To wish eBay sellers would stop doing this?

MistyGreenAndBlue · 2023-05-21T20:40:10+00:00

"Because you viewed this item, here’s a special offer.A few other interested buyers also received this offer – it won’t last long. Hurry and take advantage right away." You get 48 hours to buy whatever it is at a random discount. Then the item reverts to the original price. Apparently for good. Drives me nuts! A - because most of the time I have looked at (and possibly saved) the item in order to buy it when I can afford it. Which is almost never within the 48 hour deadline. So I miss the discount and end up so annoyed by this I don't buy it at all. Whereas, if you had just left me alone, I would have picked it up later, after payday or whatever. Or B - it's some random thing I clicked on but decided against. If I didn't watch it or put it in my basket, why are you wasting my time? Admittedly, the second one isn't as irritating. But the first... trying to pressure me into spending money I don't have yet isn't going to work. It just pisses me off. If you sell on eBay, please stop doing this. I feel certain you are losing more sales than you are gaining with this tactic. Or am I wrong? Would this work on you?

Heretotry · 21/05/2023 21:42

No one is pressuring you. It's just an offer, accept or you dont accept it

LadyHag · 21/05/2023 21:46

Don't offers automatically go out to anyone who has viewed the item? So it's not done by the seller to waste your time... Just seeing if you can be tempted to buy...

The seller won't know you have something in your basket as you are waiting for payday... I put stuff in my basket to try and prompt a discount, or while I consider buying something, also using is as an easy way to compare possible purchases... Not buying something because you want the discount but it expires before you can afford it seems a bit odd... Why not message the seller to ask if they will hold it for you?

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 21:51

LadyHag · 21/05/2023 21:46

Don't offers automatically go out to anyone who has viewed the item? So it's not done by the seller to waste your time... Just seeing if you can be tempted to buy...

The seller won't know you have something in your basket as you are waiting for payday... I put stuff in my basket to try and prompt a discount, or while I consider buying something, also using is as an easy way to compare possible purchases... Not buying something because you want the discount but it expires before you can afford it seems a bit odd... Why not message the seller to ask if they will hold it for you?

No. I assume the seller has to sign up to this scheme. Or it would happen with every item viewed. Which it doesn't.

Also, I can look at several items from the same seller but only some get the discount offer. Possibly things that don't sell well?

OP posts:

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 21:54

Heretotry · 21/05/2023 21:42

No one is pressuring you. It's just an offer, accept or you dont accept it

I can't accept it before I'm paid. That was my point. Am I not supposed to browse unless I'm currently in funds?

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Christmascracker0 · 21/05/2023 21:57

As a seller I have only ever been able to send offers to buyers who are “watching” the item. You don’t get to see who is watching it, you just have to send an offer to all watchers.

I wonder if business accounts are different though.

phoenixrosehere · 21/05/2023 21:58

YABU

Admittedly, the second one isn't as irritating. But the first... trying to pressure me into spending money I don't have yet isn't going to work. It just pisses me off.

Ebay sellers are not mind readers. They don’t know what you can or can’t afford. They are no different than any online shop that offers a discount nor are they forcing you to take it.

You can ignore it or decline. The only one putting pressure on you is you.

InceyWinceySpidy · 21/05/2023 21:58

Hi

I sell (only privately, small scale) on eBay and can help with a bit of your question.

Say my item is £50, "buy it now, or best offer". If someone watches it, I get the option to message them, and everyone else who clicked watch, with an offer. This is how I predominantly make most sales. Say 20 people have watched the item, I wait 24hrs after listing (as someone who see definitely wants it will buy it now, full price, immediately) then I'll bang out an offer of £45 to those 20 people, and can almost guarantee one of them will accept.

But this is for people who are watchers.

Viewers? I can't send them anything. Maybe business sellers can set up the same thing for just viewers, but I can see why, given how successful it is for me when I send an offer to watchers.

Lcb123 · 21/05/2023 21:59

YABU. It works for me often. Just ignore it

LadyHag · 21/05/2023 21:59

I get offers for things I had previously liked and then unliked so possibly this is how the offer reaches you? By ebay knowing your like history?

The seller just prompts am offer on items they want to reduce don't they? So it's down to the actions of the seller?

Ponderingwindow · 21/05/2023 22:00

Not everyone budgets or shops the same way. A discount can help me decide to go ahead on something I wasn’t sure about.

Sererus · 21/05/2023 22:01

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 21:54

I can't accept it before I'm paid. That was my point. Am I not supposed to browse unless I'm currently in funds?

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They have no way of knowing who has the money at the time, and who doesn't. At least one of the people messaged WILL have the funds and will rose advantage of the offer. Maybe it'll happen for you on or just after payday someday.
Not at all unreasonable of them to try to maximise and encourage sales.

Butchyrestingface · 21/05/2023 22:02

Can you not log out of your account to look at an item if you don't want to receive a special offer?

Mrsmillshorse · 21/05/2023 22:02

If it's best offer then you can submit an offer after pay day, no biggie...

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 22:06

Butchyrestingface · 21/05/2023 22:02

Can you not log out of your account to look at an item if you don't want to receive a special offer?

Must admit, I hadn't thought of this. I do have a bad habit of using my recently viewed list as a second watch list.

OP posts:

drpet49 · 21/05/2023 22:07

phoenixrosehere · 21/05/2023 21:58

YABU

Admittedly, the second one isn't as irritating. But the first... trying to pressure me into spending money I don't have yet isn't going to work. It just pisses me off.

Ebay sellers are not mind readers. They don’t know what you can or can’t afford. They are no different than any online shop that offers a discount nor are they forcing you to take it.

You can ignore it or decline. The only one putting pressure on you is you.

This!

flourella · 21/05/2023 22:08

I collect a few different kinds of objects and buy a lot on eBay. I look on there several times a day and have done for years, but I have never received an offer to buy at a discounted price after just viewing an item, only ever after watching one. I have timed when I watch an item in the hope I'll get an offer when I have the money to buy, but you can't depend on getting sent one, or that the item will still be available. Sometimes I get an offer for an item I've been watching for many months and so have gone off a bit. I wish more sellers would send them soon after I watch an item so I can fill my home with even more hoarded crap!

If the discount ends before you can afford it, just message the seller and say that you appreciated being sent the offer but couldn't buy at that time, but would buy immediately if they resent it or enabled buyers to make an offer. In my experience many will let you buy at the lower price they had suggested (though I also find that the sellers who send out discounts often have "make an offer" already set up on the listing).

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 22:09

InceyWinceySpidy · 21/05/2023 21:58

Hi

I sell (only privately, small scale) on eBay and can help with a bit of your question.

Say my item is £50, "buy it now, or best offer". If someone watches it, I get the option to message them, and everyone else who clicked watch, with an offer. This is how I predominantly make most sales. Say 20 people have watched the item, I wait 24hrs after listing (as someone who see definitely wants it will buy it now, full price, immediately) then I'll bang out an offer of £45 to those 20 people, and can almost guarantee one of them will accept.

But this is for people who are watchers.

Viewers? I can't send them anything. Maybe business sellers can set up the same thing for just viewers, but I can see why, given how successful it is for me when I send an offer to watchers.

I think this must be the case. Most of the offers I get are on stuff I haven't actively watched.
I think I'd be ok with it if it wasn't time limited to 48 hours. Oh well

OP posts:

Heretotry · 21/05/2023 22:18

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 21:54

I can't accept it before I'm paid. That was my point. Am I not supposed to browse unless I'm currently in funds?

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You can accept it some item you dont have to pay straight away . You get 4 days I believe.

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 22:18

flourella · 21/05/2023 22:08

I collect a few different kinds of objects and buy a lot on eBay. I look on there several times a day and have done for years, but I have never received an offer to buy at a discounted price after just viewing an item, only ever after watching one. I have timed when I watch an item in the hope I'll get an offer when I have the money to buy, but you can't depend on getting sent one, or that the item will still be available. Sometimes I get an offer for an item I've been watching for many months and so have gone off a bit. I wish more sellers would send them soon after I watch an item so I can fill my home with even more hoarded crap!

If the discount ends before you can afford it, just message the seller and say that you appreciated being sent the offer but couldn't buy at that time, but would buy immediately if they resent it or enabled buyers to make an offer. In my experience many will let you buy at the lower price they had suggested (though I also find that the sellers who send out discounts often have "make an offer" already set up on the listing).

If I could "trigger" a discount by watching an item I'd be quite happy with that tbh. As you say, you can time it to suit you that way. But so far, that's not how it's been working for me

And if no discount is offered. Well I'm no worse off.

OP posts:

Original poster

MistyGreenAndBlue · 21/05/2023 22:22

Heretotry · 21/05/2023 22:18

You can accept it some item you dont have to pay straight away . You get 4 days I believe.

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This is a good point tbf. I am used to paying immediately, but that's just a habit of mine. Some sellers DO give you longer though, don't they? Hmmm
Thank you

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