eBay Launches New Best Offer Program for Negotiating Prices

[pierrelebel]

By Ina Steiner
EcommerceBytes.com
June 26, 2013

eBay has launched a new program called Best Offer Beta, available in certain categories. eBay's current Best Offer program allows shoppers to make an offer on listings where the seller offers the feature. Offers are binding, and buyers are not allowed to retract bids except under special circumstances.

With the new Best Offer Beta, offers are not binding. eBay explains:

"Usually, when you receive an offer, the buyer is committed to buy the item as soon as you, the seller, accept the offer. This also means that you have to put items on hold while waiting for buyers to pay.

For more: http://www.ecommercebytes.com/cab/abn/y13/m06/i26/s02 

[zittz]

Very, very frustrated about this new offer system!!

First, I should explain that I sell jewelry.  Price range is $25 - $$500.  No good to sell auction style.....it just doesn't work.  

With 300 listings, I have anywhere from 0 - 12 watchers on each piece--no two pieces are the same.  And in general, from all over the world, only have 2 or 3 potential buyers of any given piece.  Demand is not an issue - leaving the item free for others to buy--well, it's not like the season's hottest techie device or toy!!

1/3 to 1/2 are Buy it Nows so those work for themselves.  The remainder are BIN or Best Offer and I use those options on the higher priced pieces and on many of them I have set minimum prices.

Previously, with an offer, I accepted, rejected, or countered as is the process.

With an accepted offer, I was in control -- I inoviced immediately, frequently adjusting the shipping charge downward in line with the lower sale value due to less insurance cost, or maybe even another shipping option.  Everyone was happy.

With the Beta Offer System, I am no longer in control.  And herein lie the problems:

1.  I accept the offer.  Then it goes back to the buyer to accept or walk away.  For the next 48 hours, I don't know if the item is sold.

2.  Anytime during that 48 hours they may accept the offer that I have already accepted.  Then they pay an elevated shipping charge because I have not had the opportunity to adjust it.  Then comes a refund on shipping on which I recover my Paypal fess but not my eBay fees on the extra shipping.

3.  I am committed to one business day shipping but if I go away with offers pending, I am not able to live up to that commitment.

Mobile is fine for responses but I don't take my stock with me. 

The whole thing is just bizarre.....I am at the mercy of my buyers.....

Please, this system might work well for high demand items but it isn't working for me. 

[rose-dee]

I've noticed a number of rather disgusted sellers reporting on this hare-brained idea already on these boards.  I assume there must have been some sort of test roll-out?  

From what I've seen, all I can say is that I'm grateful I'm not selling in a category to which this will apply, for the reasons the poster above has set out.  I understand the concept, it looks good at face value, but as usual the devil is in the details.  

[gwrocen]

The original method of "best offer" worked fine for us.  This new method is ridiculous.  No one knows what is going on. 

Adding another two or three steps to the buying & selling process just complicates things.

Why change something that was working just fine? Why not keep things simple and straightforward? 

We like to get our items sold asap and move on.  This way as a seller, you are sitting in limbo for days. 

The recent  "shipping policies" is another confusing issue that has reared its ugly head!

Who dreams up these ideas?

eBay is becoming too complicated.

[recped]

Why change something that was working just fine?

One reason for sure was that many sellers were complaining that accepted offers were resulting in non paying buyers. That situation actually was taking product of the shelves.

This way as a seller, you are sitting in limbo for days.

How are you in limbo? It's not sold until it's sold, under the old system you could accept an offer and then have to sit and wait for payment, if the buyer didn't pay you would have to file a UPI, wait for it to close and then relist the item. Now at least it remains listed, the person who made the offer is motivated to pay right away to secure the item and if they dawdle someone else might buy it out from under them. The worst that can happen is that the item doesn't sell which is no different than if you never got an offer.

[ammolitehunter]

I am in the same business as you and agree with you entirely item by item.

I have put most of my items on Buy now.Pay now and noticed a dramatic drop in activity--but then realized that was perhaps because I didnt have to deal with bargain hunters and bottom feeders offering 10% of the list price any more.

That part is good.

But sales have declined but it may not be the resut of this new policy because I am hearing many sellers are seeing sales declines.

the economy is in bigger trouble than most realize--so theres that.

The system worked just fine before Ebay tampered with it--they have done nothing good for the seller and I hope you are all giving them both barrels over it as I have.

[recped]

The system worked just fine before Ebay tampered with it

It may have worked fine for you but a lot of sellers complained that they would accept an offer and then never get paid.

A great deal of eBay's policies are instituted in response to complaints from a portion of the seller community and often the rest suffer....collateral damage!.

[ammolitehunter]

Any idea how we can launch a serious message of rejection of this assinine policy to Ebay?

Any contacts we can write a strongly worded message to?

[recped]

Go right to the top!

john@ebay.com

[skylarstuff]

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@recped wrote:

Go right to the top!

john@ebay.com

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Is that really his email, if so thst is good to know.