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How To Guarantee 90% of your Best Offers on Ebay will be declined

Offer fair market value based on recent completed auctions.

I generally offer the median price for the 3-4 most recent completed auctions (not BINs). I would say the offer gets accepted maybe 10% of the time.

Not whining, people can ask what they want for their cards, just my experience.

Comments

  • Auctions not buy it now price. Simple the answer is
  • detroitfan2detroitfan2 Posts: 3,337 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: bobmoat
    Auctions not buy it now price. Simple the answer is


    Exactly. If the seller wanted auction prices, the seller would not use buy-it-now.
  • BaltimoreYankeeBaltimoreYankee Posts: 3,025 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A lot of times, sellers use OBO to start a negotiation. If I'm making an offer on something I really want and am truly giving my best offer, I'll mention in a note that this is my true offer and may mention what similar items went for in past eBay sales. This tactic works quite often.
    Daniel
  • MeferMefer Posts: 1,162 ✭✭✭
    I too take it as a negotiation. Like buying a car, I don't go in "offering full sticker." I don't, on the other hand, make an "insult" offer either. I do expect a counter to be made by the seller-- what really surprises me is the number of times I get a decline with no counter. At that point I typically move on as the "I won't bid against myself" mentality kicks in. Still fun to chase and somethings you do get a good deal.

    Matt
  • Daniels method is the one I normally use. Now if they don't reply, then they probably felt I went too low but if they reply and tell me "thanks but we are on different pages", then at that point I'll ask them what is their price and then a little negotiation might begin at that point with 1 offer left to put on the table from me.
  • vintagefunvintagefun Posts: 1,974 ✭✭✭
    I do all the negotiating with myself before I make the offer, and thank them for the consideration either way. I don't like the counter-offer game.

    I'd say about 75% of my offers are accepted first time.

    52-90 All Sports, Mostly Topps, Mostly HOF, and some assorted wax.
  • 1957Braves1957Braves Posts: 318 ✭✭✭
    This is a frustrating approach. Many sellers ignore recent comps and feel their card is just a gift to the hobby from above and are insulted by reasonable offers.

    Another thing that gets under my skin is the "I can't sell it for that X, I bought it for 2X". How am I supposed to know what you paid for something? Also, what you paid for something is semi-irrelevant to what you are trying to sell it for.

    I don't begrudge anyone for trying to get the most you can for an item, but if you are offering something for sale, you must consider the current market for that item.
  • vols1vols1 Posts: 792 ✭✭✭
    A lot of people just aren't interested in selling. Sure they'll sell if you twist their arm and offer them more than they can replace it for, but they really don't care if they sell it or not.
  • doog71doog71 Posts: 405 ✭✭
    Originally posted by: BaltimoreYankee
    A lot of times, sellers use OBO to start a negotiation. If I'm making an offer on something I really want and am truly giving my best offer, I'll mention in a note that this is my true offer and may mention what similar items went for in past eBay sales. This tactic works quite often.


    I do try this method and am as courteous as possible, but you definitely have a better track record than I do.

    Interesting what others have mentioned on this thread, that some folks don't care one way or the other if they sell the card. I'm sure that's the case but why go to the effort to post it if you don't care one way or the other? Maybe willing to sell if they are blown away from the offer but otherwise no I suppose.
  • When I use the OBO I look at recent sales on average and try to use that as a starting point. Sometimes there is a counter offer and if it's fair I will agree. There are times, however, when the OBO doesn't exist. For example, I am collecting the 2009 Heritage American Presidents cards and there's a seller who offered 2 at 24.99 plus shipping. He touts how difficult they are to find and how expensive it can be to put a set together. Most of the cards can be found for about 5.00 plus shipping. I've been able to get all of the 33 cards I have at that price or less. I offer 15.00 for the three and it's turned down. Ok, then I went 16.00 and once again the offer was turned down. One of the cards is FDR and I thought that perhaps that one might be more popular so I offer 18.00 and once again the response was no. Hmm, there were some graded versions that were sold and except for a few that were more popular, they were in the $ 3-6 range. I guess he values them more that what I was willing to pay.



    Conversely I have sold some Heritage baseball sets with an OBO option and the sharks began to circle and bite. About a year or so ago I had a 2008 Heritage 1 - 720 set without the subsets, the Santana and Smoltz variations and it was combined with green and black backs. Not a master set, but not too far away either. I had it at $170 or OBO and received offers of less than $90; I was miffed to say the least. Yes, a potential buyer has the right to offer what they are willing to pay, but when it's that far off of the mark is insulting. I eventually got about $140, less than what I had hoped for, but I could live with it.



    One other variation of the OBO which happens on a rare occasion is when the best offer is above the initial asking price. It usually will state "I will be accepting the best offer above..." I wonder how many times that approach has worked?
  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭
    I find that most of my offers have been declined lately. I went back and got the prices of some of the cards I am buying for example

    Card A - Sales at $31, $39, 42, $31, 35 and $34. BIN/OBO Price set at $59.95, I offer $35 and am countered $55 with the message "Player X is going to be a beast this year"

    Card B - Sales at $61, $142, $91, $146 and $88. BIN/OBO Price set at $159.95, I offer $97, countered at $150>

    Card C - No sales as it is a #ed/5. Parallels to 25 of this card selling for $21, parallels to 10 selling for $35. Bin/OBO price is $129.95, I offer $80 (Which I feel is high) countered at $90. I dont buy.

    Just a few examples, but the problem I see is not that people are wanting too much for the cards, it is after all, their cards, the problem is that every now and then, they
    get the money they ask for and are willing to "sit it out" even with the higher prices.

    From a sellers standpoint, I try to price my BIN/BO near the high end of the range of previous sales and usually take the first offer near the average I get. I will not counter an offer of less
    than 50% of my BIN price as I feel it is pointless to negotiate someone lowballing that badly.

    Just my 2 cents
    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • steel75steel75 Posts: 1,604 ✭✭✭✭
    I call it "waiting for a sucker price". We see obvious examples of this all over Ebay. How else do you explain the scenario where 4 cards at a Psa 9 are close in price ($40-$50) and then there is one at $80. There is no way they don't see the others listed selling the SAME card at the SAME grade. If you truly want to sell, then you price it accordingly. If you are no hurry, then you sit back and wait........for a sucker.
    1970's Steelers, Vintage Indians
  • ElvisPElvisP Posts: 1,066 ✭✭✭
    Happened to me today. Avg. VCP was 89, highest paid in the last year+ $100 BIN. Listing was 200 OBO. Offered 100 came back at 175. I went up to 115 and stated the VCP prices, came back at 175 so I declined the offer. Why would I pay almost twice what the card is worth?
  • swartz1swartz1 Posts: 4,911 ✭✭✭
    I prefer to move the needle, why take what the last sold for?


    Looking for 1970 MLB Photostamps
    - uncut


    Positive Transactions - tennesseebanker, Ahmanfan, Donruss, Colebear, CDsNuts, rbdjr1, Downtown1974, yankeeno7, drewsef, mnolan, mrbud60, msassin, RipublicaninMass, AkbarClone, rustywilly, lsutigers1973, julen23 and nam812, plus many others...
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: swartz1
    I prefer to move the needle, why take what the last sold for?

    +1, or in many cases with what I'm selling set the needle.
  • miwlvrnmiwlvrn Posts: 4,266 ✭✭✭✭✭


    I will never be able to understand why as a seller anyone would list in the BIN/OBO format without also including setting some negotiation barriers with the auto-accept & auto-decline options. Using those options makes it better for all parties involved. Common sense wins.



  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,727 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: miwlvrn



    I will never be able to understand why as a seller anyone would list in the BIN/OBO format without also including setting some negotiation barriers with the auto-accept & auto-decline options. Using those options makes it better for all parties involved. Common sense wins.







    Auto decline I can understand, but you may be losing money if you set an auto accept that is lower than what someone else might be willing to pay. Personally, I leave it wide open. It's not like it's a chore to accept, decline or counter an offer.





    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • Last night there was a 2002 NAP Jeter on eBay for 12.99 OBO which I thought was overpriced and I offered 9.50 which was declined. This morning I saw the same card listed for 29.99 OBO. I checked to see if the 12.99 version had sold, which it hadn't. All I can say without resorting to an invective is "wow."
  • KbKardsKbKards Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭
    How To Guarantee 90% of your Best Offers on Ebay won't be necessary.

    Place bids in any of those recent auctions/sales you're so eager to point out to the current seller.
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: KbKards
    How To Guarantee 90% of your Best Offers on Ebay won't be necessary.

    Place bids in any of those recent auctions/sales you're so eager to point out to the current seller.

    image
  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭

    Card B - Sales at $61, $142, $91, $146 and $88. BIN/OBO Price set at $159.95, I offer $97, countered at $150>




    Just an update on this and a humorous one. After turning down my offer of $97, this card was listed in an auction and it got $71. A loss of over 25%.
    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • KbKardsKbKards Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭
    So did you buy it for $71, or will you be waiting for the next one to come up for $159.95 and again offer $97. An increased cost to you of over 36%.
  • fergie23fergie23 Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭✭
    If I make a reasonable best offer and a seller counters with what I consider a ridiculous offer I don't bother bidding if they end up listing the card for auction. In the mtcards example the BIN of $146 skews everything so I can't really blame the seller for the $150 counter. In that situation I would have bid on the auction with a max bid of $97.

    An example where I would not bid (occurred in the last year) is a BIN of $3499 for a card that normally sells in the $1200-$1300 range. I offered $1500, so a premium over all previous sales for a card that was not super rare, and was countered with $3000. When the card came up for auction I chose not to bid and it went for $1200 something. I eventually got the card later for less than $1500.

    Robb
  • mtcardsmtcards Posts: 3,340 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: KbKards
    So did you buy it for $71, or will you be waiting for the next one to come up for $159.95 and again offer $97. An increased cost to you of over 36%.



    Actually, neither. I own 7 of the #/25, know I wont get all of them anyway and chose not to bid on it at all. Not worried about the next one until it comes up
    IT IS ALWAYS CHEAPER TO NOT SELL ON EBAY
  • detroitfan2detroitfan2 Posts: 3,337 ✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: fergie23
    If I make a reasonable best offer and a seller counters with what I consider a ridiculous offer I don't bother bidding if they end up listing the card for auction. In the mtcards example the BIN of $146 skews everything so I can't really blame the seller for the $150 counter. In that situation I would have bid on the auction with a max bid of $97.

    An example where I would not bid (occurred in the last year) is a BIN of $3499 for a card that normally sells in the $1200-$1300 range. I offered $1500, so a premium over all previous sales for a card that was not super rare, and was countered with $3000. When the card came up for auction I chose not to bid and it went for $1200 something. I eventually got the card later for less than $1500.

    Robb


    Not picking on Robb here because several others have mentioned the same thing, but I am a bit surprised how many take the time to even attempt to deal with sellers who are so far out of touch with their prices. Never in my wildest dreams would I think anyone greedy enough to offer a $1200 card for $3499 would accept an offer of $1500, and to be honest I'm not sure I'd want to deal with such a person even if they did accept the offer (simply out of principle). I'm curious, has anyone actually successfully purchased something with an offer of 42% of the BIN price?
  • LarkinCollectorLarkinCollector Posts: 8,975 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: detroitfan2I'm curious, has anyone actually successfully purchased something with an offer of 42% of the BIN price?

    Yes, as low as 20-25%.
  • fergie23fergie23 Posts: 2,148 ✭✭✭✭
    Yes I have had success offering over recent prices for crazy BINs, sometimes within hours of the item hitting eBay. In the end $1500 wasn't even my highest final bid I would have gone to $1750, I hate having to wait for cards I want for my PC. I learned that you can't really offer your absolute best offer the first time with most sellers. Everyone seems to think they are Rick Harrison and always counter. I didn't use to do this but have had much more success having a better offer available after my initial one. I guess it is a human nature thing, sort of like how I don't immediately buy cards that have a BIN / Best Offer option even if the BIN is in the range I would pay for the card.

    Robb
  • prgsdwprgsdw Posts: 503 ✭✭✭✭
    I'm curious, has anyone actually successfully purchased something with an offer of 42% of the BIN price?




    Yes. Last week I was able to negotiate an item at a 84.5% discount to the BIN price. This was a very low pop, PSA 10 card of a hall of fame football player (non-rookie card).



    It never hurts to ask... image
  • There is a 2010 Topps Heritage color plate David Wright variation on eBay right now for 143.99. In my humble opinion it's not worth that much as a raw Jeter color plate variation last sold between 70 -100. I went ahead and offered 80, still too much but in a moment a weakness I decided to pay that only because I didn't want to wait. The seller countered with OBO of 100. While he did lower his price I still felt it too much to pay based on the original asking price. I turned it down with the hope that one day I can find it at a more acceptable price.











    Phil aka Tere1071



    Looking for 2009 Topps Heritage Baseball variations of Jeter, Pedroia, P. Martinez and Feliz

    2010 color plate variations of Sizemore, Sandoval, Happ, Jeter, Braun and Wright
  • MrNearMintMrNearMint Posts: 1,209 ✭✭✭
    Seller declined my $87 offer on a $100 BIN card. I though that was quite rediculous. Enough for me to actually contact them.

  • detroitfan2detroitfan2 Posts: 3,337 ✭✭✭✭
    Great feedback guys, you learn something everyday!

    -Tom
  • seablasterseablaster Posts: 188 ✭✭✭
    For what it's worth, I eventually bought a card for $150 that was listed as a $2000 BO/BIN.

    I originally made an offer of $155 which the seller declined without countering. Several weeks later, the seller contacted me and informed me that I was only one who had made an offer. They mentioned that if I wanted the card for my $150 offer, I could have it. I didn't feel the need to correct the seller in that my original offer was actually $155.

    My original offer price was what I felt the card was actually worth. I enjoyed it for several years and later sold it for a few bucks more than I had into it.
  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,727 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: seablaster

    For what it's worth, I eventually bought a card for $150 that was listed as a $2000 BO/BIN.



    I originally made an offer of $155 which the seller declined without countering. Several weeks later, the seller contacted me and informed me that I was only one who had made an offer. They mentioned that if I wanted the card for my $150 offer, I could have it. I didn't feel the need to correct the seller in that my original offer was actually $155.



    My original offer price was what I felt the card was actually worth. I enjoyed it for several years and later sold it for a few bucks more than I had into it.




    This is an good illustration as to why the percentage of the BIN price is useless as the BIN price can be either reasonable or ridiculous.


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • seablasterseablaster Posts: 188 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: grote15
    This is an good illustration as to why the percentage of the BIN price is useless as the BIN price can be either reasonable or ridiculous.


    Heh. And this whole time I thought it was due to my shrewd negotiation skills.

  • grote15grote15 Posts: 29,727 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: seablaster

    Originally posted by: grote15

    This is an good illustration as to why the percentage of the BIN price is useless as the BIN price can be either reasonable or ridiculous.




    Heh. And this whole time I thought it was due to my shrewd negotiation skills.







    I'm sure that was part of the equation in this case, too, lol..


    Collecting 1970s Topps baseball wax, rack and cello packs, as well as PCGS graded Half Cents, Large Cents, Two Cent pieces and Three Cent Silver pieces.
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    I do not like negotiating on anything in person which is why I like the sales model of companies like Carmax, but if there is a best offer option available on eBay I will place whatever I'm willing to pay for the item. Sometimes that number is low, sometimes it's pretty close to the asking price, however I am amazed at the percentage of sellers who do not even offer a counter and just go straight to decline. When this happens, I move on.



    I've never setup at a show, but If I did I wouldn't accept anything less than the sticker price UNLESS the buyer is interested in purchasing more than one item. I feel once you start bundling things up, you can do a better deal that works out for both parties. Maybe that's how a lot of eBay sellers feel?
  • MULLINS5MULLINS5 Posts: 4,517 ✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: UltimateSchmidt

    The point of a BIN with or without a best offer is to sidestep the landmines that come with the auction format.



    As such, with straight BINs, I expect to pay over the average auction sales price (if such real and fair data exists) for the option to purchase an item now without risk of getting outbid.



    When best offer comes into play I still expect to pay above average auction price, however, I have the added benefit of trying to negotiate a bigger deal if the seller has other items I'm also interested in.





    Agree 100% here.







  • PMKAYPMKAY Posts: 1,372 ✭✭
    From a seller's perspective. A few years ago I bought a collection and ended up with 2 modern Gordie Howe cards with a print run of 5. I had zero idea what to price them at so I put a price of 250 OBO to start with the intent of correcting it if I ever got a better idea of what I should be asking. Over a year later I got an offer of 150 for both. I had forgotten all about them - and quickly accepted the offer.
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