Ebay Best Offers Time Wasters

[Baby Mischief]

Hmmm, Im getting a bit puzzled reading all of this.. I have always been under the assumption that when a seller offers something with the BO option, they set the price a bit higher just too make room for offers. I always begin with an offer that is 50% of the BIN, hoping for an counter offer. I just love "the game" that follows! One time I made offers on 6-7 auctions from the same seller and she counter offered me on all of them. And then I counter offered her and so on. I ended up buying 6 of them, and I think she was as satisfied as I was. I love the BO option because I feel like Im in a market somewhere, sound stupid maybe..
Most times when Im on Ebay I set the options for BO auctions only, because I love the feeling of making an offer and then wait for the response. But half the time the seller just decline my offer without an counter offer and I have always find that weird, but reading this thread... Now Im just more confused..

[tulagirl]

Sorry that the thread was confusing, I think what has made this thread confusing as posts have not stayed on topic to my original post.  This may be my fault and I am talkative even online ROFLOL.  I wanted people to post if they had noticed this kind of problem as much as I have on ebay.  I appreciate the posts where people have actually told me they have had issues.  That is what I really wanted to know.  If it was only happening to me then it would have been a case of bad luck lol.  I did find out though that some others were dealing with it.  That information is very helpful to me.     I am glad to hear the sellers opinions as that has been interesting to note.
What you describe is something I never have experienced with offers, but that is really nice that your offers have worked so well for you for the most part.  To me that is a seller that is using their offer option the right way.  Yay for them.  Thats wonderful.

[Baby Mischief]

Sorry Tulagirl, what I meant that was confusing for me is that a lot of people does not seem to share my opinion of why one uses the BO option. I have noticed the problem and I always get really frustrated when a seller just decline my offer instead of making a counter offer, for me that tells me the seller does not understand the thought behind using the BO option. If you do not want offers, just have the BIN option!
On the other hand, I do understand the frustration when a seller only gets really low offers, but one can never know how high the bidder is ready to go if one do not make a counter offer..

[tulagirl]

Sorry Tulagirl, what I meant that was confusing for me is that a lot of people does not seem to share my opinion of why one uses the BO option. I have noticed the problem and I always get really frustrated when a seller just decline my offer instead of making a counter offer, for me that tells me the seller does not understand the thought behind using the BO option. If you do not want offers, just have the BIN option!
On the other hand, I do understand the frustration when a seller only gets really low offers, but one can never know how high the bidder is ready to go if one do not make a counter offer..

Yes, you and I are on the same page with how we see those things! I agree 100%.

[Dragonflitter]

It's also important to keep in mind what items are being sold. Some people just have tons of stuff they put up on ebay with a random price (or a price they'd like to get, and have an option open for Best Offers.

I like to buy old books on ebay (by 'old' I mean books from my childhood, not like books from the revolutionary war or something lol) and often I'll find BIN's with prices that are really too high for what I'd want to pay. I usually try to offer half of what they're asking (like if it's a lot they set for $40 before shipping, I offer $20) and many times I've had the seller take the offer! But if I offer $20 and they come back with $38, I'll just move on to another lot and not bother responding with a counter-offer, as they obviously aren't interested in really lowering their price for me.

[Thunderwing]

I wonder if buyers are putting in crazy low offers, in the hopes that a seller will accidentally click 'accept' instead of 'decline'.

[babylicketysplit]

ugh speaking off best offer time wasters...  i have been waiting on payment from one for 3 days now! no communication at all from them. and now i think i have to open a NPB    and i accepted an offer of 160 for a 200$ lot.

[tulagirl]

Yep add them to the long list of non paying bidders in every corner of ebay.