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So like returns, low-ball offers seem to come in waves for me. And it’s a tsunami at my eBay store right now. Is it something in the air? Are others are experiencing this too?
I would understand if my items were priced high but for these particular items I’m already 1/3 lower than other listings of the same item in the same condition. I’ve been really surprised to get offers for more than 50% off my already low asking price.
Out of the last 3 offers I’ve received all have been for about 33% of asking and all 3 of the items were already the lowest priced of their kind on eBay. I just can’t imagine making an offer of less than half when the seller’s asking price is already so fair…
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Yesterday was a full moon, makes people crazy, lol.
I also have had several very low offers in the past few days, and I don’t have the Make Offer option on very many of my listings. What I do when this happens is make one reasonable counter offer, if they come back with another lowball offer I just ignore it.
I don’t mind an initial lowball offer, I do that myself sometimes just in case it works, but then I’m reasonable if they make a reasonable counter.
I don’t have any stats on this, but in the past, it seemed those super lowball buyers were the hardest to please if they did complete the sale.
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Thanks Old Dad, the full moon explains it!
I usually make counteroffers, but occasionally it’s all I can do to just decline the low-ball offer instead of making a counter with a snarky comment like: “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice this item was on fire when I listed it.”
Okay hopefully my rant is over!
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It’s not personal. You gotta just let it roll off of you.
If you are already significantly the low price and you know it, you should consider turning off best offer.
You can also set a minimum offer on your listings so you never even see this offers – they’ll be autodeclined until they exceed the low limit.As a buyer I have no problem making a lowball offer on an item I don’t truly need or if there are numerous sellers. I want to find the seller willing to cut a deal.
Now as a seller I have no set policy when I get a lowball offer. Sometimes I’ll decline their first offer. Sometimes I’ll counter with a few bucks off. Sometimes if the item is older I’ll come down significantly. What I will do is if they counter back with the same offer just a dollar higher I will decline and add the following message:
“Thank you for your offer, but we are not in the same ballpark. If you wish to submit a more reasonable offer I will consider it. Thanks.” -
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Thanks for your response Retro Treasures WV!
Because mine are lower priced items I don’t add best offer until the item has remained unsold for some time. Possibly my problem is more one of having patience (not my strong point) and just waiting it out until the item sells as priced. I guess by adding best offer I am inviting people to make offers. Just because I wouldn’t offer 33% on an item that is already the lowest priced on eBay doesn’t mean other people won’t. What’s the saying? “If you don’t ask, you won’t get”?
I don’t use the automatic decline option because I do sometimes take offers that I consider low-ball, like you say: depending on how long the item’s been for sale, my mood and how my sales are that day.
Just had an offer I consider reasonable though, 20% off my lowest on eBay price and that item is now sold. So things are looking up!
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Yes, if you put best offer, people are going to make low-ball offers. If your item is already the lowest price out there, I say *raise* your price to make it competitive with other sellers and then add best offer. Make your bottom line price be what you would have taken previously. The buyer will feel like they got a deal. Buyers aren’t sitting back saying “I want to be fair to this seller”. They want a deal! Their loyalty is to their wallet, not to the seller.
As a buyer, it makes me crazy when a seller lists an item with best offer and then won’t negotiate at all or gives me a huffy lecture on why their item is worth soooo much. Best offer says to me “I am asking $XXX but am willing to take less”. Why get angry when someone offers you less? Yeah, a $1 offer on a $100 item is like “Come on, man”, but it’s not personal. They’re just testing the water because every once in a while someone will accept.
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I usually politely call out the ridiculousness of their request by turning repeating their ofer back to them based on percentages.
For instance if I am selling something for $30.00 and they offer me $6.00. I counter them with the following explanation:
Sorry but I can’t offer an 80% discount at this time. Best I can do is 20% off for $24.00. Thanks.
Sometimes they accept but often times they counter with $8.00 and then I just decline.
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I use the auto decline feature A LOT! I used to get mad at low-ball offers ($5 on mint condition Ferrogamo’s!) but then I decided what price would I feel offended at getting an offer for this? I set the auto-decline higher than that. Yes, I miss some offers, but it’s worth not having a blood pressure spike.
I don’t have best offer on any Free Shipping items. I just put those on sale, if I want to move stuff.
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I stopped listing with free shipping because I was getting offers below the cost of shipping; offers that I’d actually accept if the shipping was extra. I have the feeling that prospective buyers are making these offers without thinking about the shipping cost- unfortunately once they’ve made the offer there’s no way to add the p&p to the listing.
“Hot Art, Cold Cash” by Michel van Rijn is an interesting read regarding bargaining; apparently one accepted technique is to allow the seller to “rip you off” on the first deal and then to get down to serious haggling. This is in Istanbul- the Great Souk in Chipping Sodbury has different customs 🙂
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If lowball offers offend you you shouldn’t have the turned on. Or, as others have said, set an auto-decline limit. You can’t get mad at someone for trying. It’s just people fishing for a hungry seller ready to jump on any action they get. Nothing personal. If it weren’t for lowballs, many of us wouldn’t get many of the great scores we get. For all they know, you could be someone testing the waters to see what the “market” says the value is.
Other times, they’re just hoping you’ll counter. The best way to get a low counter-offer is to start with an even lower offer.
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It does seem like there are more lately. Maybe the new send offers button has stirred the offers pot? I do get insulted sometimes, in my head I’m all ” do you think I am dumb?? do I seem desperate to you??” etc, but I take my satisfaction in declining with no explanation and then editing the listing to make the accept offer number something that won’t insult me.
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