Since I know a lot of you are sellers, I wanted to get your opinion on something.

 

I spend way too much time on Ebay and sometimes I will see a listing that is priced by someone who obviously doesn't know what the item is really worth in its condition or just doesn't sell a lot of Lego. It is a buy it now or auction with a starting bid that will never sell.

 

Once the auction ends once or twice (or BIN) without anyone even sniffing at it, I email the seller and say something like:

 

"I am very interested in your item... I would buy it right now if you list it for (xxx). Here are a couple of similar sold listings showing this is a fair price -- listings, etc. "

 

I have gotten sales from this several times and managed to get good deals. This especially works when someone is selling a really valuable set with missing pieces or something of that nature and its hard to price at that point not being complete.

 

However, a lot of the time I get really angry sellers who say I am trying to undercut them and they will block me if I don't leave them alone. I never low ball and generally only send one idle very polite message.

 

So my question - would this action irritate you? I never do it during an auction thats going on, only after an item has sat for a while without selling. I want to see if I am missing some social rule that a lot of others know.

 

 

Some sellers hate it, some don't mind, some like it.

 

You will end up on a fair number of blocked lists, so you have to decide if it's worth the grief.

 

Also, eBay has an actual rule against making offers on listings where no best offer function is enabled. If you get reported, you may get slapped for it. I don't know for sure if it applies to ended listings, but I can't find the rule at the moment in the morass of eBay un"help" pages (they have the WORST system for "you can and you can't" - it's a wonder any of us ever manage to follow any of the rules.)

 

I find most of the offers of this type a waste of my time - I have a macro "Thank you for your offer, but this is our best price at this time" but it's still 30 or 40 seconds per to read and respond and with 4,000+ listings I get a fair number of these per week.

 

Sometimes, though, the buyer is actually offering something that will work for me, "If I buy 20 of these, can I get any kind of discount" type emails are welcome and I've made some good deals that way.

 

Bottom line, your sort of email wouldn't bother me, but I am almost always willing to hold out for a higher price (I am typically high-average or higher in pricing) for a pretty long time. At .05 cents/listing per month at my level, I don't drop the price on much before it's a year or 18 months old (outside the occasional markdown manager sales for reindexing or when my cash flow isn't behaving).

When I list an item on eBay it's always "Buy It Now" with "Best offer" rather than an auction.  This way you can sell quickly at a price you're happy with without waiting for an auction to end.  Also, listing fees are cheaper and you can list multiples of the same item too. When I buy, I keep an eye out for listing/pricing errors in my favour when looking through "Newly Listed" items.

eBay is huge. Unless you have unlimited buying funds, I personally wouldn't waste my time. Always something else legit coming down the pike next.

Another eBay member helped me to find the rule in question:

 

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/best-offer.html

 

It's third from the end in the "other terms" section of the page:

 

• If the Make Offer button doesn't appear in the listing, the seller isn't interested in receiving offers and you shouldn't try to contact this seller to negotiate price or terms. Doing so violates our offers to buy or sell outside of eBay policy.

 

(I know you're not trying to buy outside of eBay, but it falls under that general set of rules anyway.)

Another eBay member helped me to find the rule in question:

 

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/best-offer.html

 

It's third from the end in the "other terms" section of the page:

 

• If the Make Offer button doesn't appear in the listing, the seller isn't interested in receiving offers and you shouldn't try to contact this seller to negotiate price or terms. Doing so violates our offers to buy or sell outside of eBay policy.

 

(I know you're not trying to buy outside of eBay, but it falls under that general set of rules anyway.)

 

Hmm it doesn't specify after the item has ended from what I can tell.

I would ignore you and move on, unless you are asking for reasonable quantity discounts

I never mind inquires on listing that didn't sell, sometimes help to get them buy one or two other minifigs. No additional shipping cost motivates a couple more sales. Kinda the idea of "I wasn't going to pick up such&such but since I'm here" 

I feel annoyed when people message me to tell me what a "fair" price is.  But I respond politely with something like, "Thank you so very much for your message, but this is the best price I can offer." 

 

(If read aloud, the "thank you so very much for your message" part would be read in a Condescening Wonka voice.)

I haven't found much at all about ebay that doesn't annoy me.  Paypal inclusive.

 

Bring on the BP Classified.

I feel annoyed when people message me to tell me what a "fair" price is.  But I respond politely with something like, "Thank you so very much for your message, but this is the best price I can offer." 

 

(If read aloud, the "thank you so very much for your message" part would be read in a Condescening Wonka voice.)

 

Probably because you do your homework. A lot of people don't or clearly didn't take the time. So I do their work for them. Also I word it so that I am saying "I am not trying low ball you"

I haven't found much at all about ebay that doesn't annoy me. Paypal inclusive.

Bring on the BP Classified.

I look forward to the classifieds too, but from the sounds of things I'll be expecting a lot of these "would you take $xxx.xx instead?" Messages.

I don't mind, but if it's some stupid proposal (people don't think of LEGO Shop at Home cost and ebay-paypal fees) I would just ignore it.

I don't mind, but if it's some stupid proposal (people don't think of LEGO Shop at Home cost and ebay-paypal fees) I would just ignore it.

 

And thats understandable. I never low ball people. More when at 15% off they are in the ball park and they don't have to relist it waiting for it to end, etc.

 

Some people just immediately get irritated. As a seller, I get stuff like these and I appreciate them because I can answer right on my phone and sometimes its an easy sell.

Another eBay member helped me to find the rule in question:

 

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/best-offer.html

 

It's third from the end in the "other terms" section of the page:

 

• If the Make Offer button doesn't appear in the listing, the seller isn't interested in receiving offers and you shouldn't try to contact this seller to negotiate price or terms. Doing so violates our offers to buy or sell outside of eBay policy.

 

(I know you're not trying to buy outside of eBay, but it falls under that general set of rules anyway.)

Good advice.  While you may not respect the sellers prices, respect their privacy.

And thats understandable. I never low ball people. More when at 15% off they are in the ball park and they don't have to relist it waiting for it to end, etc.

 

 

If you're only looking at 15%, that's not what you wrote in your OP: "I will see a listing that is priced by someone who obviously doesn't know what the item is really worth in its condition or just doesn't sell a lot of Lego. It is a buy it now or auction with a starting bid that will never sell."

 

15% above what you think it should be priced at is something that can and often does most definitely sell on eBay all the time. When you get to 200% 300% etc., then it's a different ballgame, but I still wouldn't be making offers to those sellers, I'd just move on to another deal.

If you're only looking at 15%, that's not what you wrote in your OP: "I will see a listing that is priced by someone who obviously doesn't know what the item is really worth in its condition or just doesn't sell a lot of Lego. It is a buy it now or auction with a starting bid that will never sell."

 

15% above what you think it should be priced at is something that can and often does most definitely sell on eBay all the time. When you get to 200% 300% etc., then it's a different ballgame, but I still wouldn't be making offers to those sellers, I'd just move on to another deal.

 

That depends on what the item is. If it is incomplete, missing figures, etc., 15% makes a big difference and it won't sell. Especially on bigger items. If you find a UCS Tie Interceptor missing 100 pieces used, pricing it at $190 isn't ever going to sell - pricing it at $175 you will probably get bites.

I look forward to the classifieds too, but from the sounds of things I'll be expecting a lot of these "would you take $xxx.xx instead?" Messages.

 

I can see more of this type of PMs:  "Hey Mos_Eisley old pal, would you give fellow BP-er a 35% discounts on item X ?"

I'm afraid you're totally wrong. :-) A $15 difference is NOT going to make the difference in a sale or no-sale on a $150+ item. Yes, the cheaper MIGHT sell faster, but I get much more than 15% above the lower priced offerings of others, on items I sell on eBay - books and Legos - every day of the week.

 

Some people just buy the first "okay price" one they see, some people have such a wide search parameter that too many options come up and they buy off the first page of best match, etc.

 

I have books that don't sell for 15 months and then sell every copy I have at full price.

 

Edited: Sorry, a post got in between and I forgot to quote - This was in response to DoNot, not Darth.

It's going to depend on the person. For instance, we run our own local store and people do stuff like all the time... "I'll give you this amount for this or "How much will you take for this", etc. I think a lot of the response comes from HOW you ask the question, which is difficult to gauge online obviously but I would avoid comparing the item to other sold listings if at all possible.

 

If you phrased it to include something about you've noticed the item on sale for a certain amount of time and it hasn't sold, then I would never get frustrated with you asking because the price is obviously skewed and not marketable.

 

I think the biggest problem is many people (including a lot on here) get affronted if they think you are talking down to them by telling them how to price an item, what it should go for, what they should be doing, etc. Sad, but that's the way it is. Like someone else else, better to just move on and search through other listings.

 

I have a feeling that if we get the BP Classifieds, a lot more of these complaints will arise between people here.

It is going to be interesting to see how the BP Classifieds social structure pans out. No worries, though, I have my "thank you for your offer, but this is our best price at this time" macro at the ready.   Hopefully I won't have to add, "Bless your heart." at the end of that. 

I'm afraid you're totally wrong. :-) A $15 difference is NOT going to make the difference in a sale or no-sale on a $150+ item. Yes, the cheaper MIGHT sell faster, but I get much more than 15% above the lower priced offerings of others, on items I sell on eBay - books and Legos - every day of the week.

 

Some people just buy the first "okay price" one they see, some people have such a wide search parameter that too many options come up and they buy off the first page of best match, etc.

 

I have books that don't sell for 15 months and then sell every copy I have at full price.

 

Edited: Sorry, a post got in between and I forgot to quote - This was in response to DoNot, not Darth.

 

I would disagree - you are thinking as a seller who waits 15 months to sell something. Most people aren't like you. If something of mine hasn't sold in 30 days, I usually 99 cent auction it. Especially someone new to Ebay selling, who I am talking about, isn't going to get their price unless they let is sit for that long which they wont do. I watch it happen all the time - they just end up pulling down the auction and keeping it. I am meerly offering to them the chance to sell it now for a bit below their price.

 

Your 15-18 month posts on Ebay are admirable, but most people are willing to take less to not have to have a listing up for that amount. I would say you are an Ebay 1%er for sure in that regard.

For me, it would really depend on the item and the price.

 

I just had some lady tell me I was stupid this morning because I wouldn't take her best offer that was "only" 50 cents off. Only problem was it was a minifig I was selling for $3 with free shipping, so 50 cents is like all of the money I'm getting.

 

I really just wanted to ask her, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO JUST PAY MY ASKING PRICE IF 50 CENTS ISN'T A BIG DEAL TO YOU?

I would disagree - you are thinking as a seller who waits 15 months to sell something. Most people aren't like you. If something of mine hasn't sold in 30 days, I usually 99 cent auction it. Especially someone new to Ebay selling, who I am talking about, isn't going to get their price unless they let is sit for that long which they wont do. I watch it happen all the time - they just end up pulling down the auction and keeping it. I am meerly offering to them the chance to sell it now for a bit below their price.

 

Your 15-18 month posts on Ebay are admirable, but most people are willing to take less to not have to have a listing up for that amount. I would say you are an Ebay 1%er for sure in that regard.

 

What's the explanation for the stuff I have up there for more than 15% above my competitors that sells in a day? A couple days? A week? Happens all the time, too.

 

Not everyone is shopping for rock-bottom price. Luck, reputation, listing quality, finding more than one item wanted from the same store, where someone will ship to, shipping options, and more all play a part that can easily make up for far more than 15% price difference.

 

15 or 18 months isn't the normal selling period for me, either, it was just an example of one of the things that can happen on a marketplace as large and diverse as eBay.

 

"Never going to sell" is a false statement when it applies to a 15% difference. If you really want the last word on that, take it, but I've been selling on eBay for nearly 16 years now and I have the stats and experience to know that I'm absolutely right on that.

For me, it would really depend on the item and the price.

 

I just had some lady tell me I was stupid this morning because I wouldn't take her best offer that was "only" 50 cents off. Only problem was it was a minifig I was selling for $3 with free shipping, so 50 cents is like all of the money I'm getting.

 

I really just wanted to ask her, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO JUST PAY MY ASKING PRICE IF 50 CENTS ISN'T A BIG DEAL TO YOU?

 

This is something I never understand - although  thats why I dont put best offer on them - people that offer you less than 3$. Shipping First Class USPS is $1.69 and ebay and paypal take another $.40. So you are making a dollar - your packing and time to put it in the mail. I don't think you can really sell something for less unless you have shipping discounts or something of that nature.

For me, it would really depend on the item and the price.

 

I just had some lady tell me I was stupid this morning because I wouldn't take her best offer that was "only" 50 cents off. Only problem was it was a minifig I was selling for $3 with free shipping, so 50 cents is like all of the money I'm getting.

 

I really just wanted to ask her, WHY IS IT SO HARD TO JUST PAY MY ASKING PRICE IF 50 CENTS ISN'T A BIG DEAL TO YOU?

 

Sometimes they are looking for sellers who can't do math. ;-) Sometimes they just don't know about all the fees, what shipping really costs, etc.

 

I would urge you to rethink those $3 sales - unless it's a "set it and forget it" easy to pack repeatable and you have lots of them, it really isn't worth your time for those .50 cent profits. Bundle it with something similar and you'll make more money on the listing for less work.