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Needs some Etsy and Ebay education please!

Dee*Jay

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I have been having a field day on Etsy and Ebay this past week (yes... I know... I am the last person the planet to actually start buying things off these sites!) but I am confused by the idea of "watching" things. On both sites, I see "X people watching" the item. What does that mean on each site. How does one "watch" something? Does it happen automatically if you click on item or do you have to do something more? More importantly how do you make sure you AREN'T designed as watching something because that could spur someone to action that was sitting on the sidelines.

Thank you to all the internet savvy shoppers out there for any advice you can offer! :cheeky:
 

OreoRosies86

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"Watching" is done anonymously and you need to click on the watch this item button through your account login to add it to your list. It allows you to keep track of items you're interested in without bidding.

It's ebay's way of letting you know to bid soon because others are interest too. On etsy there is no bidding but if you're logged in you can click the heart icon to favorite the item and add it to your "favorites."
 

Dee*Jay

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Thank you Elliot!

So if you click on something on ebay and you're NOT logged in then it doesn't register as you "watching" it -- correct? If you click on it more than once, even if you're logged in, it should only register you as one person though... right?

And now I see it's "favorite' on Etsy, not "watch." Oy. I'm trying to learns all this!
 

Niel

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Dee*Jay|1481043787|4105175 said:
Thank you Elliot!

So if you click on something on ebay and you're NOT logged in then it doesn't register as you "watching" it -- correct? If you click on it more than once, even if you're logged in, it should only register you as one person though... right?

And now I see it's "favorite' on Etsy, not "watch." Oy. I'm trying to learns all this!

You're only watching an eBay listing if you click on the button "watch" or "add to watch list"

Helps you keep a list of favorite item, be notified when an auction is ending, if the price has lowered, or if an auction ends and the item is relisted.

The best advise I can offer is use vague search terms, and open a dialog with a seller. I've gotten many rings I own from offering on them, even if there isn't an "offer" button.
 

Dee*Jay

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Niel|1481044261|4105178 said:
Dee*Jay|1481043787|4105175 said:
Thank you Elliot!

So if you click on something on ebay and you're NOT logged in then it doesn't register as you "watching" it -- correct? If you click on it more than once, even if you're logged in, it should only register you as one person though... right?

And now I see it's "favorite' on Etsy, not "watch." Oy. I'm trying to learns all this!

You're only watching an eBay listing if you click on the button "watch" or "add to watch list"

Helps you keep a list of favorite item, be notified when an auction is ending, if the price has lowered, or if an auction ends and the item is relisted.

The best advise I can offer is use vague search terms, and open a dialog with a seller. I've gotten many rings I own from offering on them, even if there isn't an "offer" button.

Ohhhhh! Good to know -- thank you!

And one of the things I was MUCH in lust with at 2 am (although the light of day may have diminished a little lust once common sense set in!) doesn't have a button to make an offer (although there is a "buy it now" price listed") and I was wondering if it was possible to open a dialogue about price under those circumstances.

Rut ro... this could get very very dangerous!
 

momhappy

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You could open up a dialogue about price, but it is probably not advised with a "Buy it Now" on EBay. It can open up a dialogue about buying off EBay and some sellers do not appreciate chatting about price when they are not accepting offers. I will communicate with sellers about price when "best offers" are allowed, but not when prices are fixed ("Buy it Now" auctions). Etsy is different though. I always try to communicate about price prior to making a purchase. I might just say something like, "Is your price firm?" or "Are you currently offering any promotions or discounts?"
 

Dee*Jay

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momhappy|1481050278|4105196 said:
You could open up a dialogue about price, but it is probably not advised with a "Buy it Now" on EBay. It can open up a dialogue about buying off EBay and some sellers do not appreciate chatting about price when they are not accepting offers. I will communicate with sellers about price when "best offers" are allowed, but not when prices are fixed ("Buy it Now" auctions). Etsy is different though. I always try to communicate about price prior to making a purchase. I might just say something like, "Is your price firm?" or "Are you currently offering any promotions or discounts?"

Interesting... The sale would still go through ebay though -- no? So that would be ok...?

As you can tell I am wildly uneducated about all this, haha!
 

momhappy

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Typically, sellers don't like haggling over price if they have an item set to auction and/or "buy it now." I don't communicate with sellers on EBay about price unless they have a "Best Offer" option set up. Some sellers would even put notes in their auctions about not wanting to be contacted about price, negotiation, etc.
 

Niel

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momhappy|1481060597|4105249 said:
Typically, sellers don't like haggling over price if they have an item set to auction and/or "buy it now." I don't communicate with sellers on EBay about price unless they have a "Best Offer" option set up. Some sellers would even put notes in their auctions about not wanting to be contacted about price, negotiation, etc.


i disagree, many vendors are open to it, from what ive found, and they also arent usually offended when i email them.

i usually just ask if they are open to offers. I would say more than half the time they say yes. Obviously the ones that say they dont want to be contacted are not the ones to ask but others ive never had a problem
 

Niel

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Dee*Jay|1481053271|4105212 said:
momhappy|1481050278|4105196 said:
You could open up a dialogue about price, but it is probably not advised with a "Buy it Now" on EBay. It can open up a dialogue about buying off EBay and some sellers do not appreciate chatting about price when they are not accepting offers. I will communicate with sellers about price when "best offers" are allowed, but not when prices are fixed ("Buy it Now" auctions). Etsy is different though. I always try to communicate about price prior to making a purchase. I might just say something like, "Is your price firm?" or "Are you currently offering any promotions or discounts?"

Interesting... The sale would still go through ebay though -- no? So that would be ok...?

As you can tell I am wildly uneducated about all this, haha!


My zircon ring was listed for like hundreds more than i purchased it for. i emailed him and ask if he would accept offers. He said he was consigning it for someone and would go back to them with my offer. They accepted, he made a new listing with an offer button, said he would only accept an offer that i made for that value.
 

momhappy

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Niel|1481061811|4105253 said:
momhappy|1481060597|4105249 said:
Typically, sellers don't like haggling over price if they have an item set to auction and/or "buy it now." I don't communicate with sellers on EBay about price unless they have a "Best Offer" option set up. Some sellers would even put notes in their auctions about not wanting to be contacted about price, negotiation, etc.


i disagree, many vendors are open to it, from what ive found, and they also arent usually offended when i email them.

i usually just ask if they are open to offers. I would say more than half the time they say yes. Obviously the ones that say they dont want to be contacted are not the ones to ask but others ive never had a problem

Ok, then your experience has been different than mine. Maybe some of it depends on what you're shopping for?
 

OreoRosies86

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I've pretty much never paid full price for anything so I love shops on etsy, eBay, and rubylane where you can negotiate. After all an item is only worth what someone will pay for it. I think vendors just get sick of lowball offers.
 

Niel

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Elliot86|1481063063|4105257 said:
I've pretty much never paid full price for anything so I love shops on etsy, eBay, and rubylane where you can negotiate. After all an item is only worth what someone will pay for it. I think vendors just get sick of lowball offers.
I'm sure that's why most of the people I've felt with don't do OBO stuff is they don't wants bids for 1/4th what theyre asking
 

Dee*Jay

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What you make an offer for something how much do you typically do? Or maybe there is not "typical' number, it depends on what the item is...? I don't want to insult someone to the point they will not talk to me but I obviously don't want to pay more than I have to -- and who does?!?
 

Dancing Fire

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Dee*Jay|1481130072|4105386 said:
What you make an offer for something how much do you typically do? Or maybe there is not "typical' number, it depends on what the item is...? I don't want to insult someone to the point they will not talk to me but I obviously don't want to pay more than I have to -- and who does?!?
Good Q. DJ, b/c there are coins on Ebay that I wanted to make an offer on but don't wanted to embarrass myself by offering too low,of course most of the time the seller is asking too high for the item.
 

Dee*Jay

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Dancing Fire|1481131138|4105390 said:
Dee*Jay|1481130072|4105386 said:
What you make an offer for something how much do you typically do? Or maybe there is not "typical' number, it depends on what the item is...? I don't want to insult someone to the point they will not talk to me but I obviously don't want to pay more than I have to -- and who does?!?
Good Q. DJ, b/c there are coins on Ebay that I wanted to make an offer on but don't wanted to embarrass myself by offering too low,of course most of the time the seller is asking too high for the item.

DF, since these coins are esoteric items and you are clearly educated in their value can you approach it like I do with my real estate transactions? I.e., use comps of things that are reasonably close in nature with the prices they sold for to support what you feel is a logical offer for the coin you want to buy.

This approach probably wouldn't work for the stuff I'm looking at (like a purse or a rug) but for something like coins maybe it would?
 

lovedogs

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Dee*Jay|1481131528|4105392 said:
Dancing Fire|1481131138|4105390 said:
Dee*Jay|1481130072|4105386 said:
What you make an offer for something how much do you typically do? Or maybe there is not "typical' number, it depends on what the item is...? I don't want to insult someone to the point they will not talk to me but I obviously don't want to pay more than I have to -- and who does?!?
Good Q. DJ, b/c there are coins on Ebay that I wanted to make an offer on but don't wanted to embarrass myself by offering too low,of course most of the time the seller is asking too high for the item.

DF, since these coins are esoteric items and you are clearly educated in their value can you approach it like I do with my real estate transactions? I.e., use comps of things that are reasonably close in nature with the prices they sold for to support what you feel is a logical offer for the coin you want to buy.

This approach probably wouldn't work for the stuff I'm looking at (like a purse or a rug) but for something like coins maybe it would?

I usually offer like 10-20% less than the "buy it now" price, especially if they are open to offers. That way I don't feel like I'm offending anyone by offering less than 1/2 price, but I'm also getting a better deal. Of course if I think somehitng is REALLY overpriced then I might offer less--it just depends on the item, my thoughts on value, etc.
 

Dancing Fire

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Dee*Jay|1481131528|4105392 said:
Dancing Fire|1481131138|4105390 said:
Dee*Jay|1481130072|4105386 said:
What you make an offer for something how much do you typically do? Or maybe there is not "typical' number, it depends on what the item is...? I don't want to insult someone to the point they will not talk to me but I obviously don't want to pay more than I have to -- and who does?!?
Good Q. DJ, b/c there are coins on Ebay that I wanted to make an offer on but don't wanted to embarrass myself by offering too low,of course most of the time the seller is asking too high for the item.

DF, since these coins are esoteric items and you are clearly educated in their value can you approach it like I do with my real estate transactions? I.e., use comps of things that are reasonably close in nature with the prices they sold for to support what you feel is a logical offer for the coin you want to buy.

This approach probably wouldn't work for the stuff I'm looking at (like a purse or a rug) but for something like coins maybe it would?
There are price guide for coins but I'd feel embarrass to offer 20% less than the asking price, so I just don't make any offer if I can't be within 10%.
 

azstonie

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I buy on 1st Dibs, Etsy and RubyLane and I start with 25% lower than the asked for price and have gotten the item from 25% off to 15% off and I don't pay for shipping either.
 

Dee*Jay

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You are all a wealth of information -- thank you for sharing all this!

And just to add to my confusion last night I discovered Poshmark... YIKES! I'm going to need a bigger house with more closets!!!
 
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