POINTLESS 'MAKE OFFER' OPTION BY SELLERS

[locoscripters]

Don't know if any other post has coveted this subject but why do some sellers bother to list the Make Offer option on a listing when they have no intention of accepting any?

Example: I offered just 6% less than the asking price for an item but got rejected immediately. No counter offer, nothing.

I think this is very bad PR and there is no way I would ever buy anything from such a seller in future. I can understand if a ludicrous sum is offered but they should surely be prepared to accept anything under 10%.

Otherwise the whole exercise is utterly pointless and time wasting. 

[tressygirl]

We do get questions here asking,  how and why a Best Offer option has appeared on listings.

Perhaps some do not know how it has been selected,  and when relisting some listings do default to include options not originally selected by the seller.

Or,  perhaps 6%  is not acceptable for some sellers, who I agree , it would be courtesy to decline and not just ignore.

@locoscripters 

[locoscripters]

Good point but the seller can always make a counter offer.And nobody is going to knock only 2 or 3% off.As I got an immediate rejection I assume this seller was well aware the Make Offer option was on.

[moldosgifts]

They get a message when an offer is made the lowest offer that can be accepted is 5% offer that they may accept it.

I would say it depends on how much the fees are they are not necessarily fixed, some offer promoted and that can be ridiculous if you accept eBay's recommended %.

[department28]

Yes, I think some sellers may not realise the best offer option has been added to their listing - if a listing is changed from auction to buy it now, for example, the best offer option has to be unticked. It is easy to overlook this when relisting.

Even so, the seller could message to say sorry, they don't accept offers, and make sure the best offer option is removed from their listings. 

If sellers do want best offers, I would have thought most would happily accept 6%.

[kempseykate]

I always select the minimum I will consider, anything below that amount it automatically rejected, without me knowing anything about it.

Maybe your seller had an amount equal to 5% as their minimum?

Also I don't see why seller's should be prepared to accept anything under 10%? Sometimes that just doesn't make an item worth selling.

[naughty_neena]

When you consider that it is advised on here.

Not to start your auction at a price less than you want.

If this advice is followed and the seller did not select Best Offer.

I can understand it.

Lets face it. If you are a seller, You set it at your minimum price. You are unaware of the best offer being on your item. Then you get someone make you an offer. What would go through your mind.

[vintique*violet]

Many options on listings are being " automated" unawares to the seller - the most recent one is collect and postal options instead of just postal...

I have had items listed with " make offer" on and I did not activate it... An item at £5.00 and an offer of £1.00... did I reject.. yes I certainly did... and quickly checked the listing and removed the make offer selection. 

I have also listed items at auction start of 99p... good items, china trinkets etc, , which have sold for 99p because many listings are not showing in the feed... I honour and package and post as if it was £99. To then see that item being sold for 10 to 20 times more, is  actually disheartening. It happens, it is the way of the eBay world. I know of people who buy low on eBay and sell high on Etsy so to have control over " make offers" should be a sellers prerogative in my opinion, although for me to send an offer now I have to wait for eBay to chose an item and "allow" me to? 

[sml192]

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@moldosgifts wrote:

They get a message when an offer is made the lowest offer that can be accepted is 5% offer that they may accept it.

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That isn't quite correct, when a seller makes an offer the minimum discount allowed is 5% but when a buyer makes an offer it can be for any amount. 

[mark4740_0]

In my view any offer made on a auction item should be higher than the starting price to get the seller to end the auction early especially on lower value items, Auction for an item at 4 or 5 £ and free postage and buyers get arsy when i have ignored their £3 offer or just flat rejected it, I would rather donate/Giveaway to a local charity shop which i do sometimes.

[moldosgifts]

I cannot set auto accepted below 5%

[locoscripters]

24 hours after my offer was rejected I got this reply:Hi, My apologies. I was meant to accept the offer but I pressed the decline button by mistake. Would you be able to make another offer please?

[department28]

Was it in time for you not to have bought an alternative item? If so, that is a happy outcome. 😊

We all overlooked the possibility of an accidental refusal. I daresay this sort of thing happens quite frequently!

[wyntersemporium]

I got one last week, item £4.99 with postage included. He offered £1.97 free postage . Declined. 

[perry4035]

yes its been like it the last two weeks i know off

i logged in to EBAY.COM works fine on there to make offers on,been told it is only on desktop or laptop but cannot confirm

[keepsakesandkollectables]

As a seller, I offer B.O on nearly all my listings.

And yes I reply to all of them within 24hrs, in most cases far less ( But I do sleep from time to time ).

I also send counter offers if the original offer price is within range of what I would accept.

However if I get what I call silly offers, I don't bother wiuth counters, I simply decline.

And as to what I will accept on an offer really depends on lots of factors.

Such as:

How long have I had the item, if a long time , is it better to cut & run & get some funds back & buy something else, but NEVER EVER sell at a loss ( And that takes fees into acccount).

If only just listed in the last 2 weeks or so, I will hold out for a better price.

What is my funds situation, if in need of a boost, I may well cheaper than I would if I have more cash available.

On that point it means my bottom price may well change from week to week.

Is the customer a repeat buyer, if they are, I may well sell for less to them than others, as I know how important repeat business can be.

And that alos goes for multiple sales at the same time where I can pack together & save that way.

So all in all, lots of different factors to take into account, from my view as a seller.

But importantly I as said always reply, even if it is to simply decline.

And again on that point, where you say that is partly your issue, what bugs me most is when I send a counter offer & get no reply, not even a decline one.