posted on February 13, 2005 07:54:36 AM
I ask because, I'm tempted to do so today. I have a widget with a starting price of 19.99. I've been asked if I will accept $11.00 if it doesn't get a bid.
I've thought of lots of smart alec answers - (not that I would ever send a customer or potential customer such an answer). But I'm thinking maybe it would be best not to answer at all?
posted on February 13, 2005 08:43:57 AM
I get TONS of these pretzel-choking "questions" --
Usual reply:
"Thank you for your interest in one of my listings, but NO thank you to the offer..."
"Who could have possibly envisioned an erection — an election in Iraq at this point in history?" Prez.Jim Beam, at the White House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005
posted on February 13, 2005 08:46:07 AM
These people really have some nerve don't they? I always answer potential bidders even if their questions really make me want to wretch, but I usually say something like "If it doesn't sell on eBay, I'll put it in the store" but of course not everyone has a store to do that. But I usually end up relisting it for a couple of dollars less and 9 times out of 10, the item ends up selling for more than I had it listed for the previous week. Go figure! It's all timing.
Who knows, maybe this cheapskate (I mean potential bidder) may have a change of heart and realize it is worth every penny and bid anyway. Then again...maybe not
~ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. ~
posted on February 13, 2005 03:22:42 PM
This message wouldn't really bother me actually - What bothers me are those from people who make a lowball offer and ask you to close the auction (esp. if it has bids!) - I just write back no thank you, and leave it at that.
posted on February 13, 2005 06:17:55 PM
Was the e-mail sent thru the E-Bay ask a question???
Reason I asked...I had a person ask me to end an auction so he could buy the item for $1.00 more than at current..(actually went for 5.00 more!) anyway I e-mailed back stating that it was against E-Bay policy to conduct outside sales of items offered on E-Bay, I could be removed from seller status. I sent the response politely worded even though I too was annoyed but I have had some of these types either bid on it currently or always the second time around.
A few days later I recieved an incredibly nasty e-mail from that potential bidder, seems that a bidder even asking that question can get NARUed as well. I never knew that! He was NARUed and was trying to get back on E-Bay, but was ticked at me, he stated that I never should have answered him so that he wouldn't have gotten kicked off!!
So, E-Bay snoopers are everywhere...didn't realize they snooped in the ask a seller a question area!
posted on February 13, 2005 06:18:54 PM
Yes...now, GO AWAY...
"Who could have possibly envisioned an erection — an election in Iraq at this point in history?" Prez.Jim Beam, at the White House, Washington, D.C., Jan. 10, 2005
posted on February 13, 2005 06:44:57 PM
The question did come in the ask a seller a question form. But I answered (basically thanks, but no thanks) via my e-mail server.
posted on February 13, 2005 09:45:52 PM
When ever I get a dumbazzed lefty ask me that question, I simply click delete. I used to answer those, but they never bid and many times will want to get into a war of words. I simply isn't worth my time to deal with these flip floppers.
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Alive in 2005
posted on February 14, 2005 02:59:23 PM
Had one this last week who politely asked if I would place a BIN on something. I responded, explaining that it was my client's item and I would gladly take an offer back to her - and asked what she was willing to offer....
Her reply was: "I don't make offers. You should know what they are willing to take for the items you are selling..."
Well -- I didn't respond to that one -- except to BLOCK their DUMB AZZ from buying anything from us - with that buyer ID anyway...
Fortunately, though, most questions we get are serious and probably 50-75% actually bid. I think of them as ways to push real buyers up in price if they do bid.
You can also think of them as a way to get another detail into your listing if it's something you didn't think about beforehand. I had someone ask if there were any pockets in the pants we had up... Didn't include them in the description - must have been for a reason - so used it as a chance to point out "There are no pockets hiding on these pants - anywhere..."
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on February 14, 2005 06:19:39 PM
I had someone ask me for a BIN price 3 weeks ago. The item had been listed for less than 24 hours and had several "watchers". I spoke with Mark, as it was his item, and almost doubled the starting bid of $495 to $895 for a BIN. I answered the "question"- "Due to the high number of requests for a sell-it-now price, I have added the Buy-It-Now feature to this auction" and added it to my auction in the "Ask the Seller a Question" section. Sold in less than 15 minutes. (We were hoping to get maybe $600, tops, so this was pretty cool! Went out for a nice dinner to celebrate!)
I try to answer all questions, but when I listed Mark's "project car" that had been just sitting for 4 years, I found there were too many idiots that cannot read the English language.
