[spraggih]

One more add... for those who use an Interest Check (IC)-- in that case the seller should expect low-balling. Why? Because sometimes people do not know the true value of an item so they offer the price they are welling to pay. Without any guidance to the value from the seller this is sure to happen. I recall one time some was IC-ing an integrated DAC/amp. I was interested. So I went to the manufacturer's web site and checked the current price for new. (I checked the wrong item- one about $300 cheaper than the IC-ed item). But I thought it was the correct one- so I took off 20-30% for used value and offered it. I did not even get a response from the seller. But if he had listed his range or even provided the new cost I would have had a better since of price to offer.

One small note: I did provide the seller with how I came up with my price so he could have responded, "The new price is incorrect."

O-well.

 

[Lazarus Short]

As they say over at Somethingawful: "The Internet makes you stupid."

Present company excepted, I'm sure...

Laz

 

[JadeEast]

If you enter into a system where the price is not established you're going to have to expect that just as you are playing for max profit the buyer is looking for maximum savings. Don't hate the player hate the game.

 

[whistler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just wonder whats going on in the heads of these low ballers.

WOW... what a concept low balling a auction!

Sorry, but the bidder you are complaining about did everything correctly and well within the spirit of auctions.

 

[no1likesme]

low balling is not stupid. Being offended by a low ball offer, on the other hand is stupid.

 

[spraggih]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazarus Short /img/forum/go_quote.gif As they say over at Somethingawful: "The Internet makes you stupid." Present company excepted, I'm sure... Laz

love all the similes.

 

[spraggih]

Quote:

Originally Posted by no1likesme /img/forum/go_quote.gif low balling is not stupid. Being offended by a low ball offer, on the other hand is stupid.

This is not about disagreeing with you- your opinion is certainly based on some insights/experiences. I am thinking though if these transactions were face to face then a different dynamic would play out when someone low-balls. I am thinking the lack of face-to-face on the Internet removes the "red-face" syndrome. Party1 says something "off" then the other party (Party2) just stares at them and then Party1 goes red-faced-- perhaps never to do it again. In the Internet/eBay (as the OP mentions) disallows for the face-to-face and hence IMHO the red-face syndrome.

Just a point of view.

 

[ken36]

I made a couple of bonehead mistakes. It's embarrassing.

 

[Lazarus Short]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ken36 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I made a couple of bonehead mistakes. It's embarrassing.

Me too.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

The number of smoking low-ball deals that have been had on Ebay cannot fit in a three volume book. Rolex for $900?? I'm sure somebody got a legit one for $500 at least once in the websites history.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

I for one personally don't understand why sellers get so angered when they are presented with a "low-ball" offer; I just politely say no, have a bit of a laugh, and then move on with my life. Generally, I've found that there will always be someone, somewhere, willing to purchase an item for a reasonable price, so to get aggravated over one offer seems a bit absurd to me.

 

[Chef Medeski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slick /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was trying to sell my Rolex Sea Dweller (Its sold, sorry guys). I tried the TimeZone forums, but no bites. I don't have any friends that can afford it, so eBay was my next bet. I put it up for sale, made the price slightly higher than what it should be, and allow people to shoot me offers. So a watch that is being sold for, lets say, $4000, what would be your first reasonable offer? I had offers of $3300-$3800. Not bad at all. They were reasonable, and of course, I am sure that they were just trying to haggle it out to get the best price, no low balling here. Anyways, I get a new offer from someone........$700!!! Are you kidding me? This is from a legit member that has 100+ feedback. I replied back to him that I do not appreciate the blatant low ball offer and that if it was a mistake (maybe he meant $3700?), then I apologize. He replied back that it wasn't a mistake, but that he apologizes for giving a low ball offer. So he tries again........$900!!! Thats like going to a BMW dealership, looking at a new M5, and offering them your 2001 Honda Accord LX "Straight Up", even trade for a $100k+ car. I ended up selling the SD for a very reasonable price, but this dude just got to me. I can't believe that someone with such a decent feedback rating can be such a moron. Sorry to waste time, needed to rant. /rant

Its called haggling. My grandmother (a wise guru on this subject) always asks for 1/3 the asking price of a new item. Now she is from the Near East, so its more understandable there, but its hard to explain to her than in Sears they are not going to reduce the price in half. But neverthless she has always said that for used good you should ask 1/4. Lowballing? Of course. The idea is simple. Ask the guy a retardily low estimate. The idea that if you meet you are more likely to get in between and the lower your initial, the lower where you meet. Thats how it works in a lot of countries, of course not the US. If I see a street vendor asking $6 for a little plastic toy, I would scuff and say $1. He would scuff and say $5. I would say.. $1. He says $4. I start walking. $3.50 last deal. I want $2. No no... too low. I can do $3. I'll do 2. $3. Bye-bye. Ok ok $2.

Its that simple. I think its funny actually to be insulted at a low-baller. Hes not being stupid, hes just trying to get a good deal. If you think its way too low. Just say no and NO. Like whats the harm in asking? I swear half the things in markets I wouldnt have bought if I hadnt haggled. Your selling a used piece of jewellery, one item certainly that was haggled over for millenias. Im sure it was jsut some Indian guy seeing how low he could get. Stupid? No. Especially when he finds a guy to go very far down. Then you wont think hes so stupid.

 

[Chef Medeski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spraggih /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is not about disagreeing with you- your opinion is certainly based on some insights/experiences. I am thinking though if these transactions were face to face then a different dynamic would play out when someone low-balls. I am thinking the lack of face-to-face on the Internet removes the "red-face" syndrome. Party1 says something "off" then the other party (Party2) just stares at them and then Party1 goes red-faced-- perhaps never to do it again. In the Internet/eBay (as the OP mentions) disallows for the face-to-face and hence IMHO the red-face syndrome. Just a point of view.

Maybe in the US. But I've found that in the Near East, Far East, and Europe. Very few take offense at this sorta haggling (and the few that do are certainly faking it for drama). Remeber for millenias people have been haggling over things, its only in recent centuries (I think only one actually) that fixed prixing has really emerged and it certainly is not ubiquitous in the world.

 

[bhd812]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chef Medeski /img/forum/go_quote.gif Its called haggling. My grandmother (a wise guru on this subject) always asks for 1/3 the asking price of a new item. Now she is from the Near East, so its more understandable there, but its hard to explain to her than in Sears they are not going to reduce the price in half. But nevertheless she has always said that for used good you should ask 1/4. Lowballing? Of course. The idea is simple. Ask the guy a retardily low estimate. The idea that if you meet you are more likely to get in between and the lower your initial, the lower where you meet. Thats how it works in a lot of countries, of course not the US. If I see a street vendor asking $6 for a little plastic toy, I would scuff and say $1. He would scuff and say $5. I would say.. $1. He says $4. I start walking. $3.50 last deal. I want $2. No no... too low. I can do $3. I'll do 2. $3. Bye-bye. Ok ok $2. Its that simple. I think its funny actually to be insulted at a low-baller. Hes not being stupid, hes just trying to get a good deal. If you think its way too low. Just say no and NO. Like whats the harm in asking? I swear half the things in markets I would have bought if I had haggled. Your selling a used piece of jewellery, one item certainly that was haggled over for millenia s. Im sure it was just some Indian guy seeing how low he could get. Stupid? No. Especially when he finds a guy to go very far down. Then you wont think hes so stupid.

this may work on street toys but any Rolex Sea dweller owner will not go down far. they know what they have and they know what its worth and they know what they can get. sometimes i will start the price higher, much higher then i expect to sell it just to weed out the lowballers..then slowly work my price down over time till i get to a certain point where i pull it for a few months then re list back at my highest price. the key as a seller is not want to rush a sale but instead use time to your advantage. of course this pends on what your selling...

on a Sea dweller without lug holes there is noway it will drop below $3500 used. if it does then i think its a fake...

 

[J-Pak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 /img/forum/go_quote.gif on a Sea dweller without lug holes there is noway it will drop below $3500 used. if it does then i think its a fake...

Which is why I'd never buy a Rolex off ebay

Might as well pay the extra $2000 and get it from an authorized dealer.