The Dark Side of the Ebay Offer System

[D_W]

I remember when ebay's BIN or Offer system was first set up, you made an offer and people were generally responsive.

As time has gone on, I seem to have more and more offers from sellers that I'm in contact with where they wait 47 hours to make a decision. I guess they're waiting to see if a better offer comes along, but when you are in direct contact with them and then they disappear for two days, it's a real pain.

I'm trying to track down a few norris planes so that I can copy them, and it seems like every one that I have made an offer on, it's taken eons for people to get back to me - half of them accepting the offer at the end of the period, half of them declining it.

Just venting!!

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

David, I agree. A quick reply is important if you have a couple of sellers supplying the same tool, at the same quality, and you are trying to get the best price. An offer to one locks you into the one seller.

Generally there is an automatic response that the seller can set up when creating an auction. That is, there will be an automatic acceptance for a specified range (i.e. setting a lower limit). I suppose that some do not do this, and then it is understandable that they will not be open to low-ball offers when the auction is fairly new. You need to wait until it has nearly run its course.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[D_W]

David, I agree. A quick reply is important if you have a couple of sellers supplying the same tool, at the same quality, and you are trying to get the best price. An offer to one locks you into the one seller.

Generally there is an automatic response that the seller can set up when creating an auction. That is, there will be an automatic acceptance for a specified range (i.e. setting a lower limit). I suppose that some do not do this, and then it is understandable that they will not be open to low-ball offers when the auction is fairly new. You need to wait until it has nearly run its course.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I do like the automated response, and if I was going to put something "best offer" on ebay, I'd let it do the work. Of course, someone would have to be a dope to start at full price if I did that. I understand the auction mentality - bargaining is a huge thing where I grew up - people are cheap, so nobody sold stuff there for what they wanted for it, they added 50% knowing that people buying want something off.

I'm locked into an offer on a norris plane right now. The seller has OBO, I offered 90% of their ask and it looks like i'm going to finish out the 48 hour cooler. I could back out of it, but that's not honest.

I've had some luck from time to time sending an email with an offer to sellers who are fixed price, but a little out of line with the prior sales on ebay. Others, not so much. When you sell, ebay allows you to offer anyone asking a question a lower price through their system, despite having a fixed-price only sale. I wish they'd do that on the buyer side - it could also be automated.

There are a couple of planes at dealers right now that look pretty good, but guaranteed, they aren't in the united states!!

 

[TFrench]

I'll be honest, if I was selling and somebody in another country offered on it, I'd hang on for a local bid. Much less hassle - real or perceived.

 

[D_W]

I'll be honest, if I was selling and somebody in another country offered on it, I'd hang on for a local bid. Much less hassle - real or perceived.

Well, in the case of the sellers I'm asking, they're looking for more than they're going to get for some rather common items in the UK (norris beech A5s for 300 pounds or more, refinished, some with obviously replaced woods).

I agree on preferring local sale - I ask sellers to open up to the GSP so they only have to ship locally and the shipping center handles the rest.