the other experiences as well, where offers are only a few dollars shy of the BIN, or have gotten a counter-offer of the BIN.

I've had some great experiences making offers on cards that don't have a best-offer option as well. Same with searching completed listings, and making offers on auctions that didn't sell.

Except the one guy, who insisted that there was watchers on his overpriced card, and was certain it would sell for that amount. Almost a year later, it's still sitting there, not to mention it had been there for a year before I made the offer...

[Robextend]

Originally Posted by tonyo

My favorite is when I make offer, then the seller counter offers with their "buy it now" price.

HAHA, I know what you mean...although I have gotten counters that are $1 below the buy it now price which I almost find more insulting.

With that said, I have also had some good luck, so it cuts both ways.

[toledo_mudhen]

I have had my best luck watching for items that don't sell and then making a direct offer to the seller. I don't usually bother with eBay "Best Offer" routine anymore - for all of the reasons mentioned above.

[johnmh71]

Although the seller you described is being silly, I like the best offer option because I do find that many sellers really do accept the best offer. I have received a discount as much as 50% on some items.