Why ask for something you don’t want?

[StillCoughingandLaughing]

I was looking at some jeans on eBay, listed at £15 starting bid, but with a ‘Make an Offer’ option. I offered £9, which I didn’t expect to be accepted, but was hoping we might meet halfway.

I got a counter-offer email back - but the ‘counter-offer’ was £15 The accompanying note said ‘I cannot accept less than £15; these jeans were £100 new’.

What was the point of saying she was open to offers if, in fact, the minimum bid was just that? It’s not that I think £15 is an unreasonable price, but why suggest that price is open to negotiation if you’re adamant you won’t accept anything lower? (For context, this is a relisted item that has already failed to sell.) I might even have bid at £15, but now I just think the seller is a time waster.

I declined the so-called counter-offer and suggested she amend her listing to remove the Make an Offer option. AIBU?

I always assumed that 'make me an offer' was 'persuade me to sell to you rather than waiting to see how high this goes' so you would offer more not less than starting bid. I recently offered £30 on something with a starting bid of £20 and it was declined - it sold for £50

Who’s going to offer over the minimum when there’s no competition?

Well there is competition, in that anyone might still make a bid (and commonly do at the last minute). The point of making an offer on an auction item is to tempt the buyer to stop the auction early, so as to stop there being any competition.

This ^^

Having listed some things recently, I think I know why the 'make me an offer' was there as an option. Basically, just as you're about to list your item, eBay sneaks that option on your listing. Nearly foxed me. Worth double checking if you're listing. Also, I think you pay lower fees for having this option.

Who’s going to offer over the minimum when there’s no competition?

If you want the item in a hurry, you might - e.g. buying a dress for an upcoming special occasion, when it might be too late by the time the auction has played out.