How do you deal with low ball offers on Craigslist?
- Thread starter xStonr
- Start date
Counter offer. Why do anything else?
I've never quite understood the attitude people have about low offers. That's the way this selling and buying thing works. You put an asking price, and other people are free to make offers. If you aren't open to offers, put "price is firm - will not take less" in your ad.
I've never quite understood the attitude people have about low offers. That's the way this selling and buying thing works. You put an asking price, and other people are free to make offers. If you aren't open to offers, put "price is firm - will not take less" in your ad.
OGG
Master of the Meh
I always put very specific wording in my ads that I will not take low ball offers, that the price is firm etc. I also ask a fair price that is well below what other people ask.
The problem is that people either don't read the ad entirely, or they think they have some special knowledge or that it must not apply to them and go ahead with trying to get the item for a stupid price. All that does is confirm that they are an asshole.
I ignore the vast majority of those offers. The only exceptions are for offers that are reasonably close to the asking price (in which case I may agree to their offer), and those who are clearly both ignorant and morally bankrupt. In the case of the later, I may scorch them a tad if I have the spare time to do so.
wagdog
Ack
This.
An offer means the person is interested. It's better than getting no offers. Fire back a counter offer and work from there. If you have a bottom dollar price, state that. If it doesn't work out, at least you have idea what people are willing to pay.
Keep in mind that many people selling stuff are more interested in moving it along as opposed to getting the best price for it (musicians are probably particularly prone to this as many are always wanting the next magic tone whatever). These people will often take "lowball" offers just so they can move on to the next whatever.
As long as "lowball" offers sometimes bring home the bacon, there will be lowball offers. I just accept it as part of selling and move on, there's no return on getting emotionally involved.
As long as "lowball" offers sometimes bring home the bacon, there will be lowball offers. I just accept it as part of selling and move on, there's no return on getting emotionally involved.
smorgdonkey
Kick Henry Jackassowski
I got a lowball on eBay. Yes, the lowballers even want to take over eBay. I had a wicked near mint Gibson Les Paul Studio Fireburst with case up for starting bid of $750 and some dude sends me a message saying he'll take it for $500. I say that I am not even remotely interested in selling it for $500 and that they sell for over $1600 CAN. He replies and says $600 including shipping.
How I'd like to respond is so much different than how I do respond.
How I'd like to respond is so much different than how I do respond.
Chicken Man
Kick Henry Jackassowski
As a person who has made what I thought was a reasonable offer under the asking price on something, I can tell you that the most impactful response is nothing. Coming back with vitriol just makes me glad I didn't give you my money.
OGG
Master of the Meh
I don't do "vitriol". On the rare occasions that I do respond, I usually ask if they somehow missed the all caps portion of the ad that reads "NO LOWBALL OFFERS. PRICE IS FIRM".
When I sell stuff on CL, it's because I don't want or use it anymore. I pretty much always basically give the shit away by asking well below what other identical or very similar items are advertised at.
I think that makes some people assume that I must be desperate to unload it. The reality is that I really don't give a shit about trying to make an extra buck, and I don't mind letting stuff go at a loss in order for it to find a home with someone who needs it. Plus, I really can't be arsed to play the whole Tiajuana street vendor negotiating game. It's not worth my time. I have no interest in entertaining vulchers out looking to snag a killer deal by preying on what they think are desperate people. Fuck that. Buy it or don't, but if you ignore the clearly stated terms of the ad and decide that it doesn't apply to you, you can go fuck yourself.
The worst are the ones who keep trying after being told "no thanks". These pond scum lapping shitbags get what they get. Send me enough stupid fucking emails trying to bullshit me into dropping my price with claims that someone else has the same item cheaper, or that my item is a less valuable version of something else is going to get a proper "Fuck you".
Now, if an ad reads "OBO", game on. Knock yourself out.
It's all about respect and common courtesy. If you show me neither, you get none in return. Fair?
Gary Blanchard
beloved, local musician
I just assume that we have differing opinions on the worth of an item. I will tell them, Thanks but no thanks; this is the lowest I'll go. We both come away disappointed but not disgruntled.
mikesr1963
Gonna walk my dog, you?
Usually when I low ball it's when I do a good bit of research, which is most of the time, and send a realistic price with the information I've found. It's only low ball compared to the unrealistic absurd high price someone is requesting a lot of the time because I like fucking with people who do that. I've also told people they're asking for to little and that they could add $25 to the price and still be cheaper than others I've found and I've paid more than the asking price.
Lerxst
spaghetti and blankets
I used to try and engage the lowballers but found they were all nothing but straight up tire kickers who weren't interested unless they could steal the item at a way below reasonable price. Now, I just ignore them and sell my items for the listed price to people who actually want to buy. My prices are generally very reasonable.
wagdog
Ack
That's cool, it's your stuff. I'm sure your prices are reasonable and if your stuff sells, you're obviously doing it right.
I've turned lowballers into sales, so I don't mind engaging them; it's part of the game. You can tell pretty quickly if someone is just f-in with you, or they seriously want to buy and are just working a good price. My reply is usually something like "sorry, that's just too low, my lowest is $xxx - let me know if you want it". If they fire off another low-ball, I'll say "sorry, $xxx was definitely the lowest I'll take, if you want it, great, if not, no problem. Thanks for the offer." - end of story - if they lowball again, I just ignore 'em 'cause at that point they're just playing games. I'm always polite and have never told anyone off - there is just no upside to it.
Help!I'maRock!
Mediocringly Derivative
I counter with the price I was actually expecting to sell for. If they don't like it, I say thanks, but no thanks. Other people can get worked up. I don't have time for that.
OGG
Master of the Meh
I contacted a gut a few weeks ago who was selling an 87 "E Series" MIJ Strat that he didn't know was MIJ, and was unsure of the year. He had no clue what it was, or what it worth. On the ad he stated that he thought it might be Korean, and that being the case, he figured it was only worth $200
I knew exactly what it was, what year it was where it was made, and how much it was worth the second I saw the close up of the headstock with the Serial Number. The other pictures further confirmed that it was precisely what I already knew it to be.
Now, I am a mid 80s MIJ Fender WHORE. I could have been a scumbag and snapped that thing up at a stupid bargain, but instead, I emailed him with the proper specs, the info on how to confirm its origin and year, and what the average current market value is.
He immediately emailed me back thanking me profusely. Not only was he able to verify the information, but he was able to pull and rewrite the ad before getting flooded with scavengers. We stayed in contact for several days. I told him that if he didn't get at least $450 for it, I would give him at least that much. He ended up selling it for $500.
I don't expect a pat on the back, it was just a basic courtesy from one guy to another. It's how I was raised.
It's also why I have such disdain for opportunistic slime balls and vulchers. I've known plenty of guys who always keep a healthy cash fund set aside for the sole purpose of scoring killer deals from desperate people and then flip the items for a profit. I suppose it's a free country and all, and it's certainly a prime example of capitalism at work, but I find it rather distasteful.
Ignored Member
Neutered male
"Thank you for your interest. I'm sorry but I can't do _____ . "
Followed by either:
"The price I listed is firm. Thanks again."
or
"I could do ____ but won't go any lower. Thanks again."
Copy/paste until sold.
I had one guy who was short on cash trying to trade me everything except his sister. Eventually, a friend came through with a fair offer and I had to let him down.
Followed by either:
"The price I listed is firm. Thanks again."
or
"I could do ____ but won't go any lower. Thanks again."
Copy/paste until sold.
I had one guy who was short on cash trying to trade me everything except his sister. Eventually, a friend came through with a fair offer and I had to let him down.