I’ve only recently started selling on eBay and other platforms this year, but I’m already losing my mind when it comes to dealing with certain types of buyers. I generally use BIN-type formats with offers enabled because I’m not in a huge rush to sell what I list. The most common messages I get are things like:
Policing my asking price without submitting an offer (e.g., “condition is a little rough for $X”). Like ok, am I supposed to undercut myself to whatever value you have in your head because you said so?
“What’s the lowest you can do for this?” - see #1
Offering to trade for much lower value cards or completely different product (e.g., “I don’t want to pay you money but would take a battle styles box for this 1st ed WotC holo?”)
I’m curious to hear - how do other sellers deal with these kinds of buyers professionally and without blowing a gasket? I don’t have a huge store or collection and ultimately want to sell what I do list, so maybe I feel more inclined to work with people than others who have more business rather than just hard ignoring them. Thanks
Re: #2 – I just respond with something like “I’m open to offers. Feel free to submit an offer and I will promptly respond. Thank you for your interest!”
Good idea for #2. In your experience, have you had people come back with an offer you’re happy with? I’m realizing that I have never made a sale in any of these scenarios so I guess I need to get better at saving myself the time/mental energy of engaging.
If you have no to low feedback, it is often a tactic for resellers to target people they think are new to selling Pokemon cards. They think that you don’t know what you have, so they offer you $10 for a $30 card, and since you may not know better, you let it go. Not you specifically, just an example.
It’s pretty rare, in my experience – normally when someone asks that, they’re looking to get something significantly below market value. It only takes 5 seconds to respond, which is why I do, but you’re correct that the vast majority of the time you’re not going to make a deal.
If you know what price you want, just set the BIN. It might feel like you are getting more attention from buyers if you have offers but its unwanted attention right? If you are abit unsure if you are over priced, add 10-20% best offer with it set in the auto decline/accept.
Sometimes I think oh I may get a descent offer but for example I have a card up right now with auto decline below £1100, If you go into the offers it tells you what its declined. Ive had about 40 £100-£400, that would of been a lot of wasted time declining those offers.
Like @zorloth said, just ignore these people. I personally even ignore the people you mentioned in #2 because they’re literally asking you to negotiate with yourself. They don’t want to offer you a price, they want you to shoot yourself in the foot by potentially saying a price that’s even lower than what their offer would be.
Most people who have been selling for a while will tell you that the people messaging you in that way are very unlikely to actually buy your stuff. Try not to view ignoring them as alienating potential customers, because most of them have no intention to buy from you unless you sell something for way less than it’s worth.
It’s one thing for the buyer to throw out an offer when the best offer option isn’t enabled, it’s a whole ‘nother thing for them to flat out ask “what is the least I can pay for this item even though you don’t have the option set to accept offers or indicate at all you’re willing to take less than the asking price”
It’s total amateur hour out there right now with these young kids and adults thinking they have some sort of God-tier leverage. I think I’ve blocked more buyers in the past 6 months than the last 13 years combined
I ignore people. All they’re doing it validating to me that there is interest in the item. It will sell to somebody who is willing to pay the proper price for it.
