Best offers - how to respond?

[Richlyfruited]

I'm selling an item which currently has over 10 watchers and lots of views but no bids. I've now had 2 low-ish offers. Do I just send a counter offer at a price close to what I was hoping to get (at least £10 more than the offers) or simply decline them?

I'm quite new to Ebay and finding the Best Offer thing a bit of a pain!

[LizzieBennettDarcy]

If it's a long way from what you had in mind, decline them.

I did it selling some antique furniture .... had some very frankly insulting offers. People seem to enjoy trying their luck

[Notsoaccidentproneanymore]

I usually try my luck by offering around 50% of the asking price, then negotiating.

Say it’s was on at £50, I’d offer £30, then £35 and hopefully the seller will accept we settle on £40.

Depends on how long it’s been on for though as to what you want to do. If you think it’s a stupidly low offer just decline it. Buyers only get 3 offers on an item.

[CarryOnScreamingValenta]

I would send a counter-offer with the minimum you'd accept.

[Tahani]

I would send a counter-offer with the minimum you'd accept.


If you do this you have no negotiating left,go down a bit if you want to

[Richlyfruited]

Thanks for the help I just find it weird to have the best offer when it's on as an auction as hard to know what I'll achieve! One offer is just above the list price so I might send counter offer later if there's still no bids.

[OneInEight]

It depends on how realistic your price was to start off with. Ten watchers and there is considerable interest so I would politely say you want to let the auction run it's course - often people don't bid till the last day. We rarely accept offers less than 80% of the asking price unless the item has been around for ages and we are sick of relisting. Our pet hate is people who ask will we accept an offer without saying what they are prepared to pay.

[lljkk]

If you only just listed it then decline saying "Sorry, I've a lot of interest in this item so I am holding out for more."

I relist items for months though, so don't understand the rush to sell & accept a lower price when you don't know what you might get if you held out for at least a few relistings.

[InspectorIkmen]

I recently had some joker send a Best Offer of - wait for it - ZERO. £0.00. For a £120 item.
I don't know what he had in mind - perhaps that the default action is to press 'Accept Offer'. I don't know. Absolute joker - and straight on the blocked list!

[taytotayto111]

I watch a US seller on YouTube. She says ALWAYS give a counter offer with an explication of why if you like. I used to just decline all offers but now counter offer with good results. I did however have someone offer me a price and I counter offered with a £5 increase they then counter offered the original offer. I just declined. Some people are just time wasters and annoying.

[Housewife2010]

You can set the minimum price you would consider (but not necessarily accept) and any offers below that will be automatically refused.