negotiation skills

[youmechooz]

This is all well, and fine for books, that are sold regularly, or at least on a somewhat common basis, but how do you price, and negotiate on books that are scarce, or don't have much if any of a selling history? If its the only one you've seen do you by asking price since there's nothing to compare to. I would also think the seller would have the upper hand since they know you can't just go to one of the other dealers and buy the same book.

 

Comic art is also like this since you're always dealing with one of a kind items especially when considering all the factors that go into prices, not just artist, and comic title, but what is the character doing?Also you have to consider what type of page is it, cover panel splash, can all differ in price, from page to page.

 

 

This is a good point. For me, I learned early on that first access (or early access) to new collections, rare books or high end books, is more important than the pure price paid.

 

I will haggle within a very small range if I feel a deal can be struck. If the price is too far off, then I don't make an offer at all. I also don't look a gift horse in the mouth. If I see a book stickered way below value, I just buy it, no questions asked and move on.

 

I want the dealers (big or small) to know that I'm a buyer with a good amount of money who is willing to spend, and that they want to deal with because it's easy, and who pays (in some cases) aggressively or at a minimum, fairly.

 

This has served me very, very well in obtaining first (or very early look) from many major national dealers as well as many, many stores across the country.

 

I know getting the "best deal" is about price for many, but for me, it's about relationships and not being known as a low-baller -- If I give up $250 or $500 on a $10k deal, I'm not going to worry either way, and I don't want the dealer to feel disappointed either or they really had to compromise in order to make the deal.

 

Sure, I want to do a little negotiating, but there are plenty of guys that as Gaz points out, price fairly to begin with, no need to bargain down further. Most follow the model of building in a discount, which is why I always feel the need to ask now. With that said, I'd much rather have a guy who gives a smaller discount with realistic prices than a guy who prices sky high and gives 50% off.

+1 i want that dealer to remember i will give him good money on stuff so that i can get first crack at books. Most dealers are cool with 20% off their sticker so i can make 20%. Others, you just have to buy more to get that. But im okay with buying up to 10% off if we are just starting a relationship.

[G.A.tor]

Along the lines of what Bob and G.A.tor were saying, it drives me crazy that there are so many people who seem to be more willing to by a book that is $150 with a 20% discount rather than a $100 book with no discount.

 

When I first started dealing, My strategy was to offer low prices with no discount but I just got hassled by customers who would walk away if they didn't get discount even though they were being offered a good deal initially. The end result was that I had to put my prices up to a point where I could afford to offer a discount and still make a profit.

 

There, everyone's happy.

 

Yeah, it works.

 

Don't know why they weren't happy before though because they would've been paying the same price.

its a psychological part of our market ...and I know it will be an uphill battle. Time will tell if I can "sell it"

[G.A.tor]

I tested it a bit last year on a couple of higher demand books. Foolkiller actually bought a book that my price was "firm" on. Of course he still got a $500 discount

[kav]

This girl could talk em down

[wombat]

Obviously psychology is part of sales and people want to feel like they "won", but at the end of the day if someone picks a higher price because they got a discount over a lower price without one they aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

[kav]

YUp

Like jewelry stores with their 'sales'

WOW 75% off!!!!

 

[Red84]

YUp

Like jewelry stores with their 'sales'

WOW 75% off!!!!

 

Or Men's Warehouse - Buy 1 suit get 3 for free!!!

[kav]

200% off sale!!!!!!

[slym2none]

I hate the offer auto-denial function. Many times I will bid within 10% of their asking prices and it will get auto denied as they wont accept anything other than full price it seems. They are gaming the system under the guise of "make an offer." It is really frustrating.

 

For me, it all depends on many things, too many to list here (because I couldn't think of half of them at any one time.) Some books, I will set my auto-decline at half of what I am willing to take, as room to negotiate. Other times (like my current Manifest Destiny Ottley variant cover CGC 9.8), I set my decline-price higher to what my intial ask price is for because I can see what the current selling price-range is. In this instance, I see this book selling for $75 to $85 on eBay. I have it priced at $100 (for luck's sake) but I do offer BIN, and I have the lowest price I am willing to entertain as a start for negotiation at $65. Why would I take less when I can see them selling for $75?

 

So, it really depends. Mostly, if it's a "hot" or easy-sell book, my decline-price is closer to lowest-selling price. If it's a slower-seller, I am more likey to give more leeway in my negotiation range.

 

 

 

 

-slym

[FineCollector]

+1 i want that dealer to remember i will give him good money on stuff so that i can get first crack at books. Most dealers are cool with 20% off their sticker so i can make 20%. Others, you just have to buy more to get that. But im okay with buying up to 10% off if we are just starting a relationship.

 

This is the part I don't understand. How does the other dealer benefit from feeding you his best books at 20% off when he can just sell them himself at full price, and also use those keys to get more traffic through his booth?

[youmechooz]

+1 i want that dealer to remember i will give him good money on stuff so that i can get first crack at books. Most dealers are cool with 20% off their sticker so i can make 20%. Others, you just have to buy more to get that. But im okay with buying up to 10% off if we are just starting a relationship.

 

This is the part I don't understand. How does the other dealer benefit from feeding you his best books at 20% off when he can just sell them himself at full price, and also use those keys to get more traffic through his booth?

Most ive bought from were cool with it. Some give 15% and some give 10%. You spend enough and they are cool with it. For me, im not going to buy one af15 for $10k and expect to get 20% off. But put a short box of smaller keys together and lots of dealers would pull the trigger on 15%-20% off. Like, Hold the smaller key for 3 or more shows or sell it along with a stack or short box full of other keys today for $5k or more? And i wouldn't be buying out his booth of keys, the dealers i have bought from like this, have many many keys and what they sell to me wouldnt put a dent in their eye candy.

[Bird]

+1 i want that dealer to remember i will give him good money on stuff so that i can get first crack at books. Most dealers are cool with 20% off their sticker so i can make 20%. Others, you just have to buy more to get that. But im okay with buying up to 10% off if we are just starting a relationship.

 

This is the part I don't understand. How does the other dealer benefit from feeding you his best books at 20% off when he can just sell them himself at full price, and also use those keys to get more traffic through his booth?

 

turnover turnover turnover

[AmazingSaul]

Learn the market well... Then try to set examples. Do not be mean or demanding, it doesn't work! This isn't a car dealer. In these cases you can bargain. I bargain all the time but don't low ball or tell them to sell it cheap...