Offers to Watchers Questions

[AtomicStar]

Ok, so I just today got the offers to watchers option even though I’ve been on eBay for 20 years. Sigh.

I was allowed 300 offers to watchers and I sent 250 because I’m crazy, apparently. I sold 4 items immediately which is pretty amazing. My questions are…..

Once I use the 300 offers to watchers available, do they replenish at some point?

If I send an offer to watchers for a particular item, when more people watch that item after the fact, will it pop up as available for offers again?

Does anyone have make offers to watchers for more than 300 items or is that the max?

Why isn’t it available for recent listings? I have a bunch of watchers for recent items but they aren’t available for offers to watchers.

Thanks and happy selling!

[VintageTreasures]

Hello AtomicStar, in my experience if I send an offer to a watcher I can’t send another offer on the same item to another watcher for 48 hours (the watcher has 48 hours to accept the offer you send). Once that offer expires I can send another offer to a different watcher.

I don’t know anything about having a limited number of offers to watchers, apparently you have a cap of 300 offers that you can send? I’ve had offers to watchers for quite awhile now and I’ve sent a lot of offers – I don’t see anywhere that I have a cap… So I don’t know the answer to that.

[Sharyn]

AtomicStar – I noticed that I had offer to watcher available on a dress I just listed earlier today. If you didn’t see that function on a newly listed item, it could be because that person opted not to receive that sort of email from eBay. Not every item with watchers will have that functionality.

I’ve had it for a while, but I noticed something new today. My iMac updated software and had to restart. When it came back up, eBay had new functionality where I can now filter my listings to show those eligible for promotions or for making offers to watchers. I’m not sure that the software update had anything to do with it, but maybe the restart caused the eBay website to renew or something like that.

Since I’m going to be on a short trip starting Thursday evening, I’m not going to use that functionality right now. I have to be able to modify the handling time, which I can’t do when an offer is still within its 48 hour period. I did try the filter, and it seemed to work just fine. This is a great addition because it has been a pain to keep scrolling on either the phone or computer, and I could never find them all.

Sounds like eBay made a software update today. Did you see the filter right away?

[MyCottage]

Sharyn, you say

“I’ve had it for a while, but I noticed something new today. My iMac updated software and had to restart. When it came back up, eBay had new functionality where I can now filter my listings to show those eligible for promotions or for making offers to watchers. I’m not sure that the software update had anything to do with it, but maybe the restart caused the eBay website to renew or something like that.”

The iMac update and the ebay Seller Hub change is purely coincidence. eBay is rolling out the change you are talking about (the filters) and everyone should have it by the end of the month (per todays ebay for Business podcast.

Atomic Star, Not all listings with watchers are eligible for SAOs (Seller Activated Offers), ebay uses an algorithm to determine eligibility of listings, and also has an algo to determine eligibility of the watchers. I know of no upper limit to the number of eligible listings per account. It is available for some very recent listings, but again, it depends on the algo (the details of which, of course, ebay does not disclose). As new watchers come onto a listing, that listing can become eligible again (but it may or may not, again, depending on the algo) And, as Sharyn notes, buyers can opt out of such notifications.

The whole thing, just like promoted listings and some other tools, is constantly being fiddled with by ebay. At some point later this year, buyers with items in carts (as opposed to just watchers) will be added to the eligibility mix.

Personally, I’ve had very limited success with SAOs, but it’s free and it doesn’t take much time (and the new filters make it even easier), so I will continue to use it for items I’m willing to discount. I suspect (but have no proof) that it is more effective for sellers of new UPC type stuff, because those buyers put stuff on their watch list with an intent to buy, whereas many of my watchers are probably fellow researchers researching their own items for sale, and they have no intention of buying regardless of any discount I offer. But, as I say, if I get even a few sales from it, I’m happy….

[AtomicStar]

@my cottage, the algo thing is interesting. It only benefits eBay if there are sales. So you’d think they’d have the option to offer it to all items with watchers.

[MyCottage]

AtomicStar,

On the surface, that sounds logical, but I don’t think so. Buyers don’t want to be bombarded with these offers, so ebay needs to walk a fine line here. Yes, ebay wants to make sales, but ebay doesn’t want to drive customers away.

[Ryanne]

https://imgur.com/a/HWnPUng

just saw that eaby is showing Send Offers on my active page now.
and they’re letting me send 500+ offers right now.
ok, challenge accepted!

[sonia]

Just got rolled out to me as well.

What’s interesting is that for the small number of items I have with tons of watchers (from 12 to 23) that are also listed as “send an offer”-eligible, when I go to send an offer, it ends up not being able to send an offer to ANYONE. So I wonder who all these watchers are – can’t be that many sellers watching my Gap sweater or waverly curtains. Whatever – just another ebay black box mystery.

[Sharyn]

Yes, there seems to be a glitch with offer to watchers. I’ve had some listings showing eligible for days, but not actually being able to make the offer.

You don’t think that eBay would actually roll out a new software update without bugs, would ya? That would be so unlike them.

[Steves Stuff]

I’ve had good success with the “send offers to watchers” thing. Honestly though, I kind of worry it’s going to come back and bite us. As shoppers realize that “watching” is a way to get discounts, how many potential buyers will just “watch” instead?

[MyCottage]

Steves Stuff,

I think most buyers already realize that , for one off type items, someone could buy the item out from under them, so if they are really interested, they aren’t going to sit on their hands indefinitely waiting for the seller to reduce the price.

[Author]

Posts