eBay

momcqueen · ‎08-01-2017

It occurs to me that allowing ten offers on Best Offer backfires more often than it doesn't.

Where I would once counter with my best Best offer (because the buyer and I only had three chances to work it out) now I counter with my ninth best Best Offer so that I have room to nickel-and-dime dance to the bitter end.

And if buyers can now harass a seller with ten offers, I should be able to send additional counteroffers after the buyer let the last one 'expire' too. Or flat-out declined it. Like a second counter-offer to the counter-offer for five bucks less or whatever to keep the lines of communication open.

What's good for the goose is supposedly good for the gander.

So if buyers got an extra six attempts to negotiate a Best Offer, sellers should get extra too.

I don't like the increase to ten Best Offers at all, but it ebay is going to move in that direction, it should be an equal playing field for both parties.

Ten Best Offers from the buyer should also increase to ten Counter-Offers from the seller, if we are forced to dance this stupid dance.

momcqueen · ‎08-01-2017

"So if buyers got an extra six attempts to negotiate a Best Offer, sellers should get extra too."

Er, that would be seven extra attempts.

Math.

ricarmic · ‎08-01-2017

Generally anymore, I come back with almost my very best counter offer on my first response.

If the buyer comes back with a counter offer nowhere near mine, I repeat my almost very best counter offer.

If the buyer continues, and actually comes close to my almost very best offer, I will come back with my very best offer (which is very close to the almost very best offer anyway).

So it doesn't matter to me if there are 3 or 10 opportunities for the offers... normally it is resolved in 2 in my world anyway....

momcqueen · ‎08-01-2017

That's what I used to do too.

ypdc_dennis · ‎08-01-2017

Took several readings before I clued in to what you're saying.

However, if it's just price, I'll only make one or two counteroffers. Any counteroffer beyond that is just for agreeing on details (like when a buyer is offering on several items, and combined shipping can trim costs).

When it comes to music played by buyer offers, I have no difficulty resisting the urge to dance.

-..-

ricarmic · ‎08-01-2017

Whenever "new" stuff shows up in eBayland, the first thing I determine is if I have to change any of my current practices.

Changing from 3 to 10 counter offers was easy..... no change to my current practices required......

Too bad that wasn't the answer more often!!!

momcqueen · ‎08-01-2017

Good advice, as always.

I'll have to think if there's a clearer way to explain what I mean.

The shift to 10 from three does make me feel as if buyers will have different expectations from the Best Offer flow, but that might be a prejudice only.

dutchman48 · ‎08-01-2017

Just set the minimum you will even consider.

If they offer below that they go away. If the offer above that, you can accept or dicker.

It has changed nothing for me as well. If I get offers on items that do not have best offer, I just decline with firm price in comments, and if they offer again, I decline and block

It is an absolutely useless change some brainchild at Ebay thought was great for buyers, but will back fire on the buyer most of the time.

ricarmic · ‎08-01-2017

I see what you mean, and that makes sense.

Usually, in my experience the first offer is one of two things:

-stupidy low

or

-something close, or better than my "very close to my best offer"

For what I sell (stamps to those who don't know), in both those cases, I won't need more than a couple back and forths at most to identify if a sale can happen or not.

For non-stamp stuff being sold, with more competition and narrowness of margins like what you are selling, it is very possible more/narrower haggling will become expected or normal.

If it does end up affecting me in stampland, I'll adjust my policies if it looks like the current policies are preventing possible sales. I will be really surprised if it does affect me, but I've been surprised before!

I'd be interested to hear updates if you have any longer haggling experiences!

momcqueen · ‎08-01-2017

@dutchman48 wrote:
Just set the minimum you will even consider.

If they offer below that they go away. If the offer above that, you can accept or dicker.

It has changed nothing for me as well. If I get offers on items that do not have best offer, I just decline with firm price in comments, and if they offer again, I decline and block

It is an absolutely useless change some brainchild at Ebay thought was great for buyers, but will back fire on the buyer most of the time.

Yes, I've done that a few times now but the problem is that there is a glitch in the system wherein adjustments to Handling Time erase all the auto-decline and auto-accept Best Offer amounts. And I have 1134 active listings. Even isolating product lines doesn't work as there are major variations in the value of one character over another. It's endless work. And work that vanishes as soon as I take a day off to devote exclusively to my children.

dutchman48 · ‎08-01-2017

That seems to be Ebays ploy to get smaller sellers s frustrated that they leave.

Sellers like you or I who constantly change things as far as price, fixed or auction, promotions, etc are no longer wanted by Ebay.

They want the sellers that have many of the same mainstream items, just list GTC, and forget about them. No fuss, no muss, and no bother.

Sellers that keep changing things and are constantly adding or removing, use up too much bandwidth and are also the ones that have the most issues on the site.

As far as headaches, and make work projects, been there and done that as well and certainly a non enjoyable time waster.

I spent all day Sunday adding images to over 200 listings due to an Auctiva mess again and have gone back to TL temporarily

lady.stark · ‎08-01-2017

@ricarmic wrote:

Usually, in my experience the first offer is one of two things:
-stupidy low
or
-something close, or better than my "very close to my best offer"

That is also my experience as well. When I get the lowball, I counter offer with my BEST price. If they come back again, I just send the same counter and specify that is really my best price. Sometimes they buy, but most of the time, the lowballers just decline or let it expire.