Ebay Make Offer Protocol - Help

[swarmee]

While possible, most sellers would hate you for doing it and many of them would block you from bidding on any other item they sell.

[D. Bergin]

I assume most "Best Offers" on auctions are looking for a price above the starting bid, that would force them to consider ending the auction early.

Sort of the opposite of a BIN, with a "Best Offer".

Would somebody consider it bad form? I don't know. I think it's kind of bad form to put "Best Offer", on an auction item to begin with..........but my etiquette, and somebody's else's etiquette, are often two very different things.

Just assume, no matter what you do.............somebody, somewhere is going to consider it "bad form".

That's not political correctness either, in case somebody wants to jump on that bandwagon.........that's just human nature.

[Bestdj777]

I offer what I want to pay and a seller can reject it or not. I’ve seen some come down 50% and others only budge a couple of dollars. If I run out of offers, I sent the seller an email to inquiry about what they are seeking. If I can pay that, I ask them to send me an offer. If I can’t I thank them for their time.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

I assume most "Best Offers" on auctions are looking for a price above the starting bid, that would force them to consider ending the auction early.

Sort of the opposite of a BIN, with a "Best Offer".

Would somebody consider it bad form? I don't know. I think it's kind of bad form to put "Best Offer", on an auction item to begin with..........but my etiquette, and somebody's else's etiquette, are often two very different things.

Just assume, no matter what you do.............somebody, somewhere is going to consider it "bad form".

That's not political correctness either, in case somebody wants to jump on that bandwagon.........that's just human nature.

If it is a "buy it now" listing with a best offer option - I would expect offers lower than the BIN.

If it is an auction listing with a best offer option - as stated in the quoted response - the seller may be looking for a "make me an offer that I can't refuse to end the auction early and take your offer" which by definition would be higher than the then highest bid. It gives a buyer an opportunity to not have to compete with others for the item which may lead to he/she paying more than a good offer that ends the auction early.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I listed a couple of things that way at one point, naturally expecting to get offers above my opening, if any. Wrong. Got some unbelievable low ball offers. Gave up and stopped listing that way.

Not sure what's worse, people who list common cards at many multiples of what they are worth or people who offer pennies on the dollar.