So I'm selling a 2004 BBS rim on eBay. Now I know these are in slightly higher demand than 2005+ rims because of th 5x100. I am now getting FLOODED with inane offers like "I'll give you $50 shipped if you send it out with FedEx 2-day by tomorrow"...they think they're doing me a favor! I ignored the first few, but now I'm a little annoyed and want to respond in a way to put them down and also to encourage people NOT to offer me crap like this. Advice welcome on how to mock these lowballers.

BTW, the item is here, and if you scroll to the bottom, you'll see my response to the first somewhat benign offer. The offers only got worse after that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...139764709&rd=1

 

Raise your starting price to higher than $1.00

And have a buy-now value on it for $20 over what you want for it.

 

dont respond

 

yeah, i shouldn't. I shouldn't even let it get me riled up. It was just really annoying to see 12 emails since posting last night....all basically asking the same thing. Just wanted to post an answer to one of the questions that will basically tell me people "no lowballers".

 

or put in your auction description " offers to buy outside of ebay will be reported so dont bother messaging me".. or something along those lines

 

just start the bidding higher and make the buy it now higher than u want for them!

 

good call midnitewrx02...I actually didn't know it was against eBay policy to make offers outside of the auction. Just read up on the policy now.

as for the low initial price. I do that to get more people to "watch" the items...especially on items that I know will sell high regardless. It's worked well for me in the past and I tend to get a LOT of "watchers" on items that I start off for $1. How many of those watchers turn into bidders...I don't know. Additionally, starting the price higher cost more to list, eroding your gains. It's safer, for sure and I do it on items I know are gonna have a hard time selling. But on this rim, every single rim that's been listed this year has gone ridiculously high...so high that I've been unable to complete my set.

 

Be a bigger jerk and accept their offer, then send out a box of rocks

 

The easiest deterrent would be to post up in the item information:

1. The email address of the person sending you the lowball offer.
2. The lowball offer.
3. A few "laughing" icons.
4. The policy section on eBay regarding the "outside eBay" offers.
5. A simple "Who else wants to lowball me??" message.

I'm sure the lowball offers will stop immediately.

 

Funny how that works. My roommate used to eBay a lot, actually worked at an eBay listing company, and would always start his listings at $0.01 and never ever have a reserve. Even against other listings, his would always sell for higher.

 

I like the laughing icons. I'll do that to the next guy.