When selling an item on Facebook Marketplace, prospective buyers may send you a message asking to “request an offer” on the item. This simply means they are interested in purchasing the item and want to know your best price or if you’re willing to negotiate on the listing price.
Why Do Buyers Request Offers on Facebook Marketplace?
There are a few key reasons a buyer may request an offer rather than outright purchasing at the listed price:
- They want to see if you’re willing to negotiate on the price
- The listing doesn’t have a set price and they want to know your price expectation
- They are comparison shopping and want to know your best offer before deciding
- They hope to get a better deal by making an offer rather than paying the full asking price
Requesting an offer gives the buyer more information so they can determine if the item is worth purchasing and if your price is competitive with other sellers. It initiates a conversation where price negotiation is expected by both parties.
How to Respond to “Request an Offer” Messages
When you receive a “request an offer” message, there are a few options for how to respond:
Provide your lowest price
Give the buyer your rock-bottom price upfront. This lets them know the lowest you’re willing to go and can help close a fast sale. However, it leaves no room for further negotiation.
Start higher and negotiate down
Give a slightly higher counteroffer to start, leaving room to negotiate down. For example, if your lowest price is $50, start at $55. This allows the buyer to counter and you to “meet in the middle.”
Ask for their best offer
Rather than naming a price, ask what they buyer is willing to pay. For example, “What price did you have in mind for this item?” This puts the ball in their court while giving you more info.
Decline negotiation
You can simply respond that the listed price is firm and you are not open to offers or negotiation. This ends the interaction unless they agree to the full asking price.
Tips for Negotiating on Facebook Marketplace
If you do decide to entertain offers and negotiate, keep these tips in mind:
- Start the negotiation higher than your minimum price so you have room to come down.
- Counteroffer in small increments, such as decrements of $5 at a time.
- Stay firm if you feel the buyer is lowballing you or being unreasonable.
- Be polite and avoid haggling aggressively over small amounts.
- Stick to your bottom line – don’t go lower than the minimum you can accept.
- If needed, bundle negotiation of price with delivery or pickup options.
When to Decline Negotiation Requests
There are certain cases where you may want to simply decline requests to negotiate or send offers:
- The item is already priced very competitively or at your bottom dollar
- You don’t have flexibility on the price for a quick sale
- The buyer seems overly aggressive or unreasonable in their messages
- You are firm on getting your full asking price for the item
Politely responding that the price is fixed can end the conversation quickly and definitively if you prefer not to haggle with buyers.
Using Buyer Offers to Gauge Interest
Even if you decline negotiation, the request for an offer signifies that a buyer is interested in your item. You can use this to gauge interest and see which listings are attracting buyers most. If you get frequent requests for offers, it may indicate:
- The item is attractively priced
- There is high demand for that particular product
- Your photos and description successfully showcase the item
This can help inform future pricing and selling strategies on Facebook Marketplace.
When to Request an Offer as a Buyer
As a buyer, requesting an offer can be a great negotiation strategy. Some situations where it makes sense to initiate an offer include:
- The listing has “no set price”
- You want to buy multiple items from one seller and hope to get a bundle deal
- The item has been listed for a long time so the seller may be more motivated
- Similar items are listed by other sellers for less
- The condition doesn’t seem to quite justify the full asking price
Making the first offer starts the negotiation on your terms and gets the seller to tip their hand on price expectations. Just take care to be polite in your messages, make reasonable offer amounts, and be willing to compromise.
Messaging Etiquette When Requesting an Offer
To have the most success getting a response and negotiating a good deal, keep these etiquette tips in mind when messaging the seller:
- Use a friendly, polite tone and proper grammar/punctuation.
- Acknowledge their listed price before making an offer below it.
- Explain why you are making the offer, such as condition concerns.
- Only lower your offer amounts gradually to avoid seeming unreasonable.
- Thank them for considering your offer, even if rejected.
- Accept a firm “no” rather than pestering if they decline negotiation.
Should You Proactively Message to Request Offers?
Rather than waiting for buyers to come to you, some sellers take a proactive approach and message buyers who have liked or saved their listings.
Here is a comparison of the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Increases chances of sale | Buyers may find it pushy/annoying |
| Starts negotiation on your terms | Requires more time and effort messaging |
| Weeds out trolls just browsing | Those not serious about buying likely won’t convert |
| Surfaces any condition/pricing concerns | Could result in haggling or lowball offers |
In general, gauging a buyer’s interest with a friendly message can yield positive results. But take care not to badger disinterested buyers or come across as desperate.
Handling Lowball Offers
One frustrating situation is when a buyer sends an unreasonably low offer on your listed item. Some tips for handling these lowball scenarios:
- Politely respond explaining why you can’t accept such a low price.
- Offer to negotiate if they can come up within a reasonable range.
- Redirect them to comparable listings at that price point.
- Hold firm at your listed price if you prefer not to haggle.
- Keep the conversation civil and avoid lashing out at their offer.
The key is responding professionally despite the low offer and steering the discussion to a price you can accept. If they won’t raise their offer, it’s fine to simply decline and move on.
When to Make an Offer as a Buyer
Rather than instantly buying an item at the listed price, there are cases where it pays to make an offer instead:
- The item has been listed for a long time
- You want to purchase multiple items and get a bundle deal
- There are minor cosmetic defects or damage noted
- The seller has priced it higher than comparable listings
- The listing notes “price negotiable” or “make an offer”
Making an offer is all about recognizing situations where the seller may be motivated to lower their price in order to make the sale. Just ensure your offer is reasonable and not excessively low.
Can Sellers Reject Offers on Facebook Marketplace?
Yes, Facebook Marketplace allows sellers to reject any offers they receive from interested buyers. Unlike eBay, sellers are not obligated to accept an offer once made.
Reasons a seller may choose to reject an offer include:
- The offer amount is excessively low
- They do not wish to negotiate below a certain price point
- They changed their mind about selling the item
- The potential buyer exhibited suspicious behavior
- They received a better offer from someone else
- They no longer have the item available for sale
Rejecting unreasonable offers helps sellers stand firm on pricing and avoid underselling items. The buyer is notified their offer was declined but typically understandsnegotiation is a normal part of the marketplace.
Buyer Recourses When an Offer is Rejected
When a seller rejects your offer on an item, you have a few options:
- Improve your offer: Politely ask what it would take to get a deal and if they would reconsider for a higher amount.
- Request a counteroffer: Ask the seller to provide a counteroffer with a price they would accept. This keeps negotiations open.
- Offer to compromise: Propose meeting in the middle between your offer and their asking price.
- Accept the listing price: Decide the item is worth paying their full listed price rather than haggling.
- Move on: Thank them for their time and look for that item from another seller.
The key is to be polite, flexible, and know when negotiating further will simply annoy the seller. With patience, you can often reach an offer amount that works for both parties.
Closing the Deal: Best Practices
Once you’ve agreed on an offer amount with the buyer, here are some tips to successfully complete the transaction:
- Exchange contact info to arrange meetup or shipping
- Take payment before handing over the item
- Provide receipts for any payments received
- Have buyer inspect item before finalizing sale in person
- Use safe payment methods, like PayPal for shipped items
- Mark the item sold on Marketplace once deal is done
- Leave positive feedback for the other user
Carefully completing each step ensures you get paid, avoid scams, and have a smooth selling/buying experience.
Common Negotiation Tactics Buyers Use
When negotiating offers, buyers may employ certain tactics to get the best deal. Here are some to watch for:
- Lowball offer: Offering an unreasonably low amount with expectation you’ll counter higher.
- Sob story: Sharing financial trouble to get sympathy pricing.
- Good cop/bad cop: One person makes low offer, other steps in as “mediator.”
- Buyer’s remorse: Agree on price then back out claiming it’s too high.
- Walk away: Make offer then stop responding hoping you’ll chase them.
- Spotting defects: Citing minor issues to justify lower offer.
Being aware of these tactics can help you respond appropriately and stand firm on pricing when needed. The key is to remain professional, focus on value not stories, and know your bottom line.
Avoiding Scams
When dealing with strangers on the internet, it’s essential to be cautious. Here are some tips for sellers to avoid scams:
- Never ship item before confirming payment has cleared into your account.
- Avoid wire transfers and cash payment methods.
- Beware buyers claiming they will pay more than asking price.
- Never provide sensitive personal or financial info.
- Meet local buyers/sellers in a safe, public place if dealing in person.
And tips for buyers:
- Only pay via secure methods like PayPal Goods and Services.
- Never wire money sight unseen or pay in gift cards.
- Avoid sellers using shady tactics like sob stories or rush tactics.
- Beware prices that seem too good to be true.
- Inspect items closely before paying when buying locally.
With proper precautions, you can feel confident requesting offers, negotiating deals, and transacting on Facebook Marketplace. Just use common sense, move discussions to Facebook messenger for record keeping, and walk away from anything that seems shady.
Getting Help with Issues
If problems arise during the negotiations or sale process, here are some options:
- Use Facebook Messenger to document all exchanges.
- Report suspicious users or behavior to Facebook.
- Leave negative feedback about dishonest sellers/buyers.
- File claims via PayPal or your payment method if needed.
- Block users who harass you or renege on agreements.
- Avoid unsafe meetups and leave if uncomfortable.
Facebook also provides customer support through their Help Center. Overall, behaving professionally and using common sense goes a long way in avoiding issues.
In Closing
Requesting and responding to offers is standard practice on peer-to-peer marketplaces like Facebook. As a buyer or seller, entering negotiations can lead to great deals. Just communicate politely, stand firm when needed, and approach offers as a conversation rather than a confrontation. With some care and flexibility, requesting offers via Marketplace can benefit both buyers and sellers!