ebay buy it now question

[montmorency]

Has anyone ever sent a question to an ebay seller selling something with a buy it now price only asking if he would take less?

If you have, how much less have you offered?

 

[NoVaguy]

sure, happens all the time.

as for how much, use your best judgment.

 

[A Harris]

If you have, how much less have you offered?

If you make an offer, make sure it is reasonable. You wouldn't believe how many jokers regularly offer 50% or much less of the asking price. It's insulting to the seller and wastes their time.

 

[auto90403]

Originally Posted by A Harris

If you make an offer, make sure it is reasonable. You wouldn't believe how many jokers regularly offer 50% or much less of the asking price. It's insulting to the seller and wastes their time.

It all depends on what the market price is. Lots of sellers have grossly inflated ideas of what their precious little items are worth. If offering 50% means you're closer to market price, then by all means do it.

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by auto90403

It all depends on what the market price is. Lots of sellers have grossly inflated ideas of what their precious little items are worth. If offering 50% means you're closer to market price, then by all means do it.

But if the seller thinks it's worth X, and you think it's worth 50 percent of X, aren't you just wasting his time? The market price seems irrelevant, as the only opinion that matters is the seller's.

I might try for a significant discount if the seller was seeking best offers, but I imagine remarkably few agree to halve a BIN. If you can get the item that much cheaper elsewhere, better to go elsewhere.

 

[mack11211]

Most offers of this type that I have received have been fairly insulting.

My standard line: "I prefer to let the market decide the price."

If something goes unsold, or especially goes unsold repeatedly, I may be more receptive to offers.

 

[NoVaguy]

Originally Posted by auto90403

It all depends on what the market price is. Lots of sellers have grossly inflated ideas of what their precious little items are worth. If offering 50% means you're closer to market price, then by all means do it.

If 50% is indeed the market price, why not buy from this apparently different seller who is offering it at that price?

My usual response to people who ask for 50% of the price is that they should buy it from that seller.

 

[discostu004]

If you make an offer, make sure it is reasonable. You wouldn't believe how many jokers regularly offer 50% or much less of the asking price. It's insulting to the seller and wastes their time

EXACTLY. i don't mind an offer, but i've had people offer $400 on a Kiton suit I might be listing for $1,600. don't do that. a legit offer is better than no offer, but a dumb offer is a waste of everyone's time

 

[studio253]

I don't find it to be a waste of my time. I also don't end my auctions early unless I sell the item locally though. I'll just decline the offer and thank them for their interest. What did it take me? Maybe 45-60 seconds to respond.

 

[VMan]

I just picked up an item on ebay for 20% off the asking price. The seller had a BIN of $100. It was a fair price, but the item was not something I really needed. Last night I made an offer of $80 and was pleasantly surprised to see the seller had accepted this morning. Definitely worth a shot - you really have nothing to lose if it's an item you don't need.