Interesting article on eBay offer negotiations

[Exhibitman]

Obvious flaw in the research is inductive reasoning. They conclude that a slow response is indicative of something about the offer when it may just be indicative of having to go to a family dinner, watch the kid's Little League game, go to a religious service, or work the day job. Or maybe just a product of different time zones. An offer made at 7:00 PST to a seller in NYC may not be dealt with until the next day. I've made offers in L.A. and gotten nothing back until the next morning, usually because the seller is back east and stopped working for the night.

Mark, I don't generally use best offers but will send offers when eBay informs me that I can send an offer to watchers. Converts to a sale maybe 5% of the time.

Has anyone tried to set a Best Offer with a price way above the auction minimum? I've done that a few times when I put up an item that I think will get a lot of interest and that someone might pay a premium for it. I usually write what I am doing into the description. Doesn't work; usually it just confuses and then pisses off people.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Mark, I don't generally use best offers but will send offers when eBay informs me that I can send an offer to watchers. Converts to a sale maybe 5% of the time.

When there's something I want with an OBO, that tells me the seller will take a lower price. I decide what I'm willing to pay, submit that offer, and if it's rejected or countered, I walk.

I agree with you that this study makes assumptions on why a seller might delay responding. Among the reasons you mention having to do with different time zones, family activities and so on, I would add that all sellers do not approach the process the same. For example, several times when I've made my offer, the seller never replies. The study might suggest he was considering the offer, but the other explanation would be that he rejected it and letting it expire was his way of declining.

People go to Best Buy and never haggle over the sticker price of a TV or computer. The same people go to a car dealership and haggle over the sticker price of a new car. It's an oddity of our culture I suppose. In some situations, haggling is nonexistent; in others, it's a game that's always expected to be played.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Mark17

When I go to a store, or a barber shop, or take one of my collies to the vet, I never make a counter-offer. I've never gone into a supermarket and asked them, "What's the best you can do if I take 5 apples..."

For some reason, people who buy cards and memorabilia have a completely different mindset.

I never list anything on ebay with an OBO because all that does is broadcast my listed price isn't real. I don't enjoy the haggling process. See the price and either pay it or move on.

Originally Posted by Mark17

When there's something I want with an OBO, that tells me the seller will take a lower price. I decide what I'm willing to pay, submit that offer, and if it's rejected or countered, I walk.

I agree with you that this study makes assumptions on why a seller might delay responding. Among the reasons you mention having to do with different time zones, family activities and so on, I would add that all sellers do not approach the process the same. For example, several times when I've made my offer, the seller never replies. The study might suggest he was considering the offer, but the other explanation would be that he rejected it and letting it expire was his way of declining.

People go to Best Buy and never haggle over the sticker price of a TV or computer. The same people go to a car dealership and haggle over the sticker price of a new car. It's an oddity of our culture I suppose. In some situations, haggling is nonexistent; in others, it's a game that's always expected to be played.

You're right that most of the time, negotiating over the price of something is not what happens in the US. However, in other countries, it is common to haggle over prices for many things.

I'm not sure why cards, cars and houses have an expectation of negotiation over the price (at least for most people), but it is definitely a part of US culture.