How to get a buyer to accept an offer?

[blueladybugjodes]

Hey Community, 

I have sent collectively in excess of 100 offers to 'interested buyers'. I would have expected at least 1 person to take up an offer but I've had a 0% success rate. Percentages offered off average 30% off+ some even 40%. Not one taker. 

Is there anything I am perhaps doing wrong? As of right now, I am not going to send offers, because I feel it isn't time well spent if no one takes an offer. 

[siddieswans]

"eBay considers an interested buyer one who has not opted out of receiving offers and who also adds an item to a watch list or cart, or else views a listing more than once." You have 287 items for sale; if you have sent out over 100 offers, that means nearly 1 in 3 of your items has someone eligible for an offer. (I assume you meant over 100 offers for items, not over 100 offers to individuals.) I would think this is a great percentage, and I can't really think why you have not had people taking up your offers, especially as your % off is generous.

Do you send a personalised message with the offer? I don't rely on eBay's message - I say "Here's your chance to get this item at xx% off the listed price. If you are still interested please accept promptly as this offer only lasts for 48 hours and has been sent to others watching."

I send offers at least twice a year and do get a good response - I usually offer 25% off. When you say "I feel it isn't time well spent i" - it literally takes about 1 minute to click on Send Offers - eligible; then copy and paste my personalised message and hit Send. I also consider it a useful exercise because if someone receives it and is no longer interested in my item, they may be motivated to remove it from their cart/watch list, which gives me a better understanding of how many buyers are still interested in my items.

Apart from trotting out the old "there are many reasons why people put items on their Watch List", I'm afraid I can't offer any more useful advice. Hopefully others may be able to.

[sugar249]

You have the right item at the right price.

Maybe just maybe,  no one wants your items, even at the reduced price.  You cant force them to buy.  simple really.

It takes me about 36 seconds to send out offers on all of my items,  and I never offer more than 10% (mostly less),  if you are offering 30 to 40% off even you recognise that your items are over priced, or you wouldnt be giving that big a discount.

Generally I send them once a week, or whenever I can be bothered, which sometimes is a month,  last weeks lot I got 4 sales,  the week before zero.  

I think sending an offer reminds someone they looked at the item, or added it to their watchlist and they get the ''oh thats right I want that item feeling'' .  It works sometimes if get an offer

[sugar249]

PS.  I think some of your description are a bit lacking, 

[blueladybugjodes]

Hi, 

This is my assumption too, that my offer is not terrible and yet no uptake so why. I don't often do a personalized message but even when I have that has not resulted in an uptake of an offer.  I think I might go personalized on all offers I send from here on out and see if that improves my uptake. My only assumption can be that eBay isn't actually sending those offers to interested buyers or something.

[domino-710]

Please consider the ' climate ' - the last thing most need are s&p shakers.

[davewil1964]

EOFY sales

[siddieswans]

And yet the OP has sold approx 32 items in the last month - not shabby at all. Sometimes a bit of frivolity helps.

[sugar249]

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@domino-710 wrote:

Please consider the ' climate ' - the last thing most need are s&p shakers.

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oop's I had better go retrieve the ones I just sent off.  The climate isnt as bad as some make out,  still plenty of money around.

[davewil1964]

Depends on their average.

But the bottom line is accepting offers is a buyer prerogative, not something a seller can force influence.

So the answer to the OP's question is 'you can't'.