Did you know that eBay offers are being sent automatically?

Introduction

In the competitive landscape of online selling, eBay has introduced several automation features to help sellers increase their conversion rates. One such feature that many sellers might be using without full awareness is the automated Seller Initiated Offers system.

What Are Automated Seller Initiated Offers?

Seller Initiated Offers (SIOs) allow eBay sellers to send special discounted price offers to potential buyers who have shown interest in their items. What many sellers don't realize is that these offers can be set to send automatically without requiring additional action from the seller each time.

When a seller uses the 'Send Offer' feature for the first time, eBay presents an option to automate future offers. However, this setting is presented as an opt-out rather than an opt-in feature, meaning it's automatically enabled unless the seller actively chooses to disable it. Many sellers miss this checkbox and unknowingly activate automated offers.

How Do Automated Offers Work?

Once enabled, the system will automatically send offers to interested buyers based on the parameters set by the seller. The offers continue to go out without the seller having to manually initiate them each time, which can be a time-saver for high-volume sellers.

eBay emphasizes that sellers remain in control of their offers, stating: eBay does not adjust prices or send offers unless you've set them up. However, the current design has led to confusion among many sellers.

The Seller Experience: Mixed Reviews

The automated offers feature has received mixed reviews from the eBay seller community. Many sellers have reported being surprised to discover they were sending automated offers without their knowledge.

One seller in an eBay community forum noted: I was opted in without noticing the box was checked by eBay. It was my fault for not seeing the box, but then again, I had no idea this was coming either.

A particularly frustrating aspect for sellers is that once automated offers are enabled, there is no bulk editing option. Instead, sellers must manually edit each listing individually to disable the automation - a time-consuming process for those with many listings.

Some sellers have also reported technical issues with the system: For the second time in weeks, I started getting counter offers for SIOs I made. Initially I thought this maybe something new, until I checked my SIO settings, only to see both the 'Automatic' offers and 'Accept Counter Offers' toggles switched ON.

The process is simple - but, sometimes it is not easy to find.

How to Disable Automated Offers

1: Go to your Seller Hub

2: Click on the "Marketing" drop down

3: Click on the "Offers"

4: Click on the "Action" box

This will select all the listings that have automated offers being sent.

5: Click on the "End Automation"

This will end all of the automated offers being sent, for all the items that are checked.

Pro-Tip: Scroll to the bottom of the list, use the drop-down to increase the number of items that can be ended at a time.

Repeat this process until all of your automated automations have ended.

What's Next for eBay's Offer System?

eBay has acknowledged seller feedback regarding the automated offers system and has promised enhancements. According to an announcement in April 2025, eBay plans to improve their offer management tools to provide even more visibility, control, and insights into your offers in the coming weeks and months.

Sellers have expressed hope for improvements including making automated offers entirely opt-in rather than opt-out, and creating a quick way to disable automatic offers on multiple listings simultaneously.

Conclusion

While automated Seller Initiated Offers can be a powerful tool for increasing sales on eBay, the current implementation has left many sellers unknowingly using the feature. Whether you're a seasoned eBay seller or just starting out, it's worth checking your listings to ensure your offer settings align with your selling strategy.

By understanding how these automated systems work, you can make informed decisions about whether to embrace or disable these features for your eBay business.