Paraibainternational

[megeve]

has the "Make an offer" scheme. Has anyone tried it? I would love to hear how you fair?

I am just wondering what is a fair offer which would get you accepted by PI. Less 10%, 20%, 30%?????

 

[T L]

Try 50%, and they can counteroffer. I've seen them take about 50% off of the prices with offers on their ebay store, even though the ebay prices are slightly higher than the actual store. It can't hurt. The worst that can happen is that they can counteroffer.

 

[megeve]

Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

 

[chrono]

Date: 7/30/2009 3:52:59 PM
Author: megeve
Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

So maybe 50% is too steep for PI. How about 30% then? After all, even ACS has an annual 30% off sale.

 

[fierypyropixy]

I haven''t tried it, but I''ve noticed that they raise the price quite a bit on those "make an offer"s from their normal amount, using "suggested retail value" instead of "our usual price". . . A little sneaky, I thought! Especially when "suggested retail value" was a good $1 - 1.5k over the "usual price".

I''ve never looked at the ebay site though, just their website.

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:11:58 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 7/30/2009 3:52:59 PM
Author: megeve
Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

So maybe 50% is too steep for PI. How about 30% then? After all, even ACS has an annual 30% off sale.

yep, I think 30% is good too, then you are not low balling them and "insulting" them or not being serious. I have best offers on my listing, and put a rejection criteria - you only get three shots on these best offer rejections, then after the third decline you''re only option is to buy it now price - that''s just standard with all ebay if they put an objection criteria. But when I forget to put those criteria, and if i don''t want to respond i just let it lapse. Good luck...

 

[mochi]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:11:58 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 7/30/2009 3:52:59 PM
Author: megeve
Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

So maybe 50% is too steep for PI. How about 30% then? After all, even ACS has an annual 30% off sale.

Yes...this Saturday!!!!

 

[T L]

If you look at their sold completed listings, some you can see in old feedback, you will see how much people offerred and how much they accepted. I think there were times where they took 50%.

 

[tsavvy]

If you are using the "make an offer" on PI''s website, it will immediately let you know if the offer has been accepted. You can start as low as you want and work your way up to the maximum you are willing to pay.

 

[megeve]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:18:13 PM
Author: fierypyropixy
I haven''t tried it, but I''ve noticed that they raise the price quite a bit on those ''make an offer''s from their normal amount, using ''suggested retail value'' instead of ''our usual price''. . . A little sneaky, I thought! Especially when ''suggested retail value'' was a good $1 - 1.5k over the ''usual price''.

I''ve never looked at the ebay site though, just their website.

OH! Thats really sneaky!

 

[megeve]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:20:17 PM
Author: D&T

Date: 7/30/2009 4:11:58 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 7/30/2009 3:52:59 PM
Author: megeve
Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

So maybe 50% is too steep for PI. How about 30% then? After all, even ACS has an annual 30% off sale.

yep, I think 30% is good too, then you are not low balling them and ''insulting'' them or not being serious. I have best offers on my listing, and put a rejection criteria - you only get three shots on these best offer rejections, then after the third decline you''re only option is to buy it now price - that''s just standard with all ebay if they put an objection criteria. But when I forget to put those criteria, and if i don''t want to respond i just let it lapse. Good luck...

Thanks, Chrono & D&T. I can of course try that. Just wonder if any PS''er has bid successfully for an item.

 

[megeve]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:20:26 PM
Author: mochi

Date: 7/30/2009 4:11:58 PM
Author: Chrono

Date: 7/30/2009 3:52:59 PM
Author: megeve
Hi TL,

I have tried once with 50% in ebay but they let the time run out without any counteroffer.

So maybe 50% is too steep for PI. How about 30% then? After all, even ACS has an annual 30% off sale.

Yes...this Saturday!!!!

mochi, thanks for the heads up!

 

[megeve]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:47:51 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
If you look at their sold completed listings, some you can see in old feedback, you will see how much people offerred and how much they accepted. I think there were times where they took 50%.

TL,

Where do you see the sold listings in old feedback? Am I missing something?

I have looked into the feedback, it showed only 3 items what you can click on. On the listings are only the prices what were paid but no original prices listed.

 

[megeve]

Date: 7/30/2009 5:01:04 PM
Author: tsavvy
If you are using the ''make an offer'' on PI''s website, it will immediately let you know if the offer has been accepted. You can start as low as you want and work your way up to the maximum you are willing to pay.

Probably, that is the way to go. I am not so savvy with ebay, I am only afraid seller might black list me when I do it too often before reaching my goal.

 

[T L]

Date: 7/30/2009 5:42:44 PM
Author: megeve

Date: 7/30/2009 5:01:04 PM
Author: tsavvy
If you are using the ''make an offer'' on PI''s website, it will immediately let you know if the offer has been accepted. You can start as low as you want and work your way up to the maximum you are willing to pay.

Probably, that is the way to go. I am not so savvy with ebay, I am only afraid seller might black list me when I do it too often before reaching my goal.

I don''t think a seller would blacklist you for making an offer. Sellers like lots of offers on their merchandise because the offer history is saved, and it makes the item appear to be more desirable.

 

[T L]

Date: 7/30/2009 5:40:49 PM
Author: megeve

Date: 7/30/2009 4:47:51 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
If you look at their sold completed listings, some you can see in old feedback, you will see how much people offerred and how much they accepted. I think there were times where they took 50%.

TL,

Where do you see the sold listings in old feedback? Am I missing something?

I have looked into the feedback, it showed only 3 items what you can click on. On the listings are only the prices what were paid but no original prices listed.

Maybe ebay changed something because I remember you could look at what the original price was and the offerred price. If they changed that, I''m a bit bummed!

 

[D&T]

Date: 7/30/2009 5:50:16 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover

Date: 7/30/2009 5:40:49 PM
Author: megeve

Date: 7/30/2009 4:47:51 PM
Author: tourmaline_lover
If you look at their sold completed listings, some you can see in old feedback, you will see how much people offerred and how much they accepted. I think there were times where they took 50%.

TL,

Where do you see the sold listings in old feedback? Am I missing something?

I have looked into the feedback, it showed only 3 items what you can click on. On the listings are only the prices what were paid but no original prices listed.

Maybe ebay changed something because I remember you could look at what the original price was and the offerred price. If they changed that, I'm a bit bummed!

If its older than 90 days then you can't see the price, but you should still be able to see it what the best offer accepted and BIN is, unless it is a private listing like the LOGR does. But be careful on Ebay if the seller has an automatic decline notice, like I said earlier, you only get Three chances to put in a best offer if they selected an automatic decline or objection. I did this with a wallet and offered three times-declined three times, the last time, it said that I can BIN, but the best offer button went away for me, unless I logged on another account. On the seller side, I dont get any notices that some put in a best offer at all IF i selected an automatic decline under a certain $ amount unless I go into my account to see the bids history, so I wouldn't think you'd get black listed either.

 

[tsavvy]

If you are using the make an offer option on their website, then you don''t have to worry about being blacklisted. I''ve bought from them for about 15% off the listed price (my price was about 50% of the "appraised retail value" shown on the identification/appraisal report).

With e-bay, if I''ve made an offer or two and the offers are not accepted, I will message the seller (usually within a day of the offer) to ask if they will reduce their "make offer" amount to a specific amount. I''ve never gone as low as 50% though on a gem, usually I ask for a price around 15% to 30% lower depending on what I think it is really worth and how much I want it.

Good luck!

 

[T L]

Date: 7/30/2009 5:56:28 PM
Author: tsavvy
If you are using the make an offer option on their website, then you don't have to worry about being blacklisted. I've bought from them for about 15% off the listed price (my price was about 50% of the 'appraised retail value' shown on the identification/appraisal report).

With e-bay, if I've made an offer or two and the offers are not accepted, I will message the seller (usually within a day of the offer) to ask if they will reduce their 'make offer' amount to a specific amount. I've never gone as low as 50% though on a gem, usually I ask for a price around 15% to 30% lower depending on what I think it is really worth and how much I want it.

Good luck!

Thai sellers routinely take 50% offers. I just won two gems with 50% offers from a Thai seller recently. However, not all Thai selers take such lowball offers, but you have nothing to lose. I know one American gem seller that also takes around 40% off. The fact of the matter is that some sellers (not necessarily PI) raise the BIN price so high, that they accept lowball offers. One of my favorite dealers routinely accepts 50% off or more, especially if you purchase multiple items from him. I won something from him for $399 that was originally $999.

 

[tsavvy]

TL - thanks for the info. My future offers will be more competitive!!

 

[chrono]

Date: 7/30/2009 4:18:13 PM
Author: fierypyropixy
I haven''t tried it, but I''ve noticed that they raise the price quite a bit on those ''make an offer''s from their normal amount, using ''suggested retail value'' instead of ''our usual price''. . . A little sneaky, I thought! Especially when ''suggested retail value'' was a good $1 - 1.5k over the ''usual price''.

I''ve never looked at the ebay site though, just their website.

That''s not playing nice.

 

[kroshka]

If this is the same company (not 100% sure it is?), they have a Leon ring listed on ebay (Item #:320297324251) for almost double the price of what Leon has it listed for on his website.

 

[T L]

Date: 7/31/2009 3:09:49 PM
Author: kroshka
If this is the same company (not 100% sure it is?), they have a Leon ring listed on ebay (Item #:320297324251) for almost double the price of what Leon has it listed for on his website.

I continue to get email advertisements about sale merchandise from them, with prices I don''t consider that great. In any case, for a time, they were giving away a 10 carat blue topaz, amethyst, citrine or smokey quartz of nominal quality with any purchase over $1K. I thought it was rather odd for a company that supposedly sells such high end merchandise to be giving such junk away.

I would not have thought of this free gem as an incentive at all. They finally stopped this offer in their email flyers.

 

[chrono]

Date: 7/31/2009 3:09:49 PM
Author: kroshka
If this is the same company (not 100% sure it is?), they have a Leon ring listed on ebay (Item #:320297324251) for almost double the price of what Leon has it listed for on his website.

Perhaps PI is selling it on behalf of Leon Mege and thus charges a "small" fee to cover his "expenses"?