Buy It Now - Negotiable?

There are a couple stamps I was interested in that someone has listed as a Buy It Now. The prices seem high and there isn't a "Make An Offer" option. Has anyone ever asked a seller for a better price and was it successful? I suspect the ebay system isn't set up for such a thing or the question would get flagged. Thanks in advance.

I have offered a lower then asked for on occasion by just E-mailing the seller. I have had success!


Peter

I have had the same experience as Peter.

Most - but not all - sellers are open to REASONABLE offers. When doing so, remember that ebay and Paypal fees total 11-13% of the final sale price so there's a value below which the seller cannot or will not go. Ridiculously low-ball offers will probably not even be acknowledged and could get you permanently blocked by that seller.

If memory serves, sellers using the OBO option have the option to pre-set a lower limit on offers when they make the listing. If that's done, any offer submitted below that limit will be immediately rejected by ebay itself.

Go for it. If you have a fair offer the seller may say yes. If the stamps have been listed for some time this may also encourage the seller to accept your offer.

I have also had some success with a direct contact through ebay with a offer to buy when no Make Offer option is present. I think it's important to find a fair price and not insult the seller.

I like to do this when an item has not sold at the first listing.
Best results for me have been in the 70-80% range, but I have had counteroffers suggested by return e-mail as well.

For some higher dollar items (think $500-$1000), I have also seen instances where someone else has made and purchased the item with a Make Offer option when their offer was only in the 50% range, which made me wish I had tried that.

As others have said, try it. Nothing ventured; nothing gained.
Mike

I can only agree 100% with mml1942. Be polite, do not make an offer under 70% and see what happens.

I recently made an offer on 5 lots of 80% of the asking price and was amazed to receive a counteroffer of 50%, because they had been relisted many times and I was willing to buy all 5 lots.

I have sent them a question wondering if they would accept a lower price if the lot doesn't sell.

In one case I only wanted the high value in the set and I asked them if they would consider listing the high value as a single item. They did and I bought it.

It never hurts to ask.

Thanks everyone - I'll give it a whirl. I still wonder about the mechanics from the seller's side though. Do they end the listing then sell it to you outside of ebay's system? Or, in advance agreement with the seller, you pick Buy It Now at the full price to end the auction, then the seller sends you an invoice for your lesser offer?

The seller can make a counter offer from the ebay message form. Attempts to move transactions off ebay could lead to suspension of the buyer or seller.

Remember that the answer is always no if the question is never asked.

When I approach a seller about a purchase at a price lower than his auction start, and he responds positively, I generally suggest that he relist the item with a Buy-it-now price comparable to his previous auction start, and include the Make Offer option. As long as there are NO other bids, the seller can close his current listing with no penalty, and re-list to your mutual advantage.

I then execute my Buy-it-now immediately.

On at least one occasion early in my experimenting with this approach, the item was relisted at our lower agreed upon price, but before I could jump in with a bid, someone else beat me to it. This approach gives one a little breathing room just in case someone else is watching.

I have also proposed a bulk purchase of several items from the same seller and had some success as well.

You just have to try. Remember, "Tis better to have loved and lost, than spend the whole weekend back in the dorm studying"

Mike

As my Mom used to say, "It never hurts to ask, dear." I think this was about asking out pretty girls. But it works for stamps, too, and I've done it. Why would anybody not? The sellers want to sell, so the buyers need to speak up.

This is how I handle it as well. I first politely ask if they are "willing to entertain offers", and ONLY if I receive a reply in the affirmative do I then make an offer. Sending offers unsolicited is not likely to be reacted to positively, as a general rule.




I *NEVER* do this as I personally find it offensive, and I if I receive inquiries framed like this I'm likely to ignore them. My "best price" is what I listed the item for unless you wish to make an offer. That's how "offers" work. You make an "offer" and I will decide whether to accept, decline, or counter. Additionally, on the few times I have responded to questions like this early on in my tenure, the buyer would frequently come back with a counter offer below my "best price". It's a way for buyers to try and get a lowering of the price before having to actually make an offer. I loathe it.