posted on November 12, 2010 08:14:41 AM new
I have to say, I really love using the auto accept/decline feature on Make An Offer. It has saved me time and headaches in declining unreasonable offers... but it isn't a perfect world.
I have had a few disgruntled bidders confront me about denying their low ball offers. What is funny is the tone and angle they take on it. The last two both tried to make it like I was being unreasonable for not accepting 25-50% of my asking price.
I have received comments like, "I have made several offers, but it appears that you don't want to sell it." or "Why won't you take my offer?"
Rhetorical question- since when does a seller have to sell something for an unreasonable offer???
I have seen some ridiculous listings where sellers have $1,000 BIN on items worth $10. Obviously they are fishing for that one offer that is well beyond its worth. This sets a tone for buyers... but buyers need to realize that not all sellers do this.
I generally set up my auto accept at 5-10% below my BIN and my auto decline at 20% of my BIN. That way if sales are slow I can accept it at my choosing.
Anyone else have insight in how they use this system?
posted on November 12, 2010 10:23:01 AM new
I asked a similar questions on a different (now defunct) forum. Most of the sellers there set their BIN price significantly higher than what they thought the worth of the item was and most would accept offers for about half of that BIN and be happy if someone offered them more than 50%.
I still haven't come up with a set percentage - it varies per item. But I generally put an auto accept price, but don't use auto decline. My thought was if I end up with something in the store a long time, the lowest price I'm willing to accept for it will become lower over time.
People like to negotiate, if the offers you are willing to accept are only 5 to 10% below your BIN, you're not giving them any room to negotiate.
Edited to add: I'm guessing you want about $80 out of your $89.95 example. If I wanted $80 out of an item, I'd probably have the BIN price around $110. Obviously, JMO.
[ edited by cherishedclutter on Nov 12, 2010 10:26 AM ]
posted on November 12, 2010 11:31:25 AM new
I have used the Best Offer system since it started. I have never used the Auto decline or Accept feature.
I considered it but I think I would have lost out on some good sales.
If someone makes a very low offer then it only takes me a moment to do a Counter-Offer at a little bit above what I have already decided to accept.
Often the Counter is accepted or they come back with around what I wanted in the first place!
If they were just trying to get a really low price then they just don't respond to the Counter and it expires in 48 hours.
In my last and final Career in the big ole world I was a Realtor so I guess that the world of Offers and Counters is second nature to me.
I always feel that any offer can be worked with...some complete and some don't either way it cost me nothing but a little time.
posted on November 12, 2010 11:48:28 AM new
the benefit of the auto decline is that you can weed out the low end of what you want to sell.
I think the auto decline is actually more important than the auto accept because it frees you up from having to respond to every offer.
If I am unwilling to sell something below $50, but am open to offers above $50 I will set both the auto accept and decline at $50.
I generally have a gap between the two because there will be times where sales are slow and I may be willing to go a bit below what I would normally deem acceptable. It gives me the opportunity to think about it before accepting it.
Also, because I am now offering free shipping so that I am guaranteed 5 stars on shipping fees, I use the gap to decide whether the address is close enough for me to save the difference in shipping costs.
If I have an offer set to accept $50, but decline $40 I can look at the buyers zip code and know whether I can make up for part of the offer by saving in shipping. Someone in California may cost me $10 to ship where someone on the East Coast may be $20 to ship.
One of the issues I have had is getting hurt on shipping fees. I sell items of a variety of sizes. Sometimes a lamp cost me $30-50 to ship, and sometimes that buyer thinks shipping is expensive so they would give me a low DSR on shipping fees. It is to my advantage to do it this way now.
[ edited by shagmidmod on Nov 12, 2010 11:51 AM ]
posted on November 12, 2010 12:07:47 PM new
I do see your point regarding shipping however if as you mention in your example you have set to Auto decline at $40 then you have most likely lost that Buyer.
You have 48 hours to respond to an offer so that gives you lots of time to think about whether to Counter for more and whether your Shipping cost factored in would work or whether to just hit the Decline button.
If you countered that $40 at $50 (which you say you would have accepted) I would tend toward thinking that the Buyer will accept the $50 and then you would both be happy!
Maybe you could test it on a couple of listings and see what happens.
posted on November 12, 2010 12:12:31 PM new
Looking again at your original post you say you have had disgruntled potential buyers contacting you.
When you do a Counter Offer you have the opportunity to put a little (and I keep it VERY little) note. I say something to the effect of
"Thank you for your offer, I appreciate it. I am not able to accept it however I am Countering at a price that I hope you will find acceptable".
Sometimes they just take it and others let the 48 hours go by and the Counter expires. Either way it has not cost me in time or headaches!
posted on November 12, 2010 06:48:29 PM new
I have declined several offers, and counter with my own offer, i also do free shipping on some items, in the comment section i explain to them the cost of shipping and the cost of ebay so that they can see that with both of those things added on there is very little to no room for the actual price of the item. Most of the time they accept my counter offer, there has been a few that just move on. I had one person email me saying that they did not realize that ebay fees were so high and or shipping fees where that much. I do have a few items to reject all low ballers, those are just for items that i already have it as low as i will accept.
posted on November 12, 2010 07:15:01 PM new
I want to share a recent offer that I received.
"Good Evening,
Would you consider selling me one set of this item (1982-2009), one set from 1932-1981 and one set from 1927-1931 all for the total of $125.00? That would be about a $6-$7 savings to me, if I figured properly the shipping and sales tax (I live on the Central Coast.)
If you agree, I'd you to also look at each sheet and choose the best centered of the F-VF perforations. Please be sure there are no separated perfs (and that each sheet has never been folded, as you state in your descriptions.) Of course, each sheet must have original gum and never been hinged. By the way, does each sheet also have the proper selvage still attached (with all appropriate markings and words?)
Thanks for answering and considering my offer. "
posted on November 12, 2010 08:35:32 PM new
i just decline those. i have a few items where my decline is around 60%, but my final decision is usually based on:
1) how strong or slow sales have been recently.
2) shipping location. When I get someone offering me $40 shipped to the east coast and I have someone offering me $35 shipped in the region, i will make more on the $35 offer (depending on what it is).
3) if they don't have crazy special requests... see Bills posting above. You know full well that there is a very good chance they are going to complain about something when it arrives.
posted on November 14, 2010 04:08:43 PM new
I was just researching an item I have and came across this listing while searching: http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Oggi-Marilyn-Tall-and-Slim-Cocktail-Shaker-/250693027781?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5e7807c5
On the page of "completed items" it shows BIN $999, 1 sold. When I click on the page it still shows $999, but when I look at the bid history it shows $30.
My first thought was I am running to the store to buy these for the holidays. lol.
Anyhow, this is where people get the idea that low ball bidding is appropriate. It makes me wonder how many sales they lose by scaring off people with such an outrageous BIN price and at the same time encourages bids that are 3% of the BIN price.
[ edited by shagmidmod on Nov 14, 2010 04:09 PM ]
