eBay Question...

[Bimmer325]

Okay, so I'm new (and quickly becoming addicted) to buying stuff on eBay.

The latest auction I've become interested in is a BuyItNow () auction with the option of Best Offer (). I plan on making an offer, rather than resorting to paying the BuyItNow price. On the Submit Best Offer page, it says “Make this offer your Best Offer. You can only make 1 offer on this item.”.

My question is, if my offer is declined...that's it? I can't counter-offer with a higher amount?

If that's the case, anyone have any advice on how low the seller might be willing to go? I mean, why make the Best Offer option available if you aren't willing to sell at a lower price?

TIA

-Bimmer

[Flybrian]

You can counter with any offer you'd like, though I'd obviously make it higher than the refused one.

Likewise, the seller can refuse it again.

[Sixty8panther]

I don't mess around with best offer, I do buy now in a standard aucton

and that's all you need so long as your price is within reason.

[Bimmer325]

You can counter with any offer you'd like, though I'd obviously make it higher than the refused one.

Likewise, the seller can refuse it again.

169416[/snapback]

Right, but it says “Make this offer your Best Offer. You can only make 1 offer on this item.”

That seems to indicate that there's no counter-offering involved. In other words, if I'm declined, that's it for this auction.

[zhawk]

By EBay's rules, you can make another offer if your forst offer is declined. No big deal there. This seller may say only one offer per person but that would be silly.

[Bimmer325]

By EBay's rules, you can make another offer if your forst offer is declined. No big deal there. This seller may say only one offer per person but that would be silly.

169551[/snapback]

This isn't a limitation the seller simply stated. It's actually written on the Submit page:

[Cory Wolfe]

Well... just don't undercut the "buy it now" by too much. Problem solved.

[Bimmer325]

Okay. The item is listed for BuyItNow at $194.99.

I checked Completed Listings. This seller has over 80 phones available. In his previous auctions, the item was listed for BuyItNow at $214.99 (it's since been lowered). When it was at that price, he accepted offers of $190.

That's roughly 88% of the BuyItNow price, and he accepted.

I'm thinking I'll offer $175.00.

[zhawk]

Sorry, had a blonde moment there. I didn't realize that a seller could limit his Best Offer like this. I have always worked in auctions that allowed a new best offer if a previous one was rejected.

I haven't run against the limited best offer but I did look up the rules on EBay's help page. You can check them out Best Offer Help

So if the guy is only accepting one Best Offer per bidder for this auction that's all you can submit. He may have many other auctions and doesn't want people submitting 20 offers per auction, taking all of his time. Of course, if he has the same item in another auction (common for many businesses), nothing is stopping you from submitting another Best Offer on another one of his auctions.

Good luck.

[Bimmer325]

Here's my dilemma.

I REALLY want this item now.

I'm ready to make my offer, but this auction may turn out to be more expensive than I'd planned. While the item is priced right, shipping is $24.99 plus required $4.99 insurance, and the seller charges 8.375% sales tax. To make matters worse, the item is within pick-up distance from me. It's a shame shipping is non-negotiable here.

At the same time, there's another auction with 1 day and 11 hours left that's at a really low price at this point. Is it worth waiting for something that will most likely sky-rocket at the last minute of the auction anyway?

So I can:

A. Make a low offer on this and hope it's accepted.

B. Wait 1 day and 11 hours (I really don't want to wait) and bid at the end of another auction and hope the price doesn't sky-rocket between now and then.

ADVICE PLEASE.

[Croc]

dude you gotta take the gamble yourself...weigh the pros and cons of each and then just go with your gut.

[tmp]

The best thing to do is wait until the last moment of the auction and slam a bid in that is the absolute highest you are willing to pay.

Having written that, I can tell you that for a lot of things, eBay is no longer the bargain it was 5 years ago. I see things that are ending up to be more than retail when you include the shipping and "handling".

[Sixty8panther]

Here's my dilemma. 

I REALLY want this item now.

170556[/snapback]

Pull the trigger and click "BUY IT NOW".

If you want it bad enough that's the right thing to do.

I just spent $54 on a big lot of license plates the

other day, got them in the mail today & I'm thrilled!

No buyers remorse what-so-ever!

The lot includes a few old dealer plates from mass,

which are ultra rare & even better:

1964 Y.O.M., 3-digit ANTIQUE plate.

That's going on the Super 88! Just think what it was on in 1964 though.

An Antique in 1964 would have been like a 1917 Stanley Steamer.