A few thoughts on selling stuff........

badger

Senior Member
I thought about posting this in the Swop & Sell section, but I think it belongs here. I may be the odd one out here, but if I advertise something for sale (Thanks for the opportunity, Woody), I do my research before posting & ask a fair price for the item that I am selling. If potential buyers or lookers did the same thing, they would realise that I am asking a fair price. Why is it then, that those buyers will PM me with offers that are so low, that I would rather keep said item or donate it to charity than sell it to them for what they offered? :confused: If I advertise a widget for, lets say 500 rubles, don't PM or e-mail me & say you'll give me 300 rubles. Heck, I would pay myself 300 rubles to keep it :bounce: If I advertise it for 500 rubles OR best offer, then go ahead & make an offer, but don't lowball me if the asking price is already fair & the goods are as advertised.
OK, I feel better now,

badger :D
 

leo

Retired Woody's Mod 7/01-12/09
badger

seeing as I am the "referee" of Swap and Sell I will add my 2 cents :)

It would be hard to make a guideline that would cover all posters and be fair, while I think many members feel like you do and most would not answer with a "low ball" offer some will.

I would like to make a suggestion of the way I approach the buying or selling of an item, I look for or use the term "asking price" to determine if I want to make an offer or just move on and look for something else. When "I" use the term "asking price"" it means that price has "some" room to negotiate but not a whole lot ;)

To "me" using the term "OBO" (or best offer) leaves the door open to those "low ball" offers ;)

I do hope that anyone making a "ridiculous" offer would have the good manners and courtesy to do so by "pm". ;)

With our wide variety of members it is hard to have all do as we think they should.

I do think the "key" to moving an item on the Swap and Sale forum is to post as "much" info as possible, have a fair price, and to try and make clear exactly what you have/want :) There are a few "posters" that seem to have a high "sell" rate for their items and a review of their post, IMO, will help others in their posting success.

leo
 

teethdoc

Senior Member
That's just the way it goes with sales. Unless you say it's FIRM, it's not. Everything in the world of sales is negotiable. Regardless of fair price, something is only worth what someone will give you for it.
 

badger

Senior Member
Leo

I guess you can't blame people for trying.......... If I were a haggler, I would start really high & negotiate. I just don't have the time or patience to do so & so I will advertise something for a fair price, take it or leave it :). I know that you get what you pay for............... :D
 

huntnnut

GONetwork Member
Teethdoc hit the nail on the head. If the price you post is a firm price then you should note it in the ad, otherwise a lot of folks will construe it to be negotiable.
 

Kdog

Senior Member
I have sold a few things here, and had several things not sell here. In one case recently, I let everyone know how much a had in the item, and was just trying to pass it along at the same price. I was offered a lower price, and even considered taking less than I paid. To me, unless you say the price is "FIRM", it is negotiable. If you want to make an offer lower than the asking price, please do it by PM. ;)

So with that said, I have a quarter for sale for say....$1,000.00. I will entertain all offers. :bounce: :bounce:

Kdog
 

Tom Borck

Banned
It would be just as easy to tell potential buyers the price is "Non-Negotiable".

When I bought my first house the seller was asking 100K, I offered her 60K!!! We settled on 70K. It does not matter what you think the item for sale is worth, it is the BUYER who decides the value of your item for sale.

I offered a man 3k for a 4 wheeler for sale on Woodys, he was asking $3,500. I thought 3K was fair, but I get the feeling he was insulted. He told me it was worth more than 3K, and I told him.......not to me. :rolleyes:
 

GeauxLSU

Senior Member
I tend not to low ball people either. I assume they are asking what they think is a fair price and I'm not going to insult their intelligence by essentially saying "you're way off base, so let me educate you and here's an offer for 1/3 less". Yes, I may offer something less if I think we are in the same ballpark, but whatever I offer is what it is worth to me and probably 'the market' since I tend to do some homework.
Now, if there's no price and just a 'make offer' posting you're leaving yourself WIDE open. But I try not to be ridiculous on those either. For example, a guy had a pistol for sale here and he simply said 'make an offer'. I told him (via PM) the pistol was worth $200 to me and that if he did not want to sell it for that price, then it was a good gun and I'm sure he'd eventually get whatever it was he wanted (which was still unknown) for it from someone else. He then comes back and says $225. ::huh:
I was in sales for a while and I was a 'no nonsense' sales person. Something is either worth it or it isn't. People take sales too personally. If you don't buy what I have because you think it's too expensive, you haven't insulted me. If you buy something from me and think you got a steal, good for you! I got what I thought was fair as well.
KDog, I'll give you $0.10 if you pay shipping. ;)
Hunt/fish safely,
Phil
 

Kdog

Senior Member
Low ball offers. ::huh: ::huh:

Thanks for the offers, but it is worth more to me, so I will just keep it. ;) :D

Kdog
 

badger

Senior Member
Ok Ok

My mistake, I have edited my ad to read "Firm price" :type: :D

badger
 

dbodkin

Senior Member
Must be the "Horsetrader" in me.. I just like to haggle.... Love those car dealers and they probably love me :speechles Some days..peanuts.. some days shells... :bounce:
 
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