How about a "Best-Offer" or a "Haggle" option?

[theweaverboy]

Hoping to at least beat the number of voters flashing red 'R' poll;-)

[craig7501]

i think it would be a good idea to have a best offer option

[birdwatcher2008]

i think it would be a good idea to have a best offer option

I agree. It would definately increase sales, and who doesn't want sales?

[TiasTreasures]

First, I must say that I envy people who sell only items like stamps, coins, banknotes, and books, where pricing guides are easy to find or there are lots of identical items for sale on the internet so other sellers' asking prices are easy to find. We have some of these items, and there's no problem finding a fair price.

So, I'll repeat my original question on this thread. Can those of you who are dead set against the "Best Offer" option advise us how to price unique items, such as many of the inherited collectibles we are offering. We sold some very quickly for astonishingly high prices, probably priced them too low, and others are still sitting. Either the right buyer hasn't found us yet, or we're asking too much. We can't afford to subscribe to every pricing guide in the country when we sometimes have only one or two items in the category. If no one else is selling the same (or even a similar) item on the internet, we're stuck with making a wild guess.

The "Make an Offer" served us well on GreedBay. We got very few frivolous offers. People who collect unusual things have resources we don't, and sometime they pointed us to a site where we could see their offer was reasonable. When we did accept an offer, both the buyer and the seller were happy, and those buyers always left favorable feedback. If this were an option, we would use it here for perhaps 30 or 40 of our items. I also realize we could include a statement that we will consider offers in the description for these items, but if our asking price is totally out of line the buyer probably won't even bother to look.

So, what's your advice? Sit and wait until the right buyer comes along? Keep lowering our prices? If so, how long should we wait? Or just pull them off eBid and take them to a dealer where we know we'll get bottom dollar? This last choice would totally defeat the purpose of online selling, which I believe is the best way for the buyer to get a bargain (less than the dealer would charge) and the seller to get the best price (more than the dealer would pay). I don't understand why anyone feels it would hurt their own auctions, since they wouldn't be forced to use it.

[birdwatcher2008]

Well said, Tia. With the recession we are having, people are not spending money anywhere. Nearly 700,000 people were laid off or lost their jobs in February alone, in the US. People are looking for bargains, especially when money is tight. If someone can make an offer, then they are getting a bargain, in their eyes. It's exciting to get that "good deal", and someone makes a sale. With slow sales because money is so tight, "Best Offer" makes good sense. The more I think about it, the more I like this idea.

[Fossy]

Why is the big debate necessary? Peoples feelings should be settled in the poll results we dont really want to hear the whys and wherefor's or do's and dont's.
End of.............

[bykimbo]

Why is the big debate necessary? Peoples feelings should be settled in the poll results we dont really want to hear the whys and wherefor's or do's and dont's.
End of.............

Careful with that "we" Eugene.

[birdwatcher2008]

Why is the big debate necessary? Peoples feelings should be settled in the poll results we dont really want to hear the whys and wherefor's or do's and dont's.
End of.............

My thoughts would be that "we" want to convince Gazza and Mark that this would be good for sales, and to please implement this addition to the eBid site. If you don't want to hear the whys, etc., then don't enter and read the thread. That's what discussion forums are all about.

[theweaverboy]

My thoughts would be that "we" want to convince Gazza and Mark that this would be good for sales, and to please implement this addition to the eBid site. If you don't want to hear the whys, etc., then don't enter and read the thread. That's what discussion forums are all about.

Dido;-)

I just wish all members would stop by the forum to weight in on the subjects presented. There would be more of an honest consensus.

[kengillam]

And some just wish you'd give it a rest!