When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
I've got a shit load of stuff I want to sell on gumtree but I've been putting it off for so long because of people like that.
I sold a really nice vintage arm chair on there for a tenner because I wanted rid of it quickly due to moving house. Some bloke agrees to a tenner then turns up to collect it and offers me a fiver. Told him to stuff it.
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
I did this recently when buying something on eBay. There was a best offer option but I couldn't be bothered going back and forth with offers so messaged the guy saying what's your best price, he gave me it, I put offer in of that amount and he accepted. All pretty harmless and quick.
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
I did this recently when buying something on eBay. There was a best offer option but I couldn't be bothered going back and forth with offers so messaged the guy saying what's your best price, he gave me it, I put offer in of that amount and he accepted. All pretty harmless and quick.
It's not the done thing though. Maybe it's context (I don't sell on eBay) but I put something on at a list price but always with a caveat 'make me an offer'. People who read that and then expect me to make them an offer are simply chancers.
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
Isn't that the first question in the haggling process?
I ask "what's your lowest?"
You say "£50"
I say "£20 is where I was thinking "
some to and fro and we end up settling on or around £35
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
Isn't that the first question in the haggling process?
I ask "what's your lowest?"
You say "£50"
I say "£20 is where I was thinking "
some to and fro and we end up settling on or around £35
List price is £50. He offers £30. I offer £40. He offers £35 and we shake hands.
When buying a house the buyer always makes an offer first. Never have I heard of someone asking what's the lowest they'll accept. Surely that's an indication of the rules?
It's just always struck me as breathtakingly bad form to expect someone to show their hand right away. If the list price is £50 but I would actually accept 30 then I'd just put it up for 30 and state that's my lowest price, no offers.
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
I did this recently when buying something on eBay. There was a best offer option but I couldn't be bothered going back and forth with offers so messaged the guy saying what's your best price, he gave me it, I put offer in of that amount and he accepted. All pretty harmless and quick.
It's not the done thing though. Maybe it's context (I don't sell on eBay) but I put something on at a list price but always with a caveat 'make me an offer'. People who read that and then expect me to make them an offer are simply chancers.
To be honest I don't usually do it, but I really wanted the item and sometimes sellers can take a while to reply to offers on ebay or just ignore completely if they feel insulted by one too low. Yes I know I could've paid the asking price if I wanted it that much but everyone likes to get a decent deal.
Fair point on houses, however if I were at a car boot sale...
Many people on eBay, Schpock etc do just the opposite though - Put stuff on at a price higher than the lowest they'd accept just in the hope someone will pay it.
Annoying but true.
I'd rather people did as you say you would Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
Fair point on houses, however if I were at a car boot sale...
Many people on eBay, Schpock etc do just the opposite though - Put stuff on at a price higher than the lowest they'd accept just in the hope someone will pay it.
Annoying but true.
I'd rather people did as you say you would Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
The problem is imperfect information and anticipating how buyers on things like Schpock and Gumtree behave. Lets say I'm selling a desk. Ideally I want £50 for it. But I don't know if anyone else thinks it's worth £50 (imperfect information) and I know if I put it on for £50 I will not receive any offers at that price because every buyer now tries to lowball you. So I put it on for £60 or £70, with full expectation no one will offer to pay that price for it, but buyers now know the range they can make offers in. Now £50 is perhaps my hard lowest (ie I will automatically accept any offer at least as good as that) but maybe I'll accept £40 if the item still hasn't sold after a few weeks?
The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point.
I don't put it at a higher price because I am trying to scam buyers, I genuinely don't know what is the true highest price that I will get but I know what my expectation is and have to anticipate the fact that the vast majority of buyers will make an offer at around 20% give or take of the list price on these websites. It's a self-perpetuating cycle, yes, but if you follow the rules it works. If you try to circumvent the rules but demanding to know the seller's preferences up front then the system falls over.
"The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point."
I didn't offer lower so that's not always the case.
"The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point."
I didn't offer lower so that's not always the case.
From my experience you're in the minority. Most people seem to look at your lowest and then still try to take you for a ride.
I've sold stuff on eBay, marketplace, auto trader and done my share of car boots
I recently had a sound bar for sale with a powered sub. easily a couple of hundred quid worth of stuff, I asked a 100 quid for it, worryingly nobody asked me where it came from (nor do they ever) but straight away some piss taker offers me 50 quid. So I change the header to 100 pounds or very near offer.
"wld u tk 50"
wanting to maintain a moral high ground, I reply along the lines of, "Its already a decent price, 50 is way less than I'm prepared to sell it for. Cue loads more messages from chances and piss takers and time wasters. In the end a bloke messaged me and asked if I still had it, and said if it worked and was in as decent Nick as he photos made out he'd drop round and pick it up. When he gets here he does the old dance of "I've got 75 quid on me would you take that"
There's a cash point round the corner mate, go and add 15 quid to that and it's yours else I'll keep it
magically the money appears and we both part ways happy
I've sold stuff on eBay, marketplace, auto trader and done my share of car boots
I recently had a sound bar for sale with a powered sub. easily a couple of hundred quid worth of stuff, I asked a 100 quid for it, worryingly nobody asked me where it came from (nor do they ever) but straight away some piss taker offers me 50 quid. So I change the header to 100 pounds or very near offer.
"wld u tk 50"
wanting to maintain a moral high ground, I reply along the lines of, "Its already a decent price, 50 is way less than I'm prepared to sell it for. Cue loads more messages from chances and piss takers and time wasters. In the end a bloke messaged me and asked if I still had it, and said if it worked and was in as decent Nick as he photos made out he'd drop round and pick it up. When he gets here he does the old dance of "I've got 75 quid on me would you take that"
There's a cash point round the corner mate, go and add 15 quid to that and it's yours else I'll keep it
magically the money appears and we both part ways happy
Which is why I generally refuse to deal with people who open with 'what's your lowest' because from experience they're pisstakers who either try to back out of an agreed price at the point of exchange or they just don't show. A good tactic is tell them that if they're willing to PayPal you a certain price (say list is 60 but when asked for lowest you say 50) and the item is theirs they either stump up or they don't reply.
People who work in a position where they have to answer the phone but they cannot speak good English.
Just been on the phone to some fucking dimwit for 15 minutes who struggled to put two words together. I kept my cool and did not want to offend however as the clock ticked by I demanded somebody be put on the phone who can speak English.
Most cans now have the easy open, ring pull system apart from cheapskates, FARROWS PEAS!
I've emailed them and they said they'd look into it but I imagine it's too costly to change there whole production to accommodate, funny how everyone else can (scuse pun).
When you're selling something online and someone messages you with "What's the lowest you'll accept". Err no there's already a list price, you make an offer first you cheeky shit. This bad habit seems to be on the increase, surely the basics of haggling aren't that hard to grasp?
I've got a shit load of stuff I want to sell on gumtree but I've been putting it off for so long because of people like that.
I sold a really nice vintage arm chair on there for a tenner because I wanted rid of it quickly due to moving house. Some bloke agrees to a tenner then turns up to collect it and offers me a fiver. Told him to stuff it.
Surely if it needed stuffing you should have let him have it for a fiver.
Fair point on houses, however if I were at a car boot sale...
Many people on eBay, Schpock etc do just the opposite though - Put stuff on at a price higher than the lowest they'd accept just in the hope someone will pay it.
Annoying but true.
I'd rather people did as you say you would Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
The problem is imperfect information and anticipating how buyers on things like Schpock and Gumtree behave. Lets say I'm selling a desk. Ideally I want £50 for it. But I don't know if anyone else thinks it's worth £50 (imperfect information) and I know if I put it on for £50 I will not receive any offers at that price because every buyer now tries to lowball you. So I put it on for £60 or £70, with full expectation no one will offer to pay that price for it, but buyers now know the range they can make offers in. Now £50 is perhaps my hard lowest (ie I will automatically accept any offer at least as good as that) but maybe I'll accept £40 if the item still hasn't sold after a few weeks?
The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point.
I don't put it at a higher price because I am trying to scam buyers, I genuinely don't know what is the true highest price that I will get but I know what my expectation is and have to anticipate the fact that the vast majority of buyers will make an offer at around 20% give or take of the list price on these websites. It's a self-perpetuating cycle, yes, but if you follow the rules it works. If you try to circumvent the rules but demanding to know the seller's preferences up front then the system falls over.
Whoever decided to move pedestrian crossing red man / green man signal from across the other side where you look to right next to you. Makes it much harder to tell when it's green (yes I realise it beeps but still). Just seems that it was changed for changes sake.
People who work in a position where they have to answer the phone but they cannot speak good English.
Just been on the phone to some fucking dimwit for 15 minutes who struggled to put two words together. I kept my cool and did not want to offend however as the clock ticked by I demanded somebody be put on the phone who can speak English.
Got on a train on the Victoria Line this morning. Free newspapers on the floor, on seats.
If people take a paper then take it with you when you get off the train and dispose of it properly, i.e in a bin.
I quite like getting on a train & reading the free papers that have been left for me. There are none at my station so great to have some free reading material. Only problem is that its usually just a Metro...... The Morning Star or Big Jugs Monthly would be nice
Fair point on houses, however if I were at a car boot sale...
Many people on eBay, Schpock etc do just the opposite though - Put stuff on at a price higher than the lowest they'd accept just in the hope someone will pay it.
Annoying but true.
I'd rather people did as you say you would Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
The problem is imperfect information and anticipating how buyers on things like Schpock and Gumtree behave. Lets say I'm selling a desk. Ideally I want £50 for it. But I don't know if anyone else thinks it's worth £50 (imperfect information) and I know if I put it on for £50 I will not receive any offers at that price because every buyer now tries to lowball you. So I put it on for £60 or £70, with full expectation no one will offer to pay that price for it, but buyers now know the range they can make offers in. Now £50 is perhaps my hard lowest (ie I will automatically accept any offer at least as good as that) but maybe I'll accept £40 if the item still hasn't sold after a few weeks?
The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point.
I don't put it at a higher price because I am trying to scam buyers, I genuinely don't know what is the true highest price that I will get but I know what my expectation is and have to anticipate the fact that the vast majority of buyers will make an offer at around 20% give or take of the list price on these websites. It's a self-perpetuating cycle, yes, but if you follow the rules it works. If you try to circumvent the rules but demanding to know the seller's preferences up front then the system falls over.
Comments
I sold a really nice vintage arm chair on there for a tenner because I wanted rid of it quickly due to moving house. Some bloke agrees to a tenner then turns up to collect it and offers me a fiver. Told him to stuff it.
I ask "what's your lowest?"
You say "£50"
I say "£20 is where I was thinking "
some to and fro and we end up settling on or around £35
When buying a house the buyer always makes an offer first. Never have I heard of someone asking what's the lowest they'll accept. Surely that's an indication of the rules?
It's just always struck me as breathtakingly bad form to expect someone to show their hand right away. If the list price is £50 but I would actually accept 30 then I'd just put it up for 30 and state that's my lowest price, no offers.
Many people on eBay, Schpock etc do just the opposite though - Put stuff on at a price higher than the lowest they'd accept just in the hope someone will pay it.
Annoying but true.
I'd rather people did as you say you would Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiish.
The problem is if I want 50, I have to say 60 or 70. And if someone asks me what the lowest I will accept is and I truthfully answer 50, they will still offer lower. Which defeats the whole point.
I don't put it at a higher price because I am trying to scam buyers, I genuinely don't know what is the true highest price that I will get but I know what my expectation is and have to anticipate the fact that the vast majority of buyers will make an offer at around 20% give or take of the list price on these websites. It's a self-perpetuating cycle, yes, but if you follow the rules it works. If you try to circumvent the rules but demanding to know the seller's preferences up front then the system falls over.
I didn't offer lower so that's not always the case.
I've sold stuff on eBay, marketplace, auto trader and done my share of car boots
I recently had a sound bar for sale with a powered sub. easily a couple of hundred quid worth of stuff, I asked a 100 quid for it, worryingly nobody asked me where it came from (nor do they ever) but straight away some piss taker offers me 50 quid. So I change the header to 100 pounds or very near offer.
"wld u tk 50"
wanting to maintain a moral high ground, I reply along the lines of, "Its already a decent price, 50 is way less than I'm prepared to sell it for. Cue loads more messages from chances and piss takers and time wasters. In the end a bloke messaged me and asked if I still had it, and said if it worked and was in as decent Nick as he photos made out he'd drop round and pick it up. When he gets here he does the old dance of "I've got 75 quid on me would you take that"
There's a cash point round the corner mate, go and add 15 quid to that and it's yours else I'll keep it
magically the money appears and we both part ways happy
Just been on the phone to some fucking dimwit for 15 minutes who struggled to put two words together. I kept my cool and did not want to offend however as the clock ticked by I demanded somebody be put on the phone who can speak English.
Rant over..................breath!!!!!!
Not the peas themselves but the cans.
Most cans now have the easy open, ring pull system apart from cheapskates, FARROWS PEAS!
I've emailed them and they said they'd look into it but I imagine it's too costly to change there whole production to accommodate, funny how everyone else can (scuse pun).
If people take a paper then take it with you when you get off the train and dispose of it properly, i.e in a bin.
Just seems that it was changed for changes sake.
Farrows Marrowfat Peas, surely there’s no other?
Cash.