You made a sensible offer. The seller came back with a different number. Now what. Counteroffers are where most of the actual negotiating on eBay happens, and where good pieces get lost to hesitation or stubbornness. This last part of the series covers how to answer a counter, when to send an offer in the first place, and what to ask a seller before you commit to a piece of designer vintage.
How to read a counteroffer
A counter is a yes in principle. The seller has looked at your number, decided they want to sell to you, and told you what it would take. That's progress.
Look at where the counter lands.
- Close to your offer. The seller is motivated. You can probably accept, or nudge once more.
- Roughly halfway. Classic. Often very near the seller's real floor.
- Close to full price. They either think the piece is fairly priced already or your first number put them off. Rarely worth fighting over more than a small amount.
Each counteroffer shows its own expiry on the offer, so check it and don't let a good one lapse while you think. You can accept, decline, or counter the counter.
Countering the counter
Decide your ceiling before you make the first offer. Write it down if you have to. It stops a charming counter from walking you past what the piece is worth to you.
Then, if you counter back, move meaningfully toward the seller. Going back to your original number tells them you weren't listening. A worked example. The $180 blazer from our fair offer guide. You offered $145. The seller countered at $170. You could accept $170, counter at $158, or, if your ceiling was $160, counter at $160 and mean it. What you shouldn't do is counter at $147.
And if it's accepted, pay. An accepted offer isn't a reservation. The item stays available to other buyers until you pay. With autopay turned on, eBay collects payment as soon as the seller accepts, which secures it instantly.
When to make your offer
Timing is half the number. A few things worth knowing.
- Fresh listings have the least give. If a piece is rare and well priced, a small offer now beats a clever offer next week, when it has gone.
- Long-listed pieces, 60 days or more, have the most. If you've been watching something for months, you hold the stronger hand. The market has already spoken.
- Watch before you offer. Sellers can send offers to people watching an item or holding it in their cart. Those offers must be at least 5% below the Buy It Now price and last up to 96 hours. Sometimes the first number arrives in your inbox.
- Offer when you can pay. The seller has 24 hours to respond. Don't send a number the night before a flight with no signal.
Retracting is only allowed in limited cases, for example when 12 or more hours remain in the listing and your most recent offer was placed less than an hour ago. So think before you send, not after.
What to ask before offering on designer vintage
A message before an offer does two jobs. It gets you information, and it tells the seller you're a serious buyer rather than a number generator. For designer vintage, these are the four areas worth covering.
- Measurements. For tops and jackets: pit to pit, shoulder, sleeve and length. For trousers and skirts: waist, hip, rise, inseam and length. For bags: width, height, depth and strap drop. Vintage size labels are poetry, not data.
- Flaws. Smells, stains, lining tears, loose threads, hardware wear, sticky zips, missing buttons. Ask about anything the photos don't show clearly.
- Authenticity. Ask where the piece came from, whether there's original packaging, receipts or dust bags, and for close-ups of labels, stamps, serial or date codes where the house used them.
- Returns. Check the policy and ask directly if it's unclear. Many vintage sellers don't take returns.
Foundry hand-picks the pieces we feature, but the conversation and the offer happen on eBay with the seller. They know the piece best, so ask them.
Messages you can copy
Short, specific, friendly. Sellers read a lot of messages. These get answered.
Before offering, for measurements: "Hi, I love this jacket. Could you share pit to pit, shoulder and sleeve measurements, laid flat? Thanks very much."
Before offering, for condition: "Hi, could you tell me if there are any marks or wear not shown in the photos, especially on the lining and cuffs? Any odours? Thank you."
With an offer, when there's a reason: "Hi, I've sent an offer of $145. I noticed a small nick on the left cuff in photo seven, and similar blazers have sold for $140 to $170 recently. I can pay straight away if it works for you."
Answering a counter: "Thanks for coming back to me. $170 is a little over my budget. Would $158 work? If so I'll pay immediately."
Keep the tone warm and the numbers clear. No sob stories, no "what's your lowest", no essays.
Frequently asked questions
Should I accept the first counteroffer?
If it's under your ceiling and the piece is rare, often yes. Otherwise, one sensible counter back is normal.
Can I counter a seller's counteroffer on eBay?
Yes. You can counter back, and each counteroffer shows its own expiry on the offer.
Is it better to message the seller before making an offer?
For designer vintage, usually. Ask about measurements, flaws, authenticity and returns first. It helps you and it signals you're serious.
What's the best time to make an offer on eBay?
When you can pay within the day, and ideally once a piece has been listed a while. For rare pieces, sooner beats cheaper.
That's the series. Know the mechanics, avoid the lowball, offer fairly, answer counters like an adult and ask the right questions first. Then go find something worth the effort in the designer dresses, the coats and jackets or the latest arrivals.
Next in the series: How eBay Best Offer Works: A Vintage Shopper's Guide. Lowball Offers on eBay: What Happens and Why They Fail. What a Fair Offer Looks Like on Vintage Designer eBay Pieces.
