Is this cheeky / bad eBay etiquette, or the norm?

[lololizzy]

I made a 'best offer' for an item.
In the shops the item is about £16 new.
The listing did a Buy It Now for £13.99 or make Best Offer, so I did - my offer was for £9.99 PLUS the postage (the item is easy to find in shops ie not rare. This one was not boxed so i thought £9.99 plus P&P was probably fair and if they said no, not a big deal but worth a try, after all that's the point of making your offer)...
I have done many 'make best offers' in the past. Either they refuse your offer, or they accept and send you an invoice. That is my only experience of it.
This seller did not send a 'decline' or 'accept' my offer email. Instead, emailed me saying they would suggest I made an offer of £13.50 (ie only 49p less than their Buy It Now)
Is that a bit odd? That I should be the one suggesting a price (which they either yay or nay to) and that they shouldn't be suggesting it outside of the listing?

ie what's the point of making a listing a best offer if instead of giving you a yes or no, they make a second offer to you?

Well, really, they said "no" to your £9.99, and reduced their BIN a bit. It's called haggling. If you don't want to engage, withdraw.

Don't know how common it is on ebay, but worldwide it's not rare.

I am no expert but when people have made me 'best offers' in the past, eBay give you the option to decline, accept or make a counter-offer, which is what this seller has done. Think it's pretty normal to be honest.

If you want to play, increase your offer to £10.50, they'll come down to £12.99, and you can meet about £11.75.

ok hadn't come across counter offer before...obv not used to haggling!

upto 3 offers is possible and yes you have got counter offer so you can accept decline or make new offer but you can only make total of 3 you have used 1 obviously