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

[kengillam]

You can always include a comment in your description that buyers can use the "Ask seller a question " to make an offer.

[paintinglemonjane]

On the basis of 'Best Offer that would seem to imply that people are listing items for inflated prices would it not, why not just start the listing at your 'BEST' price with a BIN for what you really want.

Touche Ken! Totally agree with you on that.

I really don't see the point in offering something at a start price and then accepting less for it in a best offer bid.

[paintinglemonjane]

Thank you for the poll. I voted "no" being a person from the coin and paper money category (closely related to collectables). The only reason some sellers would need a haggling option is that their items are so overpriced in the first place. I am making sales without a haggling option because I price items fairly. I realize there are some buyers who are much more inclined to buy if they think they can get a "bargain". When the majority of sellers overprice, it's not nearly as easy to recognize a bargain even when it stares you in the face. I think a haggling option would not be a benefit to this auction site. Saying that you accept lower offers without being asked simply screams to to potential buyer that your asking price is too high. At least where coins and paper money are concerned, there are publications with well-defined values for discrete items, and buyers know there is a minimum threshhold below which an offer could be deemed to be in bad faith. I'd rather not see this site become another eBay-wannabe.

Cheers,
Mark

Oh! so well said my good man. I agree with you totally.

[theweaverboy]

You can always include a comment in your description that buyers can use the "Ask seller a question " to make an offer.

Come now Ken how many would read fully that you would accept an offer in the listing, especially if they are crossing over from the other side.

If your listing is confusing them they just get mad. Hey not every has a 3 digit IQ, or knows how to read really all that well.

It is usually an "option", over there and so it shouldn't it be here?

Just an "option".

Heck I even said it could only be used in the "Gallery", or "Feature" listing options. And thus eBid would get money for other more advanced upgrades that it needs.

Ebid has been marketing its self as the best ALTERNATIVE, shouldn't they be?

Honestly they are afraid, heck we all are. What was good was turned to evil by CEO's who never sold anything anywhere in there lives.

I say this in pleading! Let us work together make a site that can be a hero in shining armor to the refugees.

The life blood of eBid is new members, and for those new members to attract others to the site.

So let us who have seen what an online eCommerce site can be show others... NO EARTH! The planet we are all from brothers and sisters.

I really wish we could all meet at a pub somewhere and talk. Share with each other our hopes, dreams, and fears. We all have them.

[terry5732]

I have used it elsewhere

It would absolutely need to have "automatically declines offers less than _____"

I doubt I would use it here

It does seem to turn on some buyers who think they talked you into a good deal

Currently any buyer can message a seller and propose a change to the listed price

A seller can solicit such proposals in their ad

[birdwatcher2008]

eBid is growing, and with growth comes change. Some here resist being like eb@y just for the sake of "resisting being like eb@y". We need to take what works from the other side and use it to our advantage here. There seems to be a lot of new members from the US, people looking for a new home, and eBid needs to cater to this change also. We need categories to suit the US members needs, and our lifestyle. Some things are just different here, and to get people to stay when stopping by to check us out, we need to conform. We also need to remember to be tactful in our requests.

[JudesNiceThings]

I voted 'no'. - I may be a stick-in-the-mud, but when I join something, I read all the T & Cs, and join because I approve and accept. I don't then expect whatever I joined to change all the time.
(IMHO this is why feebay is failing - because they kept adding changes all the time)

OK - so sites 'evolve' and 'improve' - but this should always be member-driven, and as far as I can see, there isn't a great drive for this addition.

[pique]

I'm not fussed either way although we have had people contact us and make us an offer on our perfume. The offers have been so low that we have always said no, but if it was close we might think about it.
Regards

[bykimbo]

I'm not sure about "member driven", I'd like to think that the guys in charge have a clue and can come up with a few wheezes themselves. I also don't think the forums realistically represent the majority of the membership, they're a vocal minority. There is no way of knowing what the majority want except by attempting to interpret results. I like that the management listen to forum members, but I certainly don't think they should make that the exclusive avenue for change.

What they need is a way of identifying what's stopping people from using ebid, either as buyers or sellers. Could the lack of "best offer/haggle" facilities be one cause? I think it deserves thought, at least. This isn't the first time the subject's been raised here, and unless the option is suddenly installed, it won't be the last. We know there's a major update in the wind... I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that "make an offer" of some sort was included in that.

[victorfrank]

.........

What they need is a way of identifying what's stopping people from using ebid, either as buyers or sellers. Could the lack of "best offer/haggle" facilities be one cause? I think it deserves thought, at least. This isn't the first time the subject's been raised here, and unless the option is suddenly installed, it won't be the last. We know there's a major update in the wind... I wouldn't be at all surprised to find out that "make an offer" of some sort was included in that.

It has certainly 'turned up' a few times in my short time here.

I just wish that one could express an opinion on something without an implication that if you want it you are a 'scammer' or if you don't want it, you are a Luddite.