changes to best offer

[windy01]

I list all my sale items on a buy it now or best office basis. Recently there have been changes whereby buyers can choose how long a seller has to accept / reject their best offer. These time limits are down to 12 hours. Thus, unless I, as a seller, access my site say every 11 hours or so, I risk losing potential best offers. Thus, effectively I have to be available 24 hours a day every day. Gone are the days when I can access my computer every 24 hours or so and respond to any best offers. Now potential buyers call the tune. I can't even take Sundays off without risking loss of sales. For me, as a part time but long established successful seller , this is totally unacceptable. What do you think??????. The old system of 48 hours both ways worked well . I want a life outside of ebay and I simply cannot have that under these new changes.   Cheers,......Bob

[*tippy*toes*]

Can you set up an auto accept auto decine thing? For example if you have an item listed for $20, but you're happy to accept $18, then set it to auto accept any offer over $18. You can also set so that any offers below a certain amoun, e.g $15, you can auto reject it. Buyer gets an immediate answer and you don't have to stayed glued to your computer 24/7.

[davewil1964]

2, 776 items listed and you can't check eBay twice a day?

First world problem

[springyzone]

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@windy01 wrote:

I list all my sale items on a buy it now or best office basis. Recently there have been changes whereby buyers can choose how long a seller has to accept / reject their best offer. These time limits are down to 12 hours. Thus, unless I, as a seller, access my site say every 11 hours or so, I risk losing potential best offers. Thus, effectively I have to be available 24 hours a day every day. Gone are the days when I can access my computer every 24 hours or so and respond to any best offers. Now potential buyers call the tune. I can't even take Sundays off without risking loss of sales. For me, as a part time but long established successful seller , this is totally unacceptable. What do you think??????. The old system of 48 hours both ways worked well . I want a life outside of ebay and I simply cannot have that under these new changes.   Cheers,......Bob

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I think as Tippy Toes said-why on earth can't you set up the auto accept/decline option? You should be able to work out what offers are just not acceptable, so if you set things up, you won't have to hassle yourself with extra work or put yourself under pressure to be online 24/7.

And I can promise you, your potential buyers will love the instant information.

48 hours might work for you but it doesn't work both ways, i can tell you that for sure, as a buyer.

I'm not an overly impatient person (usually) and often I am not bidding on something I absolutely have to have yesterday or anything. But 48 hours is too long to have to wait. I found that what was happening with me (and probably your other buyers) is that when I search for something, I see a few options, and when I make an offer, I want to hear back asap because sometimes there is another one similar that I have my eye on and I want to bid on that if my offer on the first thing is going to be rejected. 

I don't want to spend too much time hanging in limbo. I actually hate it when an offer goes 'into consideration'. I prefer a yes or no answer on the spot.

48 hours may have been okay in the more leisurely past, but if it frustrates me, you can bet your bottom dollar it is beyond the understanding of the millenials. They are the oens with phones almost soldered to their ears and who can't understand why a person wouldn't have emails, messages, facebook notifications and what have you automatically pinging to their ears for an immediate response. Believe me, these people exist, I have come across them.

So your best bet is auto accept decline & you can have a peaceful life.

Or else hop online twice a day, maybe morning & evening. I know which I'd choose.

[eol-products]

If you are not using the ebay app on your phone I suggest looking into it as I found it to be one of the best time savers when it came to managing offers and questions. I find if an offer comes in it only takes a few minutes of my time and does not leave a buyer waiting which I would imagine would annoy some buyers.

[wide-world-of-stamps]

Good suggestion, but perhaps, like us, the OP doesn't have a smart phone.

[eol-products]

Considering you can purchase a smart phone for under $20 and a phone plan for $10 a month it saves time when checking for updates on sales and messages. I have made many sales answering messages straight away while not at home. 

[wide-world-of-stamps]

We aren't in a mobile coverage area, so the phone would only be of use to us when were out or away.

When we go away we take our laptop and a mobile internet dongle.

When we're out, it's usually only for a couple of hours and we're on the internet several times a day at home.

For us it's an unnecessary expense.

[collect247]

Smart phone under $20 really where?

[lyndal1838]

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@eol-products wrote:

Considering you can purchase a smart phone for under $20 and a phone plan for $10 a month it saves time when checking for updates on sales and messages. I have made many sales answering messages straight away while not at home. 

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Cost is immaterial to me.....I do not want or need a smart phone as I spend 90%+ of my time at home within easy reach of my landline and laptop.

My first mobile was bought 15 years ago when my father was in a nursing home and I did need to be easily contactable.  I keep it for convenience now but if I was to lose my $30 for 6 months prepaid plan I would probably get rid of the phone too.