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What's the lowest price you'll take for your item?...

Started by MadGenius,

33 posts in this topic

MadGenius

MadGenius

Posted
Posted

...is a negotiating question I really hate. Just had someone on eBay ask me this and it's happened many, many times before. Why would I start negotiating at my LOWEST price? When I get this question I generally throw out a figure very close to my asking price (even if I have more wiggle room).

 

When trying to make an offer, I'd much rather a buyer throw out a number and I either accept or we negotiate from there.

 

FYI for the next time I run a sales thread. :/

 

rantrant

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Robot Man

Robot Man

Posted
Posted

I don't like to haggle either. But, I realize it is a game that needs to be played sometimes. You have already shown a card, it is now up to the buyer to show one of his if he disagrees. The usual end result is you meet in the middle usually. Funny how this never happens at Starbucks, Lowes or Wallmart...

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Batman

Batman

Posted
Posted
...is a negotiating question I really hate. Just had someone on eBay ask me this and it's happened many, many times before. Why would I start negotiating at my LOWEST price? When I get this question I generally throw out a figure very close to my asking price (even if I have more wiggle room).

 

When trying to make an offer, I'd much rather a buyer throw out a number and I either accept or we negotiate from there.

 

FYI for the next time I run a sales thread. :/

 

rantrant

Just stick 10% on top of what you would like to get for it!

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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted
Counter by asking what's the highest price they'll offer.

 

This is my standard reply.

 

What's better is when you get asked for your best price, you give it and then they ask if you'll take lower.

 

Cash money. Paypal account ready to go. Right now. :D

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

Posted
Posted

Item is on eBay at the price it is offered.

 

Here are the options:

 

Buy it

Item will be shipped next day.

 

Don't buy it

Option 1 - Someone else might

Option 2 - Wait and see if I lower the price.

 

 

This summer I had people ask me why I would not lower the price on things. I shrugged and wanted to see how it would play out. In MOST cases the items eventually sold at the price I was looking for between the two counts.

 

In some cases there are a couple of things that are sitting there for two years at this point. If they sell... great. If they don't that is also great. As long as "something" finds a new home I am happy.

 

The purpose I had this summer was to get rid of as much VOLUME as possible in case I found a way to escape my job and do something else. This way I would not have to take as much with me in a move. I much rather wanted to sell bins of GI Joes than a couple of high priced comics.

 

So... the point is that many people do not know nor always need to know the rationale behind why someone's personal stuff is priced at the rate that it is. If you truly disagree then I am sure that you can find whatever you want from someone else. Whenever I could reach a price I wanted with someone, I moved on and found it someplace else. In some cases that worked out for me in the long run. In other cases it did not. However it all balanced out in the end.

 

 

 

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AKA Rick

AKA Rick

Posted
Posted

I have to agree with a few folks, that "What's the lowest you'll take" approach seems a bit uncouth at times as a negotiation approach, since the logical retort should be "What's the most you're willing to pay?" to a degree, but in the American way of business where "the customer is always right" and there's fair market competition, sellers are often placed in that servant role to cater to the customer, so I understand culturally it's not an offensive question by intent.

 

I usually tell people a simple one step negotiation...

 

"Make me your best offer, and I'll either say YES or I'll say NO, but I won't counteroffer with a higher price to try to squeeze more out of you and in that same way, know that if you try to lowball the offer, you're jeopardizing your position to buy it since I won't entertain offers after your 1st offer"

 

I know it's to some, an arrogant approach possibly, but as a hobbiest where selling comics or collectibles isn't a sole source of income, it's an easy stance to take. I get it where others can't afford to take such an approach 'tho.

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VintageComics

VintageComics

Posted
Posted

A) There's nothing offensive about the question. They are free to ask just as you are free to answer.

 

B) The customer is NOT always right and I would never operate under this premise.

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Hudson

Hudson

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Posted

Speaking simply as a buyer, I personally hate to negotiate. I typically look at a price and if I don't like it, I walk. This is one reason I do not go to more conventions. At conventions it seems a lot of people jack up the prices, knowing that many buyers will want to haggle. I understand this, however, it has probably caused me to lose out on many books that I would have purchased IF the "real" price was just on the book to begin with.

 

When I go into Walmart to buy something, I don't go to the counter and ask, "What is the lowest you will take for this?". I pay the asking price. If the price is too high, I don't buy it. Simple.

 

I don't like the stress of going to a comic convention and feeling like I am at a used car dealership. A place at which a negotiation game must be played in order to purhcase the item without taking a royal beating on price.

 

On the rare occasion I find a book I REALLY want and I believe the price is too high, I will sometimes make an attempt at negotiations. Usually, I walk, but once in a great while I will suffer through the negotiation process.

 

The problem is I don't play this game like many others.

 

Say I see a book that I feel is worth (to me) $800 and it is marked at $1,000. I prefer to just tell the seller I would like to offer $800.

 

The problem is that a lot of sellers will then respond with, "Great, let's meet in the middle. Call it $900".

 

I don't want to pay $900. If I thought it was worth $900 to me, then I could have offered that in the first place.

 

The "meet in the middle" philosophy I so often hear, would reuqire me to start my offer at $600. I think offering $600 for a book that I believe is worth $800 is insulting to the seller.

 

This is why MOST of the time, I just walk away.

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Buzzetta

Buzzetta

Posted
Posted
A) There's nothing offensive about the question. They are free to ask just as you are free to answer.

 

B) The customer is NOT always right and I would never operate under this premise.

 

A boss of mine once said, "You cannot make everyone happy and if you are trying, you are doing something wrong."

 

good advice actually.

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