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eBay

If you buy or sell items on eBay, you will find tips and advice on this forum.

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Original poster

Make an offer etiquette?

17 replies

Robotlady · 08/08/2018 20:17

What is the etiquette regarding this new (and irritating) make an offer business?
There is an item I want but it's not up for 6 days. It's starting price is £2.00. If I leave it, someone else may have an offer accepted and it will disappear.
Do I offer the £2.00? or more? or less??
I've been using Ebay quite happily for years and now suddenly I'm unsure what to do?
Any ideas?

OP posts:

19lottie82 · 08/08/2018 20:27

You can’t make an offer on auction type listings, just on a buy it now if the seller has switched on the best offer feature.

Original poster

Robotlady · 08/08/2018 20:37

There's a 'make an offer' box under the 'submit bid' box.

OP posts:

PiggeryPorcombe · 08/08/2018 20:37

Yes you can now. It’s a newish feature.

I’d just offer what you’re prepared to pay. The starting price is just that - the seller will be wanting more than that.

prettygreywalls · 08/08/2018 20:48

Your talking about the new feature of offer on the auction ? It comes up automatically when you list and unless you go in and correct it it is on the listing (ie revise it ) so often the person listing it has no idea the offer feature is available
As far as to how much to offer depends on the item , it could be a low start to gain interest with the expectancy of it going much much higher at the point of sale or it may be just the amount they are hoping to achieve .
I think you have 3 chances of offer with the ability to "up" it twice
Offer what you think is a fair price and they can either accept or refuse

Original poster

Robotlady · 08/08/2018 20:54

Thanks I'll try it.

OP posts:

19lottie82 · 08/08/2018 22:35

Looks like I’m wrong OP! Apologies, I’ve never seen that before.
I guess you can just enter your offer equal to what you’re willing to pay, ie your highest bid in the auction.
You get 3 chances though so maybe start low and leave your highest for last

ToadOfSadness · 18/08/2018 21:54

In the old days making a bid would knock out the BIN option, not sure if that still works.

It is also very likely that the seller has been unable to find a way to remove the Best Offer option from the listing judging by some of the threads about it on here (and on the Ebay community).

TimesNewRoman · 18/08/2018 22:10

If I've been trying to sell something for a while, I allow the offers to stay on, and would accept less than the starting bid.
Sometimes eBay manages to update my listing to offers accepted, even when I don't want them. It's a complete PITA and so unnecessary on eBay IMO. Surely it's either offers style or auction style.

chloesmumtoo · 19/08/2018 18:29

I am confused on this make an offer on auctions. I have just listed my auction items for sale and unless I tick the best offer feature it will not let me list my free 20 listings per month and will charge me a listing fee for each instead. So I have to tick it. Then it asks what I wish ebay to auto decline offers up to, as in what price I want to start to see the offers, so I felt it was what someone could offer to buy it for and yet it will not let me list higher than or on my starting price. So has to be lower. I started to assume it is an offer on a first bid? But I honestly don't know and I have it on all my listings for sale now......

Feltcushion · 19/08/2018 23:29

It is very confusing!

I sell a lot on eBay and i am confused.

There is fixed price (typically 30 day listings) or best offer. You offer less than the buy it now price.

There is the new make an offer. You offer more than the starting price. lots of buyers seem nt t reals that eBay has put this on their listing.

chloesmumtoo · 20/08/2018 08:47

Now I have an offer to buy at 1p more than my starting price, oh the joy of ebay!

user1345 · 21/08/2018 23:34

I made an offer lower than the seller starting auction price by about £3. Yes, it was a cheeky offer. I was turned down :P

PippaPenny · 24/08/2018 18:41

Thanks for this thread. I am confused too - the offer used to be lower than the price of a BIN - now it seems to be an offer on a low auction price.
Surely this doesn't mean that the seller expects a lower off than the low starting price?
Worried about offending the seller!

ScreamingValenta · 24/08/2018 18:47

It's a new feature. Rather than waiting for the auction to play out, you can offer your 'best price' at any point.

It's harder to judge than a best offer on a buy-it-now (I usually try for around 10% off a BIN). You risk annoying the seller if you make a silly offer. Perhaps see what similar items have gone for and use that as a starting point? Or simply offer what you'd put on if you were bidding in the auction.

PippaPenny · 24/08/2018 19:02

HaHa! Not what I hoped then, so the once immaculate leather Dune shoes with a starting price of £1.90 can't be bought with an offer of £1.50. Shame!😉😂😉

ScreamingValenta · 24/08/2018 19:32

Not unless the seller is desperate!

RedWineAllMine · 28/08/2018 23:50

Yes eBays new rules are annoying. Check Ebay threads for useful info on it all. Stuff I've commented on and started threads on.
However it isn't over for us mere souls.....
I have discovered with the promos like £1 max selling fee with no listing fee etc, it lets you list how you want to, no stupid accept offers on auction style or must list good till cancelled blah de bloody blah (pointless anyway coz what's the point in that? Surely we would just list it as BIN if we wanted offers?) Coz what's the point in auction otherwise?
So take advantage of promos,they mostly let us list stuff like the good old days, with no stupid new rules. Just read the promo, it will say if you have to accept offers or are free to list at any start price with no specific format guidelines to follow.

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