Author Topic: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...  (Read 8844 times)

*Brum6y*

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"BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« on: June 28, 2010, 08:06:28 PM »
The item is a cheap digital scale, located in Melbourne by all appearances.

It is advertised at a BIN price of $9.99, but it also had the 'Best Offer' option available - which I thought was a bit unusual for such an item at that price point.

While the BIN price is pretty good, I was curious to try making an offer.  I thought I would be fairly reasonable, so I submit an offer of $9.00. It was not immediately rejected - so I wait. When I came back a bit later, I found it had been declined.

I was then looking at just doing a BIN - but thought I'd try again, just to see what they consider acceptable.

In goes an offer of $9.50. I check an hour or so later and it has also been declined.

I'm really curious now.  One more offer available. Now, what do I go for?... $9.75, $9.80, $9.90, $9.95, $9.98 ...?

I went for $9.75.

It was declined as well.


Why did the seller even bother with the 'Make an Offer' option?

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2010, 08:09:05 PM »
SNIPE .................seller is a cretin !!!


or perhaps meant to list bin as say $19.99 but accidently extracted a digit .... I would send a Pauline Hanson to them !

*wheels*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2010, 08:16:37 PM »
Brum6y, is it a multiple item listing? They may have put Best Offer on to find a price point but once one is sold the Best Offer can't be removed. Or maybe it's just there to make their listing stand out from others.

*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2010, 10:06:01 PM »
My apologies - a correction: My offers WERE declined straight away (in 1-2 seconds according to the 'offer details'). I expected to see something on screen there and then, but I obviously had to go looking - which is what I did when I came back after each offer.

That changes the situation a bit - and Wheels' question may provide a clue.

Yes, Wheels, the item is a multiple item listing - but there is nothing indicating any changes have been made to the listing.

The price would appear to be correct - as there are 3 models offered: Have a look


I had a read through their terms and FAQ, too. Sound pretty standard, but some things made me smile, including this: "We are not liable for any loss and/or damages during delivery"

They have learned from eBay, too .... they have a Terms & Conditions page available via a link near the bottom of the listing.

*wheels*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2010, 10:19:27 PM »
Brums, they have had a lot of offers - all declined, except one that is pending from a buyer who wants to purchase a quantity of 4.

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2010, 10:23:33 PM »
I've looked through a few of their listings and can't find one where a Best Offer price lower than the BIN price has been accepted. Seems it's just a marketing ploy!

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2010, 10:26:04 PM »
Slightly off-topic - but same seller

They are selling items, that they readily admit - MAY NOT be functional in the Australian Market - was looking at some of their stuff last night.

If you are looking for digital scales - there is a seller on ebay - who are cheapest, package well and the product has stood the test of time.

Let me see if I can find them - I've bought off them and a, happy
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da_ewok

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2010, 10:31:31 PM »
NOpe the seller I bought the scales off has gone - still registered - but no longer selling - that must say something :(

http://feedback.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback2&userid=thecorrectmeasures&ftab=AllFeedback&myworld=true
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*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #8 on: June 28, 2010, 10:41:10 PM »
I had a look at some of their products and feedback too.

With regard to TV aerials, any seller HAS to state they may not work in some areas, simply because they may not be capable of doing so - otherwise you'll have somw numpty who lives 300km from the nearest TV transmission tower buying a $10 indoor cigar box with a lead on it and expect it to deliver 100% digital reception.  The average buyer does not understand the technical issues and not all understand the limitations.

Other issues are the frequencies used for various items - such as R/C cars. Australia has some spectrum space set aside for these - and if you are operating outside these allocations you could cause problems.

I haven't spent as much time as I might for a bigger purchase, but a $10 risk isn't much - and with Paypal, even that risk is minimal.

da_ewok

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #9 on: June 28, 2010, 10:45:38 PM »
I've been caught :D

Still $10 for a product that MIGHT ruin your reputation - is it worth it?
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*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #10 on: June 28, 2010, 10:48:12 PM »
Had a look, Wokkie... That's the sort of product line alright.

It seems it's been over 18 months since they last sold anything - and with their price for an item similar to the one I was looking at being $27.50, it could be as a result of mass cheap imports.


The real reasons would be interesting to discover.

da_ewok

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #11 on: June 28, 2010, 10:51:46 PM »
Had a look, Wokkie... That's the sort of product line alright.

It seems it's been over 18 months since they last sold anything - and with their price for an item similar to the one I was looking at being $27.50, it could be as a result of mass cheap imports.


The real reasons would be interesting to discover.

I only looked at the product and description - didn't even get as far as checking out the seller - saw no need when I saw that - I'm looking for a better aerial that I currently have - for the PC - I have old style bunny ears - which is all we need here for analogue - but need something a little better for digital - although this one manages 90% of the time - would like an improvement to 100% !!!! :D
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*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #12 on: June 28, 2010, 10:53:15 PM »
I've been caught :D

Still $10 for a product that MIGHT ruin your reputation - is it worth it?

You would think they wouldn't be too lax on items being of 'merchantable quality'. The advantage is that, by its nature, this type of product will be handled with some care in a moderately safe environment - not like a TV aerial that a dozen galahs decide would be nice to sit and rest on.

*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #13 on: June 28, 2010, 11:11:52 PM »
Advice on TV aerial selection:

If you don't have access to a LOCAL technician/installer, have a look at what everybody else is using around you - and ask them how well they work.



But don't do this:

"Once upon a time, Bill had just moved into a new neighbourhood and introduced himself to the guy next door - who was a TV technician.

Now the antenna on Bill's new house was in need of replacement, so he had a look at the one on the roof of his technician neighbour and went out and bought the same model. After all, he is a technician and should know his stuff.

Bill climbed up, fitted the new antenna to the mast and then turned it in the same direction as his neighbour's - after all, he is a technician.

Then, carefully comparing his shiny new antenna against his neighbour's, identified a point on it and, drawing a pair of side cutters out of his pocket, proceeded to cut off one of the elements to match the broken element on the antenna of his TV technician neighbour."


You just don't do that sort of thing.

*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #14 on: June 29, 2010, 05:02:25 AM »
QUESTION: Can "Best Offer" be set up to only consider certain prices for certain quantities?

If so, then perhaps the 'best offer' is set up to allow calculation of a price break for multiple units.... Could this be what's happening?

*wheels*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #15 on: June 29, 2010, 12:49:48 PM »
Afternoon Brum6y, what were you doing posing questions about eBay at 5am - did you have a late night or an early morning?

*wheels*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #16 on: June 29, 2010, 12:56:50 PM »
I don't think you can set up Best Offer to accept/decline at different quantities. I suppose in this case, you could set the auto decline at anything less than the BIN price, and have any offers of the BIN price or over the BIN (which would presumably be for multiple items) to be considered manually.

*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #17 on: June 29, 2010, 01:16:41 PM »
Afternoon Brum6y, what were you doing posing questions about eBay at 5am - did you have a late night or an early morning?

da_ewok

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #18 on: June 29, 2010, 06:11:50 PM »
Advice on TV aerial selection:

If you don't have access to a LOCAL technician/installer, have a look at what everybody else is using around you - and ask them how well they work.



But don't do this:

"Once upon a time, Bill had just moved into a new neighbourhood and introduced himself to the guy next door - who was a TV technician.

Now the antenna on Bill's new house was in need of replacement, so he had a look at the one on the roof of his technician neighbour and went out and bought the same model. After all, he is a technician and should know his stuff.

Bill climbed up, fitted the new antenna to the mast and then turned it in the same direction as his neighbour's - after all, he is a technician.

Then, carefully comparing his shiny new antenna against his neighbour's, identified a point on it and, drawing a pair of side cutters out of his pocket, proceeded to cut off one of the elements to match the broken element on the antenna of his TV technician neighbour."


You just don't do that sort of thing.

LOL brilliant - nah - I tend to run my own race ;) - if you haven;t already figured that out! :D
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*Brum6y*

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #19 on: June 29, 2010, 09:10:33 PM »

LOL brilliant - nah - I tend to run my own race ;) - if you haven;t already figured that out! :D


I never would have noticed..... :rofl:

But don't think it was directed at you ... it's just one of those stories that you look for an excuse to roll out... :)

da_ewok

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Re: "BEST OFFER" - Explain this one to me...
« Reply #20 on: June 29, 2010, 09:15:03 PM »
I know it wasn't directed at me - but it was fitting on more ways than one
1. I know nothing about aerials
2. I am looking for a new aerial
3. I DO RUN my own race :D

But still very good!
"I've just been in a bad mood for 40 years"

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Photos by Enigma - Iphone cases too! :D http://www.redbubble.com/people/photosbyenigma