Strange New eBay "feature"

[Corran]

Peter, and Corran, what you are both referring to is the tried and true Best Offer as it has always been. I'm fine with that. But this is different! It's one thing for the seller to allow the buyer to submit a best offer. That's fine! But now, eBay is suggesting that the seller, rather than the buyer, should initiate the first "offer." Perhaps I haven't been clear enough. It's not the same as the way it has always been done. This is new and different, and doesn't seem to make sense.

No no, they added a feature where a "send offer" button is added to auctions. As opposed to BIN where one can make an offer under the ask, this is more like trying to get someone to cancel an auction and sell immediately at a higher price. It flips the script and again prevents the ol' trick of messaging directly and selling off eBay. I think it's a smart addition but as usual people seem to not want anything to do with new features or to negotiate. I haven't had a single person respond to honest offers using this, and very rarely do I get responses to offers on BIN auctions either. One person emailed me asking what the heck he was getting offers for because he didn't know. eBay probably announced it but no one reads their emails...

 

[Larry Cloetta]

eBay probably announced it but no one reads their emails...

They may have announced it at a shareholder meeting, but they definitely did not send out any notices to users. They just quietly changed it.

 

[shawn]

I never understood why eBay does not let you see who put your items for sale in their favorites so once the item was unsold, you could make them an offer directly.

Isn't that what the Second Chance Offer is for?

Shawn

 

[JoeLopez]

Um yes, it's not meant for you. It's for a prospective buyer.

It's even on auctions now, much to the surprise of many sellers. It's been that way for a while I think. Probably to combat the many who just message sellers and make a deal off eBay.

This is meant for the seller. If there are buyers interested in the item, ebay will send an offer to them on your behalf.

 

[JoeLopez]

But since I have the "Best Offer" option activated, all the buyer has to do is, well, make an offer! :bang:

While true, this is just another way to help us sell our items. What's not to like? Feel free to not use the option 🙂

 

[JoeLopez]

I never understood why eBay does not let you see who put your items for sale in their favorites so once the item was unsold, you could make them an offer directly.

They want to deter you from making it easier to sell outside of the ebay infrastructure 🙂

 

[Corran]

This is meant for the seller. If there are buyers interested in the item, ebay will send an offer to them on your behalf.

Yes, through a message you can send prospective buyers "offers." But their is also offer buttons for auctions, for buyers to send them instead of competing in the auction, and that's probably what he is seeing. Or maybe it's something else. Perhaps they just slap "Make Offer" buttons everywhere now.

 

[Rob-F]

Perhaps they just slap "Make Offer" buttons everywhere now.

Seems to be the case. They seem to prefer to get things sold quickly, and for less if necessary, even though it reduces eBay's share of the sale.

 

[Paul T.]

They want to deter you from making it easier to sell outside of the ebay infrastructure 🙂

Exactly, they're formalising it as they don't trust us.

Again, it's worth stressing that you CAN check the box and specify a high offer minimum, if you want, which automatically rejects lowball offers. So it doesn't have to involve more hassle, perhaps less

I am suspicious of eBay, as we all are, but this certainly isn't as evil as the claim that taking a 10% cut of postage fees would make it cheaper for buyers

 

[Rob-F]

Exactly, they're formalising it as they don't trust us.

Again, it's worth stressing that you CAN check the box and specify a high offer minimum, if you want, which automatically rejects lowball offers. So it doesn't have to involve more hassle, perhaps less

I

Yes, but we've always been able to set that minimum. Using the established feature, we can set the low limit for auto-acceptance of an offer; and another, lower limit, below which offers are auto-rejected.

 

[maigo]

They want to deter you from making it easier to sell outside of the ebay infrastructure 🙂

Agreed. Same reason why bidder IDs are disguised from seller during auction and why bidders cannot see ID of other bidders.
That was not the case 8-10 years ago when it was an open market and bidder IDs were visible.


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[WoodallP]

It may have been said but sometimes companies trial new features on certain groups so what is available to you may be a test or something only available in the US or Europe etc. etc. The large social network seems to do this a lot.


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