So, I’ve bought a couple of things from one or two Chinese ebay vendors. I’m not sure I noticed it the first couple of times, but I notice it regularly now that most listings have a price and “or best offer.” Anyone here have any experience with making a best offer? Any recommendations?
They usually give you three choices. Rarely do you get it at the lowest choice. Sometimes having to wait one to two days to play the game it’s just better to choose the “Buy it now” option.
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I’ve tried a couple of times. None were ever accepted and I wasn’t trying to get things at much of a reduced price.
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I’ve seen it with non-Chinese vendors as well. It is hit or miss as some people reject anything that is more than a dollar less than what they want for the item so I don’t know why they even offer that option.
The thing that bugs me is when a vendor sends me an offer to buy something I was looking at or put in a wish list. Why do they know who has looked at it or put it in a basket? That would be like the grocer coming up and saying to me, “I saw you eyeing those BBQ chips on aisle 12 earlier; if you go and put them in your cart right now I’ll give you 25 cents off.”
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Probably the same way when your Google a pair of shoes,and then the ads follow you around every site that you visit
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i have to agree with the others, the best offer will not be accepted, they still want the full price they have stated.
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My experience is the same. Most of the time Best Offer is a charade.
As far as offers from the seller…eBay lets you batch send offers to everyone with your listing in their cart or watchlist. The seller doesn’t know who you are, but eBay does.
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As others said earlier, the “best offer” from the Chinese eBay vendors was just a gimmick or a bait. I have tried multiple times, and even a US dollar less than the lowest “Buy it now” price was never accepted. I think the most I got on the best counter offer was like 50 cents off after I offered a dollar less? 
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I have usually ask for £1 or 50p and have had a lots of success, 
asking for more will usually will be declined.
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I use the Best Offer all the time and it has usually been accepted. Of course, if the product is listed at $100 and you offer $50, that’s being unrealistic, and it will not be accepted. I would typically offer $90 in this case, or if the seller has multiple items I want, even better as I will make a reasonable offer on all of them.
If it’s something I really don’t need and I feel like playing the game, I’ll make a ridiculous low-ball offer to see where it goes from there. You never know. 
—mike 
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