Just about done using best offer as a buyer.

[jameshen1]

There is a seller here who has an item listed with fixed price immediate payment at $200.00 or best offer.  There is shipping as well, but since that doesn't enter into the best offer process, I won't include that.

I sent an offer of $180.00.  That is 90% of the asking price.  I had to have my payment information in so if the seller accepted I would have been charged and the sale would have went through immediately.  The seller waited until there was less than an hour left before counteroffering at $199.00.  That is 1/2 of 1% off.  Why not just decline?  Or why have best offer at all?  And his history shows he has sold other things through best offer so eBay didn't put it on without his knowledge.  Anyway, I declined and went on. 

It was still on my watch list so 10 days later I saw it had ended.  I went to see if it sold for full price or best offer, and it showed that it had ended and relisted.  The new listing was exactly the same.  $200 or best offer.  So this time I offered $185.00 or 92.5% of the asking price.  Again, the seller waited until the last hour and countered for $199.00.  I declined, deleted the item from my watch list,  and made a note of the seller's name.  I wouldn't buy from this seller now if they sent me an offer for 30% off.

This whole experience is turning me off of best offer as it isn't the first time this kind of thing has happened.  I guess this is more of a rant than a question, but why do sellers even use best offer if they aren't willing to come down from their full price?

[youn2240]

It sounds like you offered a very fair amount to me. some sellers are just like that  though. the thing about ebay is you're dealing with people. some people are cool some people are unreasonable in any circumstance. you're right though don't offer them your money they must be too good for it. 

[worldcoinauctions]

LOL, ran into that as a buyer a few times. I don't know why they bother, perhaps they are hoping for offers above the BIN price? As a seller I used to use best offer but have stopped. When I did I tried to give at least 10-15%, more often 20% and set the settings for auto accept and auto reject at my lowest acceptable amount. I could (and did sometimes) check and see that there had been many offers for much less (how about $2 on a $200 item!) and enjoyed knowing they were immediately rejected.

About a year ago I went through all the listings on my fixed price account, reduced the prices to fit in my acceptable offer range and turned off offers. Less aggravation.

[umccars]

Your offer was fair.

[gosimus]

@jameshen1 

< I wouldn't buy from this seller now if they sent me an offer for 30% off. >    

How about 50?  Just Kidding.  I suppose it's something in my psyche but I don't get it about making best offers or, for that matter, negotiating in general.  To me, saving $15 on a $200 purchase is pffft, not worth the trouble.  Lacking understanding, I assume it's something akin to taking pride in an accomplishment when there's an acceptance.  

[44012]

Sorry this happened to you. I thought your offer was very fair.

Most sellers are not like that when they have best offer on and get 90%ask.  Don't let that prevent you from trying again on a different item/seller.

I am a seller (buyer too) and I do not have best offer on but get at least 1-4 messages a week with an unsolicited offers of 25-50% off the price, or I don't get paid until the (fill in date) can you wait for the money, or I would love to offer you (fill in amt) but require free shipping or well, I do have a few more....

Hope that made you smile at least. Try to find the item from another seller. 

My best to you😊

[jameshen1]

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@gosimus wrote:

@jameshen1 

< I wouldn't buy from this seller now if they sent me an offer for 30% off. >    

How about 50?  Just Kidding.  I suppose it's something in my psyche but I don't get it about making best offers or, for that matter, negotiating in general.  To me, saving $15 on a $200 purchase is pffft, not worth the trouble.  Lacking understanding, I assume it's something akin to taking pride in an accomplishment when there's an acceptance.  

---

@gosimus

Well, I guess that you are more fortunate than me that $15.00 is pffft to you.  I am glad for you and wish you the best.

[gosimus]

Hello @jameshen1 

Thank you for your best wishes and I offer you the same.  If a person can make a discretionary purchase in the neighborhood of $200, saving $15 doesn't seem that big a deal.  But if it were, say, a $150 savings off of $200, now we're talking something to write home about. 

[tobaccocardyahoo]

It is likely that the seller is as unwilling to do business with you as you are with him.

Sometimes, the Make an Offer switch is thrown by accident for a listing. Sometimes a seller might not be interested in an offer for another 6 months and has decided it is not worth the effort of keeping track and changing it.

I agree your offer was a fair offer, but sometimes even a fair offer is unacceptable.

[buyselljack2016]

I "can" pay full price for most anything that I want to buy, but I do not understand the logic of doing that if an item could be had for less. It would be like refusing to buy items that are on sale😂

[bonjourami]

Sometimes Ebay puts best offer on a listing, and many sellers are not happy with that.

[gosimus]

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@buyselljack2016 wrote:

I "can" pay full price for most anything that I want to buy, but I do not understand the logic of doing that if an item could be had for less. It would be like refusing to buy items that are on sale😂  

---

The lower price isn't the issue, it's the BO.  I just have no taste for haggling.  Sorry if I hadn't made that clear already.  If Seller A has a lower price for an item than Seller B, then, sure, all other things being equal I'll go with the lower price. 

[frankenhobbit]

See, I really like haggling, Some of the items I like to buy are found at pawn shops. Haggling has allowed me to build great relationships with them, to the point where they put items by for me that they think I might like. Plus haggling is not just about $200 purchases. Sometimes it's about $20,000 purchases or $400,000 purchases. (not at the pawn shop!, Talking buying a car or a house) Even a percentage point makes a difference. 

I fully understand however, that some do not enjoy it at all. If I saw a BO, button, I would probably go 10% below. However, if the seller countered at $199, I might counter $195. If it was a good deal at $199 and I thought it might get snapped up, I'd pay the $199. 

I also ALWAYS put a message when I make an offer. I also never lowball.