"What's Your Best Price?"

I suppose the only reason i'd send a question like that is if I think the ad is about to expire and I want to top whatever might get it when i really want it. Length of ad and such could be a negotiating point. But they don't have to agree with it.
What bugs the heck out of me, maybe my own ignorance cropping up again is the $1 start on a $12k item and "reserve not met". It makes me feel like the seller is more interested in either a marketting survey or interested in making people jump through hoops. I think it is true that many of the folks do not read thoroughly and we may see something that excites us to respond without catching something that is odd about an ad so we may send an odd question.
To this one specifically I don't use the "obo" I'll just lower my price to the next lwest need plateau so my needs are net.
But in some cultures a big part of the game is dickering.

I've written back with a total for paypal and shipping inc. that was rolled down to the nearest ten. and sold.
But this is also why I bring up the $12k items with a $1 open bid and sit there at "reserve not met" through the two weeks of the auction. Are these folks wasting time, fishing, looking for a show or what?
Again, maybe someone can give perspective on that as it's kind of the same thing.