eBay "Best Offers"--what's up with that

[GregMitch34]

Until recently, I never offered cards at eBay in a Best Offer way so I don't know the view here of same. I've been surprised how many times people have made a modest original offer, I've come way down in my counter--and then I never hear from them at all, not even with a weak counter-offer. I'm wondering if most people who make "best offers" basically troll through all such listings, make dozens of low ball bids and then figure that's their limit--don't even look at major compromises on the buyers' side. Or am I wrong about that? Except in one case, I've had no sense of meeting near the middle at all. Thanks.

[vintagecpa]

When somebody has a $50 card listed for $150, there isn't much point to responding when I offer $50 and they counter with $125.

[RobertGT]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

Until recently, I never offered cards at eBay in a Best Offer way so I don't know the view here of same. I've been surprised how many times people have made a modest original offer, I've come way down in my counter--and then I never hear from them at all, not even with a weak counter-offer. I'm wondering if most people who make "best offers" basically troll through all such listings, make dozens of low ball bids and then figure that's their limit--don't even look at major compromises on the buyers' side. Or am I wrong about that? Except in one case, I've had no sense of meeting near the middle at all. Thanks.

You are 100 percent right about this. Exactly why I have limited my Best Offers. I mostly just set the cards at fair market value, and people can either pay that or not pay that.

I don't need the headaches.

[christopher.herman]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

...make dozens of low ball bids and then figure that's their limit...

I think that is pretty accurate. It's a quick, easy and anonymous way for a buyer to be really ridiculous with an offer (one which they would be embarrassed to make in person). If it works, great. If not, just move on.

Greg, I always typically add a "best offer" option on ebay. I think psychologically it helps if the buyer "thinks" he is getting you to come down a bit.

You can always set the "automatic decline" option to weed out the really low ball offers that much so they don't clog up the process. Then you don't even have to see them Or get frustrated by the ridiculous offers.

[savedfrommyspokes]

As a buyer, I typically send over slightly below market offers (no matter the starting asking price), and some of the time I am pleasantly surprised as the offer is accepted. However, when I receive a counter offer back from a seller that is twice the market price (while the original asking price is 3x the market price), I do not respond with my own counter offer.

As a seller, I use the auto decline option on best offers and have that option set for slightly below a respected market value. I seem to do just fine selling cards via best offer in this format.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by vintagecpa

When somebody has a $50 card listed for $150, there isn't much point to responding when I offer $50 and they counter with $125.

I politely disagree. When I offer $50 on a $150 card...and the seller counters at too high of a price...I will either counter again or say no thanks to them.....it's just a common courtesy to me, but to each their own. (and I am sure I have probably forgotten to do what I am saying sometimes, but it is what I normally do)

[Runscott]

It really all depends. If the seller doesn't know what his item is worth, then it's a waste of the buyer's time. If the buyer doesn't know what the item is worth, then it's a waste of the seller's time. As a seller, if I don't know what my item is worth, I don't do 'Buy it Now' - I run it as a straight auction.

[caramelcard]

Originally Posted by Runscott

It really all depends. If the seller doesn't know what his item is worth, then it's a waste of the buyer's time. If the buyer doesn't know what the item is worth, then it's a waste of the seller's time. As a seller, if I don't know what my item is worth, I don't do 'Buy it Now' - I run it as a straight auction.

Exactly.

Unfortunately, a lot of the "sellers" know what the cards are worth. They just choose to list them ridiculously high and then choose to counter a good offer in a silly way that is just a waste of time.

If you have a $500 card listed at $1000 with a best offer and you're going to counter at $975 then just list it at $975 fixed already.

Of course I know they believe this is some kind of business model. The better model would be to sell me a card at a fairly reasonable price so I buy another card from you in the future. Collectors are willing to pay a premium for something they want, but don't really enjoy being insulted with a silly counter offer.

[z28jd]

I've come back with high counteroffers as a seller when the initial offer was ridiculous. I usually list cards just over what I think they are worth. If it is worth $175, I will put $200 and I'd take $150 if someone wouldn't go any higher. But if someone offers $85, I'm only dropping to $190 just because they were wasting my time.

Basically, you don't always get a good counteroffer from a seller if your first offer sucks.

In the above scenario, if I had $150 and someone offered $50, I'd probably come back with $135-140 and stick with it because if they aren't trying, neither am I. I might be willing to take $120, but not from them, I can wait.

The only person I've ever offered less than half to on ebay is that helping humans group because they put insane prices on their items, sometimes 20x the value. They will work with you though, so once we actually made a deal when my offer was well below asking price

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by caramelcard

Exactly.

Unfortunately, a lot of the "sellers" know what the cards are worth. They just choose to list them ridiculously high and then choose to counter a good offer in a silly way that is just a waste of time.

I deal exactly once with each such dealer.

My prices might be too high, but if someone makes an offer I will go back and check my costs before responding. I think some dealers have no idea what items are worth or what their costs are, and/or don't need to make much money, so they don't care.

[GregMitch34]

I was not outlining a "ridiculous" original BIN price. It's more like: Say the card is "worth" 150 and you set opening price at, say, 160. First offer comes in at, say, 90. Seller comes down to 140--and then gets no counter-offer. That's why it seems like it's mere trolling, not semi-serious offers.

[PowderedH2O]

I often will make an offer that is probably too low. For an item listed at $100 that I think is worth $90, I will offer $60. If the seller wants to sell and needs the money right away, it is $60 they will have today and be done with it. I have offered half of the asking price on many occasions and had the offer accepted with no further negotiations. If the seller wants to negotiate, I am willing to work with them and we can hammer out a deal in the $80-90 range on the above scenario. But, if they come back at $99 as their negotiated price, I don't bother with them anymore. And, if I make a high offer and you don't accept, I never make a second offer. For instance, a fellow had a card for $14 obo. I offered $12. Only two bucks, but if you said obo, then a best offer you shall receive. He came back at $13.90. Forget him. I waited and bought the card for $11 a few weeks later at auction, and his $14 card is still sitting there two years later. I like to negotiate. Don't always think the initial lowball offer guy is not going to make a deal with you. If you don't ask you don't receive.

[caramelcard]

Greg,

As a seller, I totally get what you're talking about. I've had a couple interesting interactions lately as a buyer so just venting a bit. By the way, great price on your D304. Priced to sell.

Rob

[GregMitch34]

So buy it!

[Butch7999]

Just an anecdote, and memorabilia, not cards, but...
A few years ago, an eBay vendor put up a $40.-$50. item with a starting bid/BIN price of $200.
It sat there for year, repeatedly relisted at $200., until he added a best-offer option.
Figuring he might be losing patience with it or having realized his $200. figure was too high,
we sent him a fair-market offer of $40., which was auto-rejected.
A few days later, we tried again, offering $45.
This time we got a counter-offer: $199.99.
That was the end of our trying to negotiate.
Have to add, he got the last laugh:
it sat there for another year and a half, but somebody eventually did hit the $200. BIN.

[prestigecollectibles]

I had an item at $150 BIN and got an offer of $30. I countered with $60 and never heard from the guy again. A couple of weeks later someone else bought it for $150.

[caramelcard]

Originally Posted by GregMitch34

So buy it!

Well, I already have it or I would.

[leaflover]

As a buyer to me "submit your best offer" means just that. So I submit my best offer. No need to send me counter offers because I have already sent my best offer. No sense wasting a sellers time.

As a seller if the "best offer" is reasonable and fair then the card is sold.
I usually just decline "low balls". No counteroffer.