e-bay – do you accept offers, or wait for the auction to run?

OK, I’m an ebay newbie so wondering about things that probably everyone else already knows …

Since the last time I listed something it seems that buyers can make a private offer without bidding. Are you in the habit of accepting bids, or do you religiously let the auction run?

In my specific case I’m listing something that cost about 120 new, v good condition, but it’s a bit niche so I’d be happy to get about 35. No actual bids yet, but an offer for 25. Stick or twist?

I’m not looking to be told what to do, but more thoughts about how the “offers” thing works?

I always let the auction run and my items have always ended up selling for more than the offer was. Last time I sold something the process was you had to either change the listing to add a buy it now price that the person making the offer could accept or alternatively end it early and complete outside ebay. Ebay got wise to this happening and logged email exchanges etc and penalised sellers.

Depends how many people are watching for me.

Ebay is getting stranger by the day, accepted an offer on an old bookcase the other day, buyer paid £105 via PayPal despite being cash on collection & since them nothing in 6 days despite several prompts, guess I hold on to the money and see what happens.

To the op – I tend to let the auction run unless the offer is more than expected.

I sell almost everything as Buy It Now with immediate payment required. A high numbers of auctions end with the winner never paying, needing lots of chasing up to pay etc,. and not worth the hassle. I know what I want for something so just list at that price.

Do you actually decline the offers? Make a counter offer? Or just let them expire?

(4 watchers, btw)

Depends what it is I’m selling and how many people are watching.

Might be worth going back with a counter bid saying that you would be happy to accept £40 and see if you get £35…

Depends on the item. If it’s unusual so there’s no price history always let it run. If it’s something that has a fairly tight price range I either ignore it or respond with “if you genuinely need it in a hurry then make me an offer I can’t refuse (ie at least in the top 25% of sale prices for the item). If you just want to pay less than the value then bid in the auction.”

A) Decline all offers that come in unless it’s what I expect it to go for.

B) Run it out until I get what I expect for it.

C) Put a realistic reserve on item.

with the new listing system it seems to force you to have a “make an offer” option underneath if listing it as a BIN. You can get round this by not using their quick listing system but choosing the advanced or business option. In there there is the option to remove the” make an offer” part from a listing. It’s all kind of hidden away as ebay seem to want you to do things exactly as they wish and if you don’t they make it difficult to find/work out how to do things differently IME .

C) Put a realistic reserve on item.

eBay used to really penalise reserves – if it’s an item that doesn’t sell frequently I put it on at a fixed price BIN with no expiry. Sometimes it takes a month or two but if you’re realistic it sells eventually. Usually let people make offers and if nothing at all comes in start dropping the BIN price.

I almost always start at 99p (cheap attracts plenty of watchers) and let it run. Schedule to end in the evening, preferably on a weekend. I include a note in the description that I’m not interested in offers and it’ll run to the end.

Reserves add quite a bit to the fees, unless it’s something really niche I’m rarely disappointed by what things go for.

Before the official Make Offer function, if someone had made me an offer outside of the auction, and they were offering enough to accept, I’d relist the item as a Buy It Now (or change the existing auction, if there are no bids) and send them the new listing link. That way they can still buy through EBay and we’re both covered.

with the new listing system it seems to force you to have a “make an offer” option underneath if listing it as a BIN

No they don’t. “Make an offer” is on auctions for a start – it’s just eBay formalising the “how much to end the auction, mate?” deals that used to go on. I rarely entertain them, although some offers have been good enough that it’s easier to do, particularly if you think your item may sell for very little. Once you have bids then it goes.

With Buy Now you have the option to accept offers, but it’s not hidden if you want to switch it off. You can also set thresholds to auto decline and auto accept offers.

Don’t use reserves. They’re annoying for buyers and eBay charge loads for them. If you have a definite price you want then either use buy now or start the auction at that price. You may only get one bid, but you’ll be happy with it.

I always list as auction only and let it run to the end. Occasional dim wit wins, but mostly all good.

Question for the legal eagles though: Is a ‘Buy it now’ more of a conventional purchase and subject to distance selling regulations? Buyer can just send it back if they change their mind?

How does ‘Make an offer’ fit in? Is this just really an auction bid? Or just asking for a discount? Distance selling rules would apply?

?

No they don’t. “Make an offer” is on auctions for a start – it’s just eBay formalising the “how much to end the auction, mate?” deals that used to go o

Where is this ‘make an offer’ function on auctions of which you speak? Just looked now at some pure auctions and no sign of it for me. ‘Make an offer’ button on buy it nows sure but can’t see it as a thing on auction onlys.

edit – found one with it. So obviously it’s an option you can select, not a thing you have to have with an auction.

I have have never accepted an offer (when they came in as informal messages) and never had a product sell for less than the offer.

I see reserves as bad news for sellers as they just stop people looking and getting carried away. Last week I ‘won’2 camera lenses with reserves where I was the only bidder. I got both of them for about £150 (33%) less than a completed listings search shows they normally go for. Added to that the buyers will have paid higher fees.

Depends what im selling really –

If i’m selling something ‘serious’ (EG: bike parts, music bits, or something with decent value) I tend to do the research to know what it’s worth (based on previous eBay auctions usually) and tend to just list at as Buy It Now at a price that sits either at that benchmark or just below for a quick sale. If It does sell I’ll reduce by a fiver until it does.

If im selling something that I just want rid of and not really fussed on what it sells for, I’ll start at 99p and let it run – I won’t accept offers. I’ve had some delightful surprises for what somethings go for on auction sometimes!

And they always sell over what an early offer comes in at.

Is a ‘Buy it now’ more of a conventional purchase and subject to distance selling regulations? Buyer can just send it back if they change their mind?

Nope, just check the “No Returns Accepted” box. Can only return if not as described.

How does ‘Make an offer’ fit in? Is this just really an auction bid? Or just asking for a discount?

You set up offer amounts you’ll accept or refuse when you create the listing. Say you put a £50ish item up, put it as a Buy It Now of £60, set the Offers Accepted option to £50 automatically accepted, offers below £40 automatically rejected. The rest in between you get a message to review them. Same rules apply as a BiN.

Do you actually decline the offers? Make a counter offer? Or just let them expire?

People can’t make another offer while one is pending. So it is worth responding to it promptly. ie make a reasonable counter offer, or just decline it. Then they can make a new offer if they want.

It is annoying if you make an offer, then have to wait a day or two for a reply. You could have missed out on another auction.

Is a ‘Buy it now’ more of a conventional purchase and subject to distance selling regulations?

my understanding is that distance selling only applies to businesses/traders. If you’re an individual selling a few bits then it doesn’t apply (though in reality if someone wants to send something back they can always cook up some spurious reason. They have to cover the return postage though)

For me there isn’t a simple answer.

If the item has just been listed and someone immediately makes an offer I assume it will be a popular item so I let it run.

If there are few bids but lots of watchers with four days to run I would probably let it run.

If the auction is about to end, the item has few watchers and / or bids I would probably accept the offer.

However, sometimes I get a feel for the request – if I get a ‘Now then mate, ill giv ya £50.’ I am likely to ignore it no matter when the message comes in. If I get a nicely-written message from a buyer with good feedback I have been known to accept an offer very early on – such as the time I listed a broken Macbook and someone that specialises in repairing and reselling them (as I could see from their profile and they even said so much in their message) offered me a fair amount for it almost immediately after I posted the listing so took the money to avoid any further hassle.

Where is this ‘make an offer’ function on auctions of which you speak? Just looked now at some pure auctions and no sign of it for me. ‘Make an offer’ button on buy it nows sure but can’t see it as a thing on auction onlys.

First auction I found with no bids: clicky. Like I said, it goes when you’ve got bids, and yes, it’s an option. Exactly like I said…

As a buyer I have and will message sellers when something is for auction without a buy it now and ask what they are afer or make an offer and have bought lots via this method. If make an offer is avaialble I’ll use that.

As a seller, I tend to just let auctions run, lots of people bid last minute.

Onething I learnt recently to help selling things and getting a good amount was to list items around 2100 on a Thursday night for 10 days, this way you get two full weekends of viewing time and ends Sunday night.

Depends – if the offer is derisory then I’ll counter offer more then sometimes we end up meeting in the middle.
If it’s an unpopular item that I have relisted a couple of times then I’ll usually accept it.

It’s entirely up to you.

What bugs me is that the people who make the offer quite often seem to take offence when you say what you’ll accept via a counter offer, and won’t negotiate.

Currently offloading a handful of bits myself for the first time in ages. Starting low and seeing what happens. I’ve had a few offers though eg £25 for a full set of BB7 breaks inc. discs and postage. Thought that was light so will let it run.

It offends my sense of good sport but I do sometimes accept a good offer.

(why is it so many people offer Best Offer then won’t accept even an offer 1p under? Mad)

Well ..my last two recent listings were BIN and the “make an offer” appeared underneath…
when I went to list.I couldn’t get rid of it which I found annoying..maybe I missed something but after cancelling I redid the listing with the advanced/business listing tool and that gave me all the options to choose or not.

I’ve often bought things with an offer. But I would always write a courteous message, explaining the situation and be happy to offer a fair price. I always collect in person to reduce the hassle to the seller.

If you have the same offers, accept. It will make your life much easier.

why is it so many people offer Best Offer then won’t accept even an offer 1p under? Mad)

Probably for the reason I’ve mentioned above…eBay adds the offer part without your request and it’s often not easy to remove so they just leave and ignore it.I recently listed an item and couldn’t find a way to remove the offer part so cancelled and relisted using the advanced listing tool.From my experience if you use their default quick Lister then you accept whatever they add on …very annoying.

So – a small update to my story …

A guy offered 25. I decliend and asked for 40. He didn’t reply. I let the auction run and the same guy won it with 17 quid 🙁

Oh well …. !!!

Depends for me. I bought a pair of cycle shoes and pedals for £45 posted, accepted £40 for them a few days later after listing at £50.
Life’s too short to worry about £5.

Depends on the value, demand and how sensible the offer is

I had a strange experience selling last week. Listed an item put a buy it now for £150 somehow the bidding ended up at £240 was well chuffed but confused that they didn’t just BIN?

I gave up trying to sell stuff on auction, I put the items up for sale at around the price I want for them and let people make an offer.

I look at the completed listings take the price I’m happy with and list it. There just doesn’t seem to be as much auction activity going on now, and I always wait until it’s a cheap listing weekend too…

I’ve used the “make offer” setting before with the lowest price I’d accept. Never achieved a successful purchase this way, but have always been surprised at how much my stuff has gone for (always more than the minimum I’d set).