What's the point of eBay's best offer if the seller won't budge?

I'd imagine that sellers on eBay who put up their goods on a "best offer" basis look at more than just the offere being tendered and look at who's making the offer.

I'd be taking into account, the guy's feedback and location as well as the offer amount being tendered. Basically, I'd be balancing money v hassle. Accepting slightly more money won't be much of an attractive proposition if selling to that buyer means I have to work/pay extra on the postage & packing. For example, I might prefer offers from local people.

As to subsequently buying an equivalent item for more as an attempt to "show" the previous seller? I really don't think they'd be interested in looking at what people would buy if their offer was rejected...

Mk1Racer wrote in post #7811128
I think you've got bigger issues than the OP. "A slap in the face"? Not sure why you think the seller would spend the effort to 'personalize' it like that. And honestly, what's a "slap in the face" is "F-you, I'm going to spend more than you were asking w/ someone else, because you wouldn't go w/ my offer."

And what's 'weak' and 'lame' is the way you whine about this. Bottom line is, the seller sets the price. Most people have a value they place on something, which determines how much they're willing to pay, before going in. Obviously the OP was wililng to pay $140 for the bag, because that's what he paid, even though he could have got it for $130. You seem to think that because someone says OBO or ONRO, that if you don't get some significant reduction in the original asking price, you're leaving money on the table. If you can get it for a price you're willing to pay, why sweat it?

I know some people enjoy the game of negotiation. I personally don't. Sure, I will negotiate on things, but I'm much more of a "Let's cut to the chase, what's the bottom line?" kind of guy. I absolutely loathe the new car buying process where you have to spend all kinds of time and effort negotiating the price. Last couple of cars I've bought have been "What's the best deal you can give me on it?" or "This is what I want and this is what I'm willing to pay, will that work?" And believe me, I've walked away from plenty of deals. Because in the end, the price wasn't what I wanted to pay. But I can't think of one time when I've ever gotten mad at a seller because they wouldn't move on the price.

My point exactly, how can a buyer get upset?

Why would anybody feel that the seller has to accept to what the buyer wants?

Let's say I'm selling a camera for $2000, everybody else is asking $2175.

I get an offer of $1700, I decline saying that the lowest I can go is $1960, I keep getting offers and declining them because no matter how may lowball offers I get, I know that I am the cheapest and was willing to go even lower. How I am being unreasonable???

(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

mikekelley wrote in post #7793031
A seller had one for 133 dollars, or best offer...(snip) and he still offers 130.

NickSimcheck wrote in post #7811349
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(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

One of these is not like the other. $3 != a couple hundred on a 2k camera. I don't see how that is an argument.

mikekelley wrote in post #7812238
One of these is not like the other. $3 != a couple hundred on a 2k camera. I don't see how that is an argument.

(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

$3/$133 = 2.25%
$4/$2000 = 2%
$110/$133 = 82.7%
$1700/$2000 = 85%
$130/$140 = 1.08%
$2175/$2000 = 1.09%

Math > you

Seriously?

Saving over a hundred dollars is a lot different than saving three. I don't know how else to say that. I would be totally happy with accepting the best offer he mentioned earlier.

(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

reading comprehension > you (no ?)

Mk1Racer wrote in post #7812606
(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

reading comprehension > you (no ?)

You know that playing the percentage game isn't applicable here - a few bucks on a low value item is not the same as a few hundred bucks on a large value item.

That argument just doesn't stand.

Mk1Racer wrote in post #7812606
(approx) Percentage wise, that's exactly how the OP's story goes.

reading comprehension > you (no ?)

Oh my God.

Thank you, Pete.

Pete wrote in post #7812622
You know that playing the percentage game isn't applicable here - a few bucks on a low value item is not the same as a few hundred bucks on a large value item.

That argument just doesn't stand.

That's a matter of opinion Pete. Not to mention, we were talking about $3 on a $133 item vs. $40 on a $2000, not a few hundred dollars.

I agree that $175 off on a $2175 item is something to get your attention probably more so than $7 off on a $140 item, but if anything, it makes the case that the lower cost item is just not worth the aggravation of bickering over. It's certainly not worth getting upset at the seller over, and I think that's the argument that Nick and I are making.

mikekelley wrote in post #7812594
Seriously?

Saving over a hundred dollars is a lot different than saving three. I don't know how else to say that. I would be totally happy with accepting the best offer he mentioned earlier.

And please Mike:

$133 - $130 = $3
$2000 - $1960 = $40, $2000 - $1960 != 'over a hundred dollars'

Again, math > you and reading comprehension > you

Ok. Stop with the math semantics, it's not taking the thread anywhere.

The way I understand this, mike made an offer a few dollars below the asking price, it was rejected, Mike went and spent a few bucks more on the same item with someone else.

In the grand scheme of things, does a few bucks matter?

Do we know why the seller refused the offer? No. Does it really matter?

Pete wrote in post #7812622
You know that playing the percentage game isn't applicable here - a few bucks on a low value item is not the same as a few hundred bucks on a large value item.

That argument just doesn't stand.

Sure it does.

Either way the whole scenario is nonsense, IMHO.

Mk1Racer wrote in post #7812730
And please Mike:

$133 - $130 = $3
$2000 - $1960 = $40, $2000 - $1960 != 'over a hundred dollars'

Again, math > you and reading comprehension > you

$2175 (other sellers)- $1960 (seller's best offer)= $215

$140 (other sllers) - $130 (my seller's best offer) = $10

Pete wrote in post #7812768
Ok. Stop with the math semantics, it's not taking the thread anywhere.

The way I understand this, mike made an offer a few dollars below the asking price, it was rejected, Mike went and spent a few bucks more on the same item with someone else.

In the grand scheme of things, does a few bucks matter?

Do we know why the seller refused the offer? No. Does it really matter?

By my math this thread has a 100% probability of being closed.