Constant Content

Hi.

I'm curious about whether or not to use "best offer" on my articles. What is your experience with it? Does it complicate matters, or does it help get a sale?

Thanks,

E

Hi,

I use the best offer system all the time. I feel it gives me the opportunity to give customers a way of getting a 'bargain' or negotiating for a lower price. However, I don't always accept the offers made, as some are ridiculously low. I suppose I'd get even more sales if I just wily nily accepted every offer, but it does give me a chance to consider what I will accept as a minimum price for an article. I have had quite a few sales generated by the best offer system, where I have accepted an offer and the sale was made straight away. Some customers just love to get a sale price. A few times I have accepted the offer and the customer doesn't come back and purchase the article. I also sell many articles where customers just pay the full price I have put on my articles straight away, without bothering to negotiate through the best offer system.

All in all, I find using the system does work, but it's really up to you.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Hayley

I just started using it on my most recent submissions. I'm still nervous about my pricing so this way I can set a price I might be a bit leery is a touch high (you know the thinking, "Is $100 too much? I should have put it at $80. But I want my work to be valued, so maybe $100.") and then just click on best offer, so if the customer WAS willing to buy at a bit less, that option is still open.

In fact, I only just got my first offers this morning. I wrote two game reviews. Customer wanted full rights, she offered between my full rights price and unique price and I accepted. If she buys, I think we'll both be happy with that transaction.

I have only been using Constant Content for a couple of months, so I decided "best offer" would be a good way to start out and maybe get some articles sold. My first offer was for six dollars for unique rights! That is ten percent of what I had asked. I wish we could haggle with the customers. I know the article was about dog training -- I wasn't exactly explaining the fine points of cold fusion, but $6? Do you guys sell unique content for this price? Like I say, I'm new and don't know what is appropriate. I could have earned six dollars as a manager at McDonald's in the time it took to write my article (and they have a health plan!). Any advice would be appreciated.

Mountain Brooks...

"...but $6? Do you guys sell unique content for this price? Like I say, I'm new and don't know what is appropriate. I could have earned six dollars as a manager at McDonald's in the time it took to write my article (and they have a health plan!). Any advice would be appreciated."

I can tell you that I never charge as low as $6 for unique rights. Reselling articles is an important part of a freelance writer's income, so I actually sell Use rights most of the time. When I offer Unique and Full, I set my price a good deal higher. I try to price based on a reasonable cents-per-word rate, but I've a feeling I still manage to undercut myself.

A good way to find out what customers are willing to spend is to look at "Recently Sold Content" (the link in the left-hand column of the site).

Hi

See my comments (and others') on price in the common space section of the forum entitled Who Is Selling articles for $1-$5. I agree $6 for unique is far too low. I would definitely reject that offer. Some customers, unfortunately, like to try to take advantage of new authors. Stand up for yourself and reject that one. I have sold articles in the last month for up to $120 and several for between $65 and $95 for full rights, if that helps. Customers are willing to pay decent prices for decent articles. The article may sit for a while longer on the site, but you could sell it for much more than $6 for unique. Even $6 for use does not give a decent return, unless you can sell the same article many times. You do not have to accept every offer. I have rejected a few and had the customers come back with better offers that I have then accepted. I think some customers just try it on to see if they can get away with it. Unfortunately, some authors also consistently sell themselves short too and sell for such ridiculous prices regularly, so some customers think those prices are normal.

When I first came here I was caught out by a customer offering low prices (although that was for use) and I made the mistake of selling a couple of articles. Then I did the maths and figured out I'd sold my hard work for less than a third of a cent a word. I don't even want to think about what my hourly rate was! So, I am speaking from experience here. I regretted selling at those prices in my early days here and I will never do it again. I also made more money last month than ever before. How many articles would you have to sell at that rate to make enough money to make your writing worth while? Instead, sell just one or two articles at even $40 or $50 for unique to make money!

If all the authors set themselves a decent minimum price on either word count or hourly rate, and then charged the articles at those prices, the customers would still buy!

Kind regards,

Hayley

Thanks everyone for your advice, and I did reject the offer. I agree with your comments about selling short hurting everyone. I understand there are places free content can be found on the web, but I decided to get involved with Constant Content because the standards seemed higher. I really appreciate veterans of Constant Content being so willing to discuss issues that can seem trivial with a "new guy." So thank you again - Mountain Brooks

Just a note on the best offer system. I recently rejected an offer for $25 for unique for an article, and the same customer came back a few times with better offers. I sold the article today for $65 full rights. This was still lower than I had originally wanted for that particular article, but it was decent. It's the highest sale on the recently sold list so far today!

The customer has also contacted me through the email system on CC thanking me for the lower price because he is a new entrepreneur but wants to buy more of my articles in the future. I really do think the best offer system works! Just remember that you do not have to accept every offer that comes through.

Hayley