Don't Sell Yourself Short!

Have faith in the auction process!
I get a lot of emails from sellers asking questions about their listings. Once or twice a month, I get a worried email that goes something like this one:

From: Panicked
Sent: Wed 6/28/2006 7:28 AM
To: Griffith, Jim
Subject: Help on a wooden carving

Hi Griff,

I know you're very busy so I'll make it sweet and to the point. After weeks of trying to find the right category or information on a carving that I have had for 25 years, I went ahead and listed it. Would you please look at item # 110002618601 and tell me what you think. I listed it last night and this morning I received an offer from someone for a $19.99 Buy It Now. Should I take it or wait and see what happens?

Thanks so much for your time and input.

Panicked

Well, I looked at the listing. It was very well put together, so I told the seller to be confident it would sell for more:

Dear Panicked

Interesting piece and overall, a well-composed listing. I don't know exactly what or how old it is but I would say your little treasure looks to be of good quality (and you know it has some age based on its provenance).

You don't have a BIN price or Best Offer option on the item so I assume this person is attempting to get you to sell it to them off eBay. Some buyers use this ploy to prey on a seller's fear that the item won't sell or worse, will sell for the opening bid. Buyers who make these offers are hoping that the listing doesn't have a bidding war (which would result in them having to pay more than their low-ball offer).  It's a good bet that this carving is worth more than this seller's "generous" bail-out offer of $19.99.

Keeping in mind that most bidding takes place in the last moments of a listing, it would be shortsighted to sell out the carving for a lowball price to the one buyer who makes an offer when you have 8 people who have visited the item. [Eventually, there were 94 hits on the closed item counter -Griff] and who knows how many more watchers are waiting till the very last minute to put in a bid? All you need is for at least two of these potential bidders who may be willing to pay a lot more than $19.99.

My advice? Respond with a polite email declining the buyer's offer  and include friendly instructions on how to submit a bid. I'm confident you will thank me later.

regards,

Griff

A short while ago, I received this email from the seller:

From: Relieved
Sent: Mon 7/10/2006 7:48 AM
To: Griffith, Jim
Subject: RE: THANKS for your help on a wooden carving!

Good Day Griff,

I wanted to thank you for the advice you gave me on the wooden carving I asked you about. As you suggested I declined the offer of $19.99 and patiently waited the auction out. At auction's end there were 18 people watching and the final bid was $31.75. I was pleased!

I have only been doing eBay a little over a year but have learned a lot already. Don't be fearful that an item won't sell.

Thanks again,
Relieved

Naturally, I felt good too - and allowed myself to tell that to the seller ;-)

Hi Relieved,

I couldn't have said it better myself!

(And I told you so.)

Griff