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The first time I saw “OBO” mentioned in a listing, I honestly thought it was a brand I’d never heard of. I almost scrolled right past a great deal because of three little letters.
If you’ve ever experienced the same thing, you need to read this blog, in which I’m going to explain exactly what OBO means, how it works on Poshmark and other reselling platforms, and how you can use offers to sell faster without giving your profit away.
Stick with me until the end, because I’m also sharing the offer strategy that helped me scale from 7 monthly sales to 34 monthly sales.
What Does OBO Mean?
OBO stands for “or best offer.” When an online reseller mentions it in a listing, they’re telling you the price isn’t set in stone. They’ll consider offers below the asking price.
So, an item listing that says “$50 OBO” really means: “I’d love $50, but make me an offer and let’s talk.”
Here’s the part most people miss, though.
OBO is an invitation to negotiate, not a promise to sell cheap. The seller can still say no to any offer they don’t like.
You’ll also see a close cousin of OBO floating around: OBRO, which means “or best reasonable offer.” That extra word is the seller politely saying, “Please don’t offer me $5 for my $80 boots.”
OBO vs. Firm: What’s the Difference?
While OBO opens the door to negotiation, “firm” slams it shut.
A listing that says “$40 firm” means the seller won’t budge. Don’t send an offer and don’t ask “what’s your lowest?”
Just pay the price or keep scrolling.
Sending lowball offers on firm price listings is one of the fastest ways to get ignored (or blocked) by a seller.
Here’s a quick cheat sheet you should always keep in mind:
| Term | What It Means | Should You Negotiate? |
| OBO | “Or best offer” — price is flexible | Yes, respectfully |
| OBRO | “Or best reasonable offer” | Yes, but stay realistic |
| Firm | Price is final | No |
Where You’ll See OBO? (It’s Everywhere)
OBO started in classified ads, long before reselling apps existed.
Car listings, garage sales, newspaper classifieds – OBO was the universal signal that a seller was flexible.
Today, you’ll spot it across almost every reselling platform, including Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, and others.
The interesting thing is that even on marketplaces that have built-in offer buttons, sellers still mention “OBO” in their listing titles.
Why?
Because it works as a psychological nudge.
A buyer who sees OBO feels invited to negotiate, and an invited buyer is far more likely to hit the offer button.
Does Poshmark Have OBO? (Yes, and It’s Better)
Here’s something the average “what does OBO mean” blog won’t tell you: on Poshmark, every listing is an OBO listing.
Unlike Facebook Marketplace, where OBO is just text and negotiation happens in messy chat threads, Poshmark built negotiation directly into the app.
Every active Poshmark listing has a Make an Offer button. Buyers don’t need permission to negotiate, the platform hands it to them.
That changes how you should think about pricing. Let me walk you through the 3 offer options Poshmark gives you.
1. Make an Offer (Buyer Side)
Any Poshmark buyer can tap “Make an Offer” on your listing and submit a price. You then have 24 hours to accept, counter, or decline before the offer expires.
And here’s the important thing: offers on Poshmark are binding. If you accept a buyer’s offer, the sale processes automatically using their payment info.
There’s no “actually, never mind” moment like on Craigslist. This protects Poshmark sellers from time-wasters and keeps negotiations serious.
2. Offer to Likers (Seller Side)
This is Poshmark’s best feature for sellers, and honestly, it’s where I make a huge chunk of my sales.
Every time someone likes your listing, they’re raising their hand as an interested buyer.
The Offer to Likers (OTL) feature lets you send a private discount straight to everyone who liked that item.
You just need to offer a discount of at least 10% off your lowest historical price. The buyer gets a notification with a 24-hour countdown.
I’ve had items sit for weeks on Poshmark, then sell within an hour of sending an offer to likers.
3. Bundle Offers
When a buyer on Poshmark bundles two or more of your items, you can send a private offer on the whole bundle.
Since you’re shipping everything in one box, you can discount deeper and still protect your profit. Bundle offers are how I turn one sale into three.
So, Poshmark doesn’t just support OBO, it supercharges it!
How OBO Works on Other Marketplaces
Each marketplace handles best offers a little differently. Here’s the quick rundown:
eBay
eBay Best Offer gives sellers clear control over negotiations. When creating a fixed-price listing, you can set an auto-accept amount and an auto-decline amount.
Offers at or above your auto-accept price are approved instantly, while offers below your minimum are rejected automatically. Buyers cannot see these limits.
The best way is to auto-accept offers at 85–90% of the listing price and auto-decline anything below 70%. Offers between those amounts can be reviewed or countered manually.
For most eBay categories, buyers can submit up to three offers, and sellers have 96 hours to respond before an offer expires.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace usually does not have a consistent Best Offer system, so sellers often write “OBO” in the listing title or description.
For example, a seller lists an item as “Fat Quad SE Bike 600$ OBO” Buyers then negotiate directly through Messenger.
To reduce low offers and unnecessary messages on Facebook Marketplace, state your minimum price clearly.
Writing “OBO, lowest price $45” tells buyers how much flexibility you have.
Negotiations move quickly on Facebook Marketplace, but ghosting and unrealistic offers are common.
Since the Make Offer button is not available on every listing, mentioning OBO in the listing title is the best way to show that you are open to negotiation.
Mercari, OfferUp, and Depop
Mercari, OfferUp, and Depop include built-in offer tools, making negotiations easier than on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist.
Buyers can submit an offer directly from the listing, and sellers can accept, decline, or send a counteroffer.
On Mercari and Depop, offers usually expire after 24 hours if no action is taken. OfferUp also allows buyers and sellers to negotiate through its offer feature.
Even with the offer feature available, adding “OBO” to your listing title or description still helps. It signals to buyers that your price is flexible and encourages interested buyers to submit an offer.
Common OBO Mistakes to Avoid As a Seller
1. Adding OBO to Already Low-Priced Listings
Adding OBO to a listing that is already priced below market value weakens your negotiating position.
Some buyers assume that OBO means you are willing to accept much less than the listed price, even when the price is already fair. This leads to unnecessary low offers and reduced profit margins.
Before adding OBO to a listing, compare similar sold listings and calculate the lowest amount you can accept.
If your item is competitively priced, you may not need OBO at all. Instead, keep the price firm or raise it slightly to leave room for negotiation without sacrificing the profit.
2. Accepting Offers Without Checking Your Math
A strong-looking offer sometimes becomes disappointing once marketplace fees, shipping discounts, taxes, and item costs are deducted.
I always recommend calculating your estimated net payout before accepting any offer. Start with the sale price, subtract platform fees, promotional discounts, shipping fees, and the amount you originally paid for the item.
Also consider packaging costs and your time, especially on lower-priced items.
Setting a minimum acceptable profit in advance will make decisions easier and help prevent rushed mistakes.
A quick calculation can protect your margins and help you avoid accepting sales that create activity but leave you with little or no real profit.
3. Ignoring Offers Completely
Ignoring an offer may feel easier than responding, especially when the amount is lower than expected. However, silence can cost you a buyer.
The offers you receive on marketplaces like Poshmark, eBay, and Mercari usually have a response window of 24 hours, and buyers move on to another listing if they hear nothing.
Even when an offer is too low, a counteroffer keeps the conversation open and shows that you are willing to negotiate.
Responding quickly to an offer creates urgency and improves the chance of closing the sale.
If the price is unrealistic, decline politely and move forward. Every offer is a selling opportunity, so treat it as a possible starting point.
4. Taking Lowball Offers Personally
Lowball offers feel disrespectful, especially when you have carefully sourced, cleaned, photographed, and listed an item. Still, taking them personally leads to emotional replies that damage your reputation.
Buyers may be testing your flexibility, working with a limited budget, or simply starting negotiations at a low number.
Focus on the offer, not the person. Check your minimum acceptable price, send a reasonable counteroffer, or decline without explanation.
Avoid arguing, insulting the buyer, or sending sarcastic messages. A low offer is only a number, and you control whether to accept it.
How to Make the Best Offer That Actually Gets Accepted?
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or sourcing items to resell, these rules will get your offers accepted more often:
1. Start 10–20% Below the Asking Price
Offering 10–20% below the listed price is usually a strong starting point. It gives you room to negotiate while still showing the seller that you value the item.
For example, if something is listed for $100, an opening offer between $80 and $90 is quite reasonable and will increase your chances of acceptance.
2. Avoid Making a 50%-Off Lowball Offer
Offering half the asking price can make sellers feel that you are not serious about buying. Most will decline immediately, ignore the offer, or even block you.
When a listing seems overpriced, compare similar items first. You can either make a respectful offer based on market value or continue searching for a better-priced listing.
3. Check Sold Comparables Before Making an Offer
Sold listings show what buyers have actually paid, making them more useful than active listing prices.
Search for the same brand, model, size, condition, and style before submitting an offer.
This research will help you avoid overpaying and gives you confidence that your offer reflects the item’s current market value rather than an unrealistic asking price.
4. Respond to Counteroffers Quickly
A counteroffer usually means the seller is interested but wants a slightly higher price.
Since most marketplace offers expire within 24 hours, waiting too long might cause you to lose the sale.
Review the counteroffer instantly and decide whether to accept, decline, or submit one final offer that meets both your budget and the seller’s expectations.
Send Automated Offers on Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, & Depop with Sidekick Tools
Offers work best when they’re consistent. New buyers come in every day, and every one of them is waiting for an offer.
Sending offers manually, one by one? That’s a part-time job.
That’s exactly why I use Sidekick Tools. It a reselling automation app that automates activities like sharing, following, relisting, crosslisting, and sending offer to likers/buyers on Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, and more.
The auto send offer feature within the Sidekick Tools app ensures your OBO strategy works, even while you sleep.
If you’re serious about turning likes into sales, give Sidekick Tools a try and put your offer game on autopilot.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does OBO mean in a listing?
OBO (Or Best Offer) means the seller has set an asking price but is open to reasonable offers below it. It’s an invitation to negotiate, not a guarantee of a discount.
What does OBO mean on Poshmark?
On Poshmark, OBO signals the seller welcomes offers, but every Poshmark listing already includes a “Make an Offer” button, so all listings are negotiable by default. Sellers can also send private discounts through Offer to Likers.
Are offers binding on Poshmark?
Yes. When a seller accepts an offer (or a buyer accepts a counteroffer), the purchase processes automatically on Poshmark. That’s different from Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, where either side can walk away.
How much lower should my offer be?
Start 10–20% below the asking price. Offers 30% or more below the ask are often ignored, and 50% off is almost always declined.
Does writing OBO on a listing hurt sell-through rate?
No, writing OBO does not usually hurt your sell-through rate. It encourages hesitant buyers to submit offers and start a conversation. However, it may attract more lowball offers or suggest that your price is flexible.
