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@shoppingbag* wrote:

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I have tried to be tolerable of univited offers which I have received four of them today, asking for 15% to 20% and one 25% off already cheap prices which I am already losing money on. So I agreed to three of them, (just want to get stuff moving out of my overcrowded house) One never got back, the other haggled about postage costs for the two discounted items, messaged back and forth, do I take direct deposit, how much for combined postage, and then, "I'll let you know" I am not responding to that because I may not be able to continue to be polite. I don't know how long she expects me to keep the offer open. In future, I will just be telling them "this is a fixed price listing and offers have not been invited" On the flip side, I did ask a seller recently if the price was at all negotiable, as I had noticed most of her listings invited offers but not the one I was looking at.

Normally I would not ask, and did not think it right to put an $ offer, but just to ask was it negotiable. She ended up giving me a 10% discount, but I let her tell me if she would and how much, not the other way around.

 

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I am not surprised. People who have the front to make an unsolicited offer and specify the exact amount etc are probably not going to have any problem with haggling about postage etc as well, especially if they are buying 2 items. They will be after combined postage.

One thing-if a buyer asks if you take bank deposit, I'd be saying yes. It's a win for you if they do, no paypal fees plus they have no proof of payment so the chances of them being able to give you too much trouble are lessened.

I seem to recall someone on this forum a while back showed us an ebay instructional type statement somewhere, where it seemed to imply that buyers were welcome to make offers. It practically encouraged them to do so. I guess if people see that, then you can sort of understand why some buyers think it is fine. Because I have been on ebay a while, I have always tended to think the price is the price and would not make an offer unless the ad had 'make an offer' specified, but like you, if I thought it might be welcome I would ask and let the seller take it from there with yes/no and if yes, how much etc

If you do decide to answer unsolicited offers, maybe assess them one by one. If they are offering less than 50% just ignore but if they are offering almost ball park, perhaps make a counter offer instead of just accepting it. And put in the message that the offer is good for 48 hours or whatever.