This bloke won't haggle!

[BigBluez]

Pet peeve. A bass (or whatever, really) is listed for sale with a price and "or best offer". Let's say it's listed for $700, and I offer $600. Then the seller declines my offer without making a counter offer. So I try again... I offer $650. Again, the seller declines without a counter offer. Really??? Why even bother listing as "or best offer"? Just make it a firm price! UGH. Drives me nuts, and it happens surprisingly often.

 

[LBS-bass]

Pet peeve. A bass (or whatever, really) is listed for sale with a price and "or best offer". Let's say it's listed for $700, and I offer $600. Then the seller declines my offer without making a counter offer. So I try again... I offer $650. Again, the seller declines without a counter offer. Really??? Why even bother listing as "or best offer"? Just make it a firm price! UGH. Drives me nuts, and it happens surprisingly often.

Best offer means best offer, not first offer. You don't know what the best offer is until you have all offers. He might get back to you later.

 

[BigBluez]

Best offer means best offer. You don't know what the best offer is until you have all offers. He might get back to you later.

Huh. But it doesn't really make sense in real time... If my offer is declined, it's gone. The seller will then, what?, message me to make the offer again later? That's really not how the feature is designed on eBay or Reverb. But maybe that's how some people are thinking of it. I should have added that it would be "buy it now" for $700. So If I offer $650, they should either accept it, OR counter $675... Or just leave it at "buy it now" with no "or best offer" option.

 

[LBS-bass]

Huh. But it doesn't really make sense in real time... If my offer is declined, it's gone. The seller will then, what?, message me to make the offer again later? That's really not how the feature is designed on eBay or Reverb. But maybe that's how some people are thinking of it.

Could be. I haven't sold anything on ebay for a while so not sure what mechanisms there are for handling that. But you could always offer again later if it isn't sold.

 

[MisterFabulous]

Does this seller have lots of stuff for sale, is it a business? Or is it someone just selling some personal items? You first offered 14.28% off asking, not bad. But more of a discount than the seller had in mind. You then cut the discount in half, to 7.14%. And no response. An offer inside of 10% off asking is a real offer, in my opinion, so maybe the seller is not yet ready to do business yet. Some sellers are not experienced with eBay and would not think to counter a realistic offer. Some don't even log into eBay except to list and check out.

 

[dalkowski]

Best offer means best offer, not first offer. You don't know what the best offer is until you have all offers. He might get back to you later.

This. It is in no way incumbent on the seller to make a counter offer, certainly not immediately. (I speak from my experience on CL; I too am unfamiliar with ebay mechanisms for such situations.)

Just because I'm open to offers doesn't mean I won't hold out for my asking price if I'm in no hurry to sell.

 

[BigBluez]

Does this seller have lots of stuff for sale, is it a business? Or is it someone just selling some personal items? You first offered 14.28% off asking, not bad. But more of a discount than the seller had in mind. You then cut the discount in half, to 7.14%. And no response. An offer inside of 10% off asking is a real offer, in my opinion, so maybe the seller is not yet ready to do business yet. Some sellers are not experienced with eBay and would not think to counter a realistic offer. Some don't even log into eBay except to list and check out.

That could be. Sometimes it's a business, but often it's a personal sale.

This. It is in no way incumbent on the seller to make a counter offer, certainly not immediately. (I speak from my experience on CL; I'm also not familiar with ebay mechanisms for such situations.)

I know the seller isn't obligated to make a counter offer... it just seems silly not to. If you don't want to haggle, then just set the price as fixed, or for biding (with no "or best offer" option).

 

[James Collins]

It isn't beat offer the seller receives. The websites are designed as best offer from the buyer. So if it's $700 and my best offer is $600 and it gets declined, it is what it is.

The better question is if your best offer was $650, why did you offer $600. Likewise, your best offer isn't even $650 because you want a counteroffer.

There are a lot of reasons the seller might decline and not make a counter offer. One is that the bass hasn't been for sale long enough and he thinks it can still go for $700 and isn't in need of an immediate sale.

I wouldn't lose sleep over this or post about it personally.

 

[Gorn]

Maybe he'll settle for $675. Or $690. Adding a best offer option increases the bites he'll get so why not put it there? He has nothing to lose by selecting the option.

 

[Slevage]

Best offer means best offer to the sellers satisfaction, there is no obligation to sell.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Huh. But it doesn't really make sense in real time... If my offer is declined, it's gone. The seller will then, what?, message me to make the offer again later? That's really not how the feature is designed on eBay or Reverb. But maybe that's how some people are thinking of it. I should have added that it would be "buy it now" for $700. So If I offer $650, they should either accept it, OR counter $675... Or just leave it at "buy it now" with no "or best offer" option.

If you offer $699, he might take it.

 

[MCS4]

Best offer means best offer, not first offer. You don't know what the best offer is until you have all offers. He might get back to you later.

+1. If I see "or best offer" I typically expect there is the good chance the seller will wait at least a little while to see if they get a full price offer (or an offer close enough that they are willing to accept immediately) before haggling.

 

[gln1955]

The way the market is now, maybe $700 is the opening bid. He's looking for the best offer over that.

 

[red_rhino]

"Best offer" could also be >$700 if the buyer really really wants it. (Have you seen the listing vs sale price in CA real estate lately?)

Sounds like the seller believes they'll get a full-price offer. Also, not countering is actually a great negotiation tactic.

 

[Raw N Low]

Pet peeve. A bass (or whatever, really) is listed for sale with a price and "or best offer". Let's say it's listed for $700, and I offer $600. Then the seller declines my offer without making a counter offer. So I try again... I offer $650. Again, the seller declines without a counter offer. Really??? Why even bother listing as "or best offer"? Just make it a firm price! UGH. Drives me nuts, and it happens surprisingly often.

Probably an inexperienced seller that checked the "best offer" box when they set up the ad. Usually, a seller would hold on to the offer and message the buyer back with a counter if they felt the offer was serious. Offers have a time limit -- so sellers aren't obligated to rush into or honor a first-come, first-serve response.

Another thing to factor in is shipping. If a local buyer is offering the same price ($650 over $700) and can pick it up locally, then it would make sense to spare the cost and hassle of shipping out an instrument and having to worry about returns and other gremlins.

Edit: You might have to ask yourself if the item is worth the initial asking price. There's no shame in sending a message to the seller asking why your offer was declined. It could shed some light on things that weren't listed in the description. (I.E. - repairs, special order, trade, financial hardship, etc.)

 

[LBS-bass]

"Best offer" could also be >$700 if the buyer really really wants it. (Have you seen the listing vs sale price in CA real estate lately?)

Yes, for me "best offer" is only resorted to if I absolutely cannot get my asking price. And you're right that if an article is desirable enough, offers over the asking price could come in. Whether that's a reasonable expectation would depend on whether the $700 is a buy it now price or an auction initial bid price. If it's buy it now, all you have to do is buy it.

 

[Indiana Mike]

Depends on how long its been for sale.

If it's newly listed it's early to take a lower offer.

 

[BigBluez]

I do realize that there's obviously no obligation to take my offer. I guess to me, if someone makes a reasonable-ish offer, I'd counter it (haggle). Why not? The person is a "live one" or they wouldn't have made an offer. Naturally, if they're in no hurry, they'll hold out. But these are "buy now" listings with "or best offer" option... so I'd think they're trying to sell faster, versus listing an item for bid. When I see "or best offer" along with "buy it now", it feels like an opening to haggle. I'm learning that others don't see it that way. That's cool.

....

I wouldn't lose sleep over this or post about it personally.

Don't worry, James, I'm not losing sleep! I don't think it was inherently wrong to post about it. Isn't this a discussion forum? Oh well.

 

[Manticore]

I'm afraid I'm at a loss to explain why anyone would be peeved about this scenario. The seller may be letting people know they aren't obligated to sell at the list price if someone offers more. Step back, take a breath and realize the possibility of alternate perspectives.

 

[Dynomuttasaurus]

I had one of these on Reverb and felt the same frustration.

After my third offer was immediately dismissed without a counter - and by this time I was only asking for something like 5% off - I messaged the seller asking just what it would take. Their response was that the price listed was firm. I asked why they where taking offers, and they responded that they weren't. This person didn't even know that the "Make an Offer" options was live on the item they were selling. Which is doubly weird considering they had received multiple offers.

At some point you realize some people aren't worth dealing with no matter how seductive the item. Do I trust this person is smart enough to maintain their equipment or safely ship to me if they can't even competently manage a simple online sale?