Is there some aversion to BIN/OBO type ebay listings?

[digicat]

I have a BIN/OBO listing, but during the time that it's been running, I've had 0 offers through the site, but have just fielded my 9th "will you take $xx" type email. I've asked each of those guys to use the best-offer function instead of emailing me, but they just go silent and never do.

Is there some sort of fear of using the bin/obo feature or something?

 

[sheetskout]

I think they are just trying to get you in a dialogue (probably to drive your price down without being limited to three attempts).

I wouldn't let it bother you. They probably aren't that serious of buyers anyhow.

 

[Boo Radley]

I think they are just trying to get you in a dialogue (probably to drive your price down without being limited to three attempts).

I wouldn't let it bother you. They probably aren't that serious of buyers anyhow.

This. Negotiations are more successful when there's an open dialogue instead of just exchanging numbers. I'm betting that's why they're doing it.

Arthur

 

[mrmopar]

I offer what I feel is fair, but it really depends on the BIN price. If the offer is considerably lower than the bin price, many buyers are turned off because the sellers typically ignore those or are snide about the "lowball" offers. I don't personally care and make my offer anyway (and i believe that my offers are all within "reason" when some of the BIN prices are not, but I have had guys actually threaten to block me when they felt offended. I would have offered them a tissue if I could have….

 

[Bootstraps9]

I offer what I feel is fair, but it really depends on the BIN price. If the offer is considerably lower than the bin price, many buyers are turned off because the sellers typically ignore those or are snide about the "lowball" offers. I don't personally care and make my offer anyway (and i believe that my offers are all within "reason" when some of the BIN prices are not, but I have had guys actually threaten to block me when they felt offended. I would have offered them a tissue if I could have….

I do exactly the same. A lot of people are selling their attachment to their stuff on eBay and not just the stuff.


Ogando, Michael Young, Leonys Martin and all Texas Rangers

 

[tpeichel]

This. Negotiations are more successful when there's an open dialogue instead of just exchanging numbers. I'm betting that's why they're doing it.

Arthur

I think you can send a note with your offer if you need to dialogue.

 

[gmsieb]

Are they trying to get you to sell off ebay, or just asking if you will accept a price??

 

[digicat]

While they're free to use the "best offer" feature, the emails I'm getting are one-shot questions along the lines of:

1) Will you take $x?
and
2) What's your best price?

No one's asked me to deal off ebay yet.


It's just kinda strange to get a bunch of email offers (from ebay users with a lot of feedback) and zero best offers through the Ebay system.

 

[rsmath]

Is there some sort of fear of using the bin/obo feature or something?

as a buyer, I have no fear - I make a reasonable best price offer when I use the obo feature. If a seller wants to counter with a price that exceeds my reasonable offer based on recent ebay sales, I'll just ignore the counter and I'll get the card I want for the price I want by exercising patience.

 

[RiceLynnEvans75]

My guess is they just want to put a feeler out there to either tack on an additional "best offer" or they are hoping for an off-ebay price.

Personally, I think ebay should up it to 5 chances. I had a card recently sell via best offer but when going back and forth, ran out of times she could counter. She then sent me a message and we negotiated that way but I told her I wouldn't sell "off-ebay". Essentially, I just ended the listing, restarted, and she sent the offer we agreed upon and it was good to go.

In regards to putting a BIN price, I just assume that with a best offer option, hardly anyone is going to just hit the BIN. SO, I look at recently completed sales (both BIN and auction) and set my BIN price a little higher as I know many people just like to feel like they are getting a deal. I did this with about 10 cards recently and all but one is gone, no issues at all in the back and forth.

 

[Dilferules]

"What's your lowest price" means either "What's your lowest price so I can come back and offer way less because I don't understand what words mean" or "I know the price I want to pay but I'm too chicken to make an actual offer because MAYBE your lowest price is $3 less!" You should just respond "What's your HIGHEST price?"

People might also be making offers over messages because they are flaky and an offer over a message isn't binding while an official Best Offer is a binding contract once it's accepted. They could be going around to 5 different sellers with the same/similar cards just seeing who will go lowest.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

"What's your lowest price" means either "What's your lowest price so I can come back and offer way less because I don't understand what words mean" or "I know the price I want to pay but I'm too chicken to make an actual offer because MAYBE your lowest price is $3 less!" You should just respond "What's your HIGHEST price?"

People might also be making offers over messages because they are flaky and an offer over a message isn't binding while an official Best Offer is a binding contract once it's accepted. They could be going around to 5 different sellers with the same/similar cards just seeing who will go lowest.

In my reality, most of the time this is the correct scenario. Well put....Bryan

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

I offer what I feel is fair, but it really depends on the BIN price. If the offer is considerably lower than the bin price, many buyers are turned off because the sellers typically ignore those or are snide about the "lowball" offers. I don't personally care and make my offer anyway (and i believe that my offers are all within "reason" when some of the BIN prices are not, but I have had guys actually threaten to block me when they felt offended. I would have offered them a tissue if I could have….

There may just be a difference of opinion on what is reasonable or not. You may feel like a sellers BIN is not reasonable( as you have indicated) and a seller may feel like your offer is not reasonable as well. Doesn't make either right or wrong.

People are alway quick to judge when they feel like a seller is asking too much, but have no problem in lowballing offers. They feel like it is reasonable and seller disagrees. I hear it constantly whether I have the same item listed for 100.00 in ebay store or list auction style starting at say maybee 49.99. If at 100.00 I get the 20.00 offers, when at 50.00 I get the 10.00 offers. Do you really think I will take 20.00 if I list for 100.00?

I generally avoid the snide remarks but I will definately block you. It is not in my DNA to offer you 10-20% of your asking price and expect the same from you, no matter what your justification. Even though I know there are alot of hobbyists here I do this for business and want happy customers but I treat this as business. What is " reasonable" is just a difference of opinion. Except for VSN and Griffey24. Thats another topic. No tissues needed. Bryan

 

[mrmopar]

Not out to argue with you, but I will counter that when I say I make a reasonable offer, then I am talking about something that has sold in the recent past IN A SIMILAR PRICE RANGE, maybe where there are other copies in the same general price range (as my offer) available. I am not trying to get $100 items for $20, for example. Value is relative. Obviously a guy wanting $100 for an item that sells for $20 thinks his item is worth $100 and it may never sell (however, there are always impulse buyers who do not comparison shopping too).

There may just be a difference of opinion on what is reasonable or not. You may feel like a sellers BIN is not reasonable( as you have indicated) and a seller may feel like your offer is not reasonable as well. Doesn't make either right or wrong.

People are alway quick to judge when they feel like a seller is asking too much, but have no problem in lowballing offers. They feel like it is reasonable and seller disagrees. I hear it constantly whether I have the same item listed for 100.00 in ebay store or list auction style starting at say maybee 49.99. If at 100.00 I get the 20.00 offers, when at 50.00 I get the 10.00 offers. Do you really think I will take 20.00 if I list for 100.00?

I generally avoid the snide remarks but I will definately block you. It is not in my DNA to offer you 10-20% of your asking price and expect the same from you, no matter what your justification. Even though I know there are alot of hobbyists here I do this for business and want happy customers but I treat this as business. What is " reasonable" is just a difference of opinion. Except for VSN and Griffey24. Thats another topic. No tissues needed. Bryan

 

[digicat]

If I didn't have "best offer" set up in an auction, I don't mind it that much when people send me offers.

But, when I have "Best offer" set up and people ignore it, I find it strange.

Especially when they seem to be ignoring it en-masse.

 

[wolfmanalfredo]

I list a reasonable offer which I am comfortable paying based on market value. If the seller negotiates to a realistic amount I keep going. Otherwise I leave it be.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Freedom Card Board mobile app

 

[Topnotchsy]

One possibility: I know that at times there is more than one card I am interested in but cannot buy both (or it is two copies of the same card and I only want one). In such a case I don't really want to be tied to the 2 day offer period waiting for an answer.

 

[Kennesawsportscards]

Not out to argue with you, but I will counter that when I say I make a reasonable offer, then I am talking about something that has sold in the recent past IN A SIMILAR PRICE RANGE, maybe where there are other copies in the same general price range (as my offer) available. I am not trying to get $100 items for $20, for example. Value is relative. Obviously a guy wanting $100 for an item that sells for $20 thinks his item is worth $100 and it may never sell (however, there are always impulse buyers who do not comparison shopping too).

I hope you didn't think that I was implying that the situation was reflecting on you, just a general opinion. I do have many instances where I will price cards higher than the "the last few sold for" price and still sell them... Just because the last few sold for xyz price, it isn't always the barometer for what a card will ultimately sell for. Otherwise, a card will never go up in price in Beckett...