Ebay "best offer" etiquette

Imperator · Sep 8, 2010

How low can I go (on average) without pissing off a seller with whom I would like to do further business in the future? Is 25-30% too much, or does the "acceptable offer" threshold vary in relation to the original MSRP? I'm admittedly terrible at haggling, so feel free to mock me and/or throw in references to Allen Edmonds seconds or the ubiquity of felt lapel flowers.

meso · Sep 8, 2010

Totally depends on the seller.

Mr. Moo · Sep 8, 2010

Go low; then, when they counter, go lower.

Butter · Sep 8, 2010

You should be bargaining based on how much you want to be pay. That's it.

Ebay should have made it easier for you because you don't have to do this face to face.

Oyaji · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by meso

Totally depends on the seller.

+1, I experienced up to 50% accepted by the seller and no more than 5% proposed.
Anyway you will not piss anybody off as there is an option for automatic reply to low offers.

Kiwi Man · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by meso

Totally depends on the seller.

Exactly!

One of the the best thing about eBay is that you don't have to face with the seller so there is almost nothing to be ashamed of.

More importantly, the purpose of eBay seller is to make money, so you are more than likely to be a second time customer with the same seller even if you think that your first offer for your first purchase is too low.

Even if the seller does not want to do business with you again in the future simply because of your offer is too low, there is NOT one seller on eBay who you can buy things from. There are tons!

GoldenTribe · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by Oyaji

you will not piss anybody off as there is an option for automatic reply to low offers.

This is the most important thing. Offer whatever you like, and if it's too low to be "worth the seller's time" either they've already accounted for that or the seller's an idiot.

landshark · Sep 8, 2010

Lowball going in to see if you get lucky. If not, they will generally counter expecting you to counter in the middle of the two offers, or at least somewhere in between. Therefore, it can be better to start low so that your ultimate price shall be as low as possible. This method usually works for me. I prefer bargaining in person, it is a lot easier to convince someone face to face than online. They have more time to think and consider your offer, whereas in person the response has to much quicker.

Imperator · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by GoldenTribe

This is the most important thing. Offer whatever you like, and if it's too low to be "worth the seller's time" either they've already accounted for that or the seller's an idiot.

Did not know this. Thanks.

Doctor · Sep 8, 2010

Don't be scared to go a bit low. I scored a pair of Alden's for more than 50% below the asking price. The seller accepted my offer pretty much immediately. Then again, the posted price was clearly way too high, so I had some justification.

HomerJ · Sep 8, 2010

I've just received a best offer of $250 on a $975 BIN. Retail of this item is $3595.

I would say a twat offer like that will piss off a seller. I tried to counter offer for $2000 but eBay won't let me counter with a higher price than the BIN.

sho'nuff · Sep 8, 2010

i dont think the details of the offers are viewable by the public? just the fact that there was an offer.

i dont mind offers, whether serious or not, low-balled or reasonable; the number of offers shows a distinct look of demand for my item for sale. that is what i also like about the best offers received no matter what.

taxgenius · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by Mr. Moo

Go low; then, when they counter, go lower.

teddieriley · Sep 8, 2010

Bid whatever you want. eBay allows the seller to put a limit to automatically reject any bids that are too low. I've never done it as a seller, so I don't know if the seller will even know bids under the limit are submitted. If the seller doesn't put that limit, consider it fair game.

Master Squirrel · Sep 8, 2010

Originally Posted by HomerJ

I've just received a best offer of $250 on a $975 BIN. Retail of this item is $3595. I would say a twat offer like that will piss off a seller. I tried to counter offer for $2000 but eBay won't let me counter with a higher price than the BIN.
Expect low ball offers, you don't need to get bent out of shape. For many of us it is part of the haggle. (I grew up haggling and for a significant part of the world it is how business is done.)

Ebay "best offer" etiquette

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