eBay changes "Best Offer" terms to favor buyers

[Gjwilly]

eBay has changed the Best Offer rules so that they're no longer binding on the part of the buyer.
Used to be that once the offer was made and accepted the buyer was committed and the sale was considered finalized.
Now after the offer is made and accepted, the sale isn't final until the buyer actually pays. And if he doesn't there are no consequences.

In the description for "Best Offer" sales they continue to describe it as being a binding agreement:

How does Best Offer work?
If you are selling an item with a fixed price, you can choose the Best Offer option when you list your item for sale on eBay. With Best Offer, you give buyers a chance to negotiate the price with you. Each Best Offer is good for up to 48 hours. A Best Offer is binding, just like any other bid. There is no charge to use Best Offer.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/best-offer.html

Other terms
Best Offers are good for 48 hours, or until the listing ends, whichever comes first.

If the seller doesn't respond to your offer within 48 hours, it's canceled.

If a seller accepts your offer, you're required to complete the transaction.

http://pages.ebay.com/help/buy/best-offer.html

But then when you dig in to the details you see that all "Best Offer" sales are now part of a new beta-program with the changes I described above.
Sellers can not opt-out of this beta and the new rules have clearly not been promulgated.
eBay says this benefits the seller because he can now accept multiple offers, including possible higher ones, but if it all comes down to a race over who pays first, how is this a benefit? Especially when there are no consequences for not paying.
And if they still insist that its a benefit, why not make the changes clear and obvious?

Seller beware.

 

[roadbloc]

I stopped selling on ebay a while ago because of their buyer bias. Not worth the hassle.

 

[Huntn]

I'm not using it as much to sell, although I've not had a bad experience as a seller. As far as Best Offer, I don't have a problem with the new rules as long as there are time limits.

 

[Jessica Lares]

My last buyer got over my geo-restrictions by using a router, I said no to shipping to him for that reason. Otherwise I've had a decent experience at eBay as a seller too.

There are too many buyers who don't understand that if you're going to make a deal, you do it then and there, and you pay then and there. Not two days later, not next week. I think that's all they're trying to do, make the whole process much quicker.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I think it's okay, only because the item can be bought by someone else until the buyer pays for the item. So it goes both ways.

So it changes the dynamic of Best Offer- it's not absolutely better or worse, just different. You just have to adjust your decisions appropriately.