topic Re: eBay question for buying... in Community Chat

eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:41:52 GMT

Thanks in advance for any whom is able to help me ...

when a seller has a "buy it now" price, what would be your thoughts on sending the seller a question offering a "make an offer" price? And if the seller by chance agrees, how do I pay the agreed upon price? The graphics on the page would say another price. I use PayPal for all my purchases.

Re: eBay question for buying...

NycVixen — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:56:49 GMT

@cactusjack I just reread your question.

Once the seller accepts your offer price via messages then she/he will send you a eBay/PayPal invoice to make the payment, which will automatically close the listing.

Some sellers will opt to tell you that they changed the price to the offer price on the listing and will prompt you to quickly make the purchase before anyone else. It just depends on the seller. I prefer the first option; it's safer.

"Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:55:55 GMT

Nycvixen, this item is not currently offered as a make an offer item. I was just going to send the seller a message asking if he/she would consider a different amount that I would like to offer. What happens with this situation?

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

NycVixen — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 19:57:59 GMT

Hi @cactusjack I just noticed that. I changed my answer . Hope that helps.

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 20:08:08 GMT

Oh, yes, yes! I saw the answer just now, thanks so much for your help!!!

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

Q4u — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 21:29:53 GMT

Unless a Seller has "Make an Offer" on their Buy It Now auction, the seller is not expecting to deal with offers and can ignore them.

Some sellers may not even answer because they feel that if they wanted an offer, they would have that option on their listing page. I sell Buy It Now exclusively. Once in a great while I'll get an offer on an item. I'm open to some of them but mostly I've got my items priced at the lowest I can go. It's disappointing to offer something that is hundreds below retail and still be offered an extremely low price for it.

Right now I'm selling a pair of diamond earrings that are older, eye clean, faceted and in 14k gold and I'm below half of what they are worth and yet I keep getting offers for a couple hundred below that. I do answer these emails but rarely will accept an offer that low. I've been known to keep the item or donate it rather than sell it at extremely low offers.

Just an opinion from the "seller's side". Most of us are Mom and Pop's selling off things we own (and know the quality and relevant pricing) and no longer use, or items we've been able to pick up at reasonable prices in order to pass the savings along.

I've been on eBay sellinng since around 2003.... I still love it...

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

NickNack — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 21:48:20 GMT

I accepted a lower offer one time. It was a pet related item, and the woman told me she was buying the pieces for a Rescue auction and couldn't afford to pay anymore. I used to volunteer for a similar Rescue organization and let her buy it for less.

I ended up looking up the auction online, and found a little article about how this woman's sister had donated these items and how much they appreciated them. I didn't know quite what to make of that. I felt like the woman had been a little dishonest with me telling me that she couldn't afford to pay more when it was actually her sister paying for them. The woman had gone into a long story about how she hadn't worked in a while and just didn't have the money.

I doubt I would take less again unless I'd had the item listed for a long time. I know I wouldn't listen to a sob story again. I'm glad they really went to the Rescue auction though!

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 21:53:23 GMT

Thank you ladies for your input. I had not thought of it that way. This item is new but this is not an eBay store so it is an individual. I don't want to insult the seller by asking for $20 measly bucks off...I'm glad I was educated here.

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

patbz — Wed, 20 Apr 2016 23:40:57 GMT

I buy some very nice signed Native American jewelry and concentrate on certain artists. Sometimes these items are listed for months as buy it now or in an action over and over without selling. I follow these items and if they are there for several weeks and I really want them I will contact the seller with a fair market (but sometimes much less than they are asking) price. You would be surprised how often they sell at my price. A recent item started at $675 then seller dropped it to $450. I offered $275 close to end of second listing and seller (a store) took my offer.

Re: eBay question for buying...

Stormygirl — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 03:39:02 GMT

Have been a Seller on E-Bay since 2002. I will rarely respond to a request for making an offer if I have the Item listed solely as a Buy it Now Price. If I want to entertain offers I may eventually list the item if left unsold for a Buy it Now plus Make an Offer. That is why there is that option on Buy it Now items. I guess it depends on the Seller and I think most will be gracious unless insulted by the offer presented. Good luck E-Bay is a fun place to sell and shop for much less.

Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 03:57:04 GMT

Do you think asking for a item to be sold for $120.00 when it's listed for $139.00 would be an insulting request?

Re: eBay question for buying...

OnlyShopsOnline — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 04:09:25 GMT

I made an offer a few months ago, keeping the price the same but asking for free shipping. My request was accepted. The seller had several of the item and temporarily changed the offer to Free Shipping. Once I purchased, the Free Shipping offer was removed.

Re: eBay question for buying...

brandy77 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 18:38:39 GMT

I have been an ebay seller and buyer since 2001 and I have many Buy It Now listings. I don't use the Make An Offer feature but if someone sends me a private message and makes me an offer I may be open to it and lower the price for them, it depends on several factors, it might be a time when any extra money is welcome or it might be an item I've had a long time and would like to get rid of even at a loss because it is taking up space and I'm just tired of relisting it. I just don't use the Make An Offer feature personally because most of my items are already priced very low as I deal mostly in used books. I have also, as a buyer, sometimes contacted a seller and just asked if they are willing to go any lower on the price, without making an offer, and I've had generally good results with that, the worst they can say is no or ignore the question.

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

Q4u — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 22:06:36 GMT

@cactusjack wrote:
Thank you ladies for your input. I had not thought of it that way. This item is new but this is not an eBay store so it is an individual. I don't want to insult the seller by asking for $20 measly bucks off...I'm glad I was educated here.

Just to clarify.... I am an individual seller and I have an eBay store! Anyone on eBay (individual or not) can buy the ability to list their items in a store format as well as the regular eBay format. .

Re: eBay question for buying...

Buckaroo2 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 22:16:24 GMT

@cactusjack wrote:
Do you think asking for a item to be sold for $120.00 when it's listed for $139.00 would be an insulting request?

I would go ahead and ask. The worst that could happen is you could be denied or ignored....not the end of the world. But just maybe they might accept. At least you tried.

Re: eBay question for buying...

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 23:19:24 GMT

@cactusjack wrote:
Thanks in advance for any whom is able to help me ...
when a seller has a "buy it now" price, what would be your thoughts on sending the seller a question offering a "make an offer" price? And if the seller by chance agrees, how do I pay the agreed upon price? The graphics on the page would say another price. I use PayPal for all my purchases.

@cactusjack

It never hurts to ask ... and you have nothing to lose.

Once I missed out on an auction for a handbag that I really wanted. Just out of curiousity, I emailed the winner of the auction a couple weeks later, asking if she was happy with the item, and if not, I would be happy to purchase it from her for the price she paid for it ..... and I got the bag!

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 02:38:19 GMT

Wow, thanks ladies! I'm learning so much about eBay! I sure appreciate the info.

I did not know about individual/store format. I made my first purchase from eBay in January, 2015 on a whim. Had always been afraid of being scammed. But I signed up for PayPal & the rest is history. I have found such great items that I wouldn't otherwise not be able to afford!! I just love it! And it just happened that the first seller I encountered was the nicest person, who went out of her way to put me at ease when the tracking info. coincidentally went wonky for me. So, after that I knew there were many kind & decent people doing business on the site. So, I don't want to take away any deserved profit for the sellers and I appreciate the affordable prices I'm allowed. Thanks once again ladies! Good evening to you all...

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

Tinkrbl44 — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 02:50:50 GMT

@cactusjack

One thing I've had great success with on Ebay are discontinued lipsticks and eye shadows and ..... well, you get the idea.

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 04:25:29 GMT

Yes, I have gotten many bare mineral lipsticks that were only in kits that aren't available anymore ! Love eBay!!

Re: "Re: eBay question for buying...

cactusjack — Fri, 22 Apr 2016 04:28:05 GMT

Tinkrbl44' how did you know who won the purse action to contact ? That was genius!!