If you solicit offers, shouldn't you respond?


I recently made a very reasonable offer on an item that was being sold on a strictly "make an offer" basis (there was no option to buy the unit at the asking price, just "make an offer". So I offered the asking price less shipping).

The seller never responded, so I sent a PM. No response to that either. My offer has expired with no word from the seller.

Isn't there, simply as a matter of courtesy and responsible behavior, an obligation to respond to reasonable offers if you're soliciting them?
128x128etnier
It is not a matter of being offended, or upset by rudeness. I agree it is simple good manners to reply and courtesy and manners matter. I would reply courteously to a ludicrously low offer even.
Good manners is always a good idea. But it’s a bad idea to let people without them to ruin your day.
Etnier, don't give up. A reasonable offer such as yours deserves a response; its that simple. At minimum, a simple "sold" response is warranted. If one posts a "for sale" ad in a forum such as this, there is a certain amount of responsibility to reasonable prospective buyers to not waste their time by forcing them to make repeat offers or attempts to communicate. My rule of thumb is to not buy from a seller who is clueless about simple communication etiquette; it's an indication of other potential problems.

On a related note, it's like the person who asks for advise about an audio-related issue, receives many well-intended advise/suggestions and is never heard from again. Nice.
Sorry, but some offers don't warrant a response. It isn't rude to not respond some times. Some times it isn't work the effort or heart ache. Some people want to haggle. While others list at a "selling price" don't want to haggle or don't have room for lowering the price. So where is the point in responding. I recently listed a piece of equipment for sale. A Mark Levinson ML3 amp that weighs about 150 lbs or more crated. some people not only tried to lowball my more than fair price, but they also asked me to eat the expensive shipping costs. Some offers were courteous, but some were just rude. Fortunately, I really don't have to sell the unit and don't need the money. just clearing space. But you really shouldn't be insulted that the person didn't respond to your low offer. You should expect silence. If I feel the price is right or fair. I don' haggle. I simply tell the seller that I accept the asking price. If I don't like the price, well... I simply don't make an offer. I have better things to do than try to convince someone their price is too high. I, just like most of us have access to the blue book and can see the high/low and average prices for a used piece of equipment. I have found that many people actually bye as low as they can with no intention of keeping the unit, but instead try to flip it for higher.. Well, more power to them. I just don't have time for that type of deal making.
"I see no reason to respond when an offer is purely stupid."

If "I'll meet your price if you throw in shipping" (for a BluRay player) is stupid, I give up.
I had imagined he had already commited to selling it elsewhere and didn't have the knowledge of ettiquette To simply say "I am compelled out of correctness to sell to the offer I responded to first, I apologize" Or something to that effect.
Yah what do you need , I have a most everything else in this hobby to sell now post divorce. Buying was easy now the hard part selling!
Last year at my local Acura dealer, one of the salespersons took my handwritten offer, crumpled it up, and tossed it in the trash can alongside his desk.

Bought an Infiniti later that same day at my target price.

How's that work for you Acura car salesperson?
And screw your sales manager who allowed you to be an a**hole.
A followup: the item has apparently been sold. It seems that rather than using the auction option here the seller (who put no 'buy it now' option on the listing) was conducting an undeclared auction, using offers rather than bids.
I don't think that not responding is an appropriate answer under any circumstance: I was just raised better. This isn't a biker bar.

But I don't know the Audiogon style, so maybe it's appropriate to be rude here.

The seller had solid feedback: 100% on 57 transactions.

I wish there were a way to leave feedback for not responding to an offer and two followup messages.
You should visit some new car showrooms to be educated in 'serious' selling. Those car people have it down to a science, a science of abuse of customers that is.
Unless you're talking about an item that costs a fortune to ship, offering the asking price less shipping seems very reasonable. Sounds to me like the seller was away for a few days or maybe his computer is down or something like that. Give it a couple more days. Not everyone does this 365 days a year.
Etnier, did ur seller have solid member feedback? I take my feedack extremely seriously, particularly when I am the seller. Like it or not folks, buying and selling on A'gon is based on a lot of trust, especially when one considers the money invovled.
I would assume that there are other reasons to get offers besides wanting to actually sell the item.
Get used to it.
This is the SOP of some sellers it seems.
It happens to me all the time, and I just went through this too when I was looking for a new preamp a month or so ago.
(But I agree it is very frustrating and not a very good way to deal with people.)
I'm not surprised -- there is no shortage of jerks in both the buyer & seller camps.

Actually, you might want to be grateful that the seller didn't respond. Just imagine what the situation would have like if the seller had taken your money and then not shipped or sent a unit with problems.

I much prefer simply moving on from a seller who never responded to my bid than having to get my money back from a dishonest transaction.
Don't take it personally, move on, and buy something else. By the way, what were you looking for...