Is it wrong to haggle?

basskababble · #1 08-10-2008, 08:20 AM

I've gotten way good at it since I started here at TB. I Try to be as fair as possible with my fellow TBers, but when it comes to craigslisters and Pawnshoppers, I end up looking for a bargain.

I sometimes feel bad, and usually leave it to judgement. But I also feel that, even on TB, sometimes people are looking for a sale and post prices higher than they expect to receive. I don't know, but countering that with a lowball doesn't seem that bad to me, knowing that you'll meet in the fair price middle.

???

invader3k · #2 08-10-2008, 09:37 AM

There's nothing wrong with making an offer, as long as it isn't blatantly stupid or disrespectful.

MyUsernameHere · #3 08-10-2008, 10:10 AM

I do the same thing to a point. I have to admit though, I hate it when I'm dealing with someone on C.L. who lies in their correspondence in order to meet with you and hope you'll take his/her low ball offer since you've already gone through the trouble of taking time out of your day.

If the item is exactly as described, and you work out a "fair" price before the meeting, its rude to show up try it out and say, "well, I was hoping to spend less..." and offer a lower amount.

Now, if the item isn't as described I have no problem with someone pointing out what a scumbag the guy is and giving him a ridiculous low ball offer. That kind of c*%^ is just as bad.

KsToaDangr · #4 08-10-2008, 10:20 AM

I have no problem haggling with people at places like garage sales and flea markets. What bothers me is when people come into my store and ask if I can give them $10 off of a $30 DVD. If I did that kind of crap, the store would be losing money, and all of us would be out of a job. As if it wasn't bad enough to even ask a retail store for a discount, there are quite a few people who try to get me to do it EVERY time they come in.

fenderhutz · #5 08-10-2008, 10:23 AM

As long as you aren't making up lies to get a better price, go ahead. But if you ever shaft a TB'er don't complain when you get a negative feedback for "telling a lie" to get a better price.

Not saying you have, but I have seen others.

selfblessed · #6 08-10-2008, 09:23 PM

No...its life. Most people have an ideal amount of money they want to make off of something along with an acceptable amount of money they want to make. But yeah be cool about it. No need to be a jerk.

dogbass · #7 08-10-2008, 10:23 PM

I won't even respond to an ad with a "no lowball offers" even if I think the price is fair. Lowball is a relative term and if even if you think your gear is worth the asking price, I may not ! Now, if someone says the price is "firm"...I respect that. As far as haggling....go ahead haggle with me. If we come to some agreement then we are both better off. If we don't, we don't.

Offering a lowball price is not disrespecting the seller. Its just business. Calling the seller an idiot for asking for a certain price...now THAT's disrespectful

Munjibunga · #8 08-10-2008, 11:12 PM

tplyons · #9 08-11-2008, 07:38 AM

Not at all. Personally, I'll take a fair offer, even something a bit lower than I wanted, just to move an item. Make an offer, the worst someone could do is say no.

I've had a few downright insulting offers though... but that's not really haggling. That's seeing how badly you can rip someone off.

CrashClint · #10 08-11-2008, 07:46 AM

I do not think it is wrong to haggle as long as you are not throwing out some stupid insulting lo-ball offer.

varunkapahi · #11 08-11-2008, 07:58 AM

imo its okay to haggle

wld3 · #12 08-11-2008, 08:04 AM

Definitely not wrong to make offers or ask for a lower price. I don't like the practice of haggling as if it were some sort of game you're trying to win. Considering what is fair and what you have to, or would like to, spend, you can make an offer. The other party then can decide if they think its fair and/or works for them. Simple.

As for retail environments, I absolutely make offers in certain situations. For example, if you ever paid the listed price for a mattress set, you almost certainly got ripped. Most mattress places make it a regular practice to come down off the listed price by 20% or more and will do free delivery, etc. Don't be fooled by the "sale" either; mattress places have a sale every day of every week.

In places like Circuit City and Lowes, I absolutely make offers on floor-models, open-box items, scratch-and-dent appliances, etc. In many cases, the management just wants the item off the floor and off the books.

In Guitar Center, during one of their midnight sales, they had a practice amp marked down from $149 to $119. I was considering it and the salesman said he would check it if was in stock. They didn't have any more. He told me he could get me one by next week. I said, "What if I take this one? Could I get some additional amount off on the floor model?" He said that he didn't think so, with the sale price and all, but he went to check. I bought it for $99. I was quite happy and I didn't play games; just asked a question.

**baba** · #13 08-11-2008, 08:13 AM

Haggle away, it's expected.

Barkless Dog · #14 08-11-2008, 08:21 AM

No, it never hurts, unless you give insulting offers .

dave64o · #15 08-11-2008, 11:24 AM

Go ahead and haggle. "No" is a perfectly valid response to any offer.

I've offered really good prices on the basses I've sold here and if I do come down it wasn't by much, but I also think the original asking prices have been very good to start, so I don't feel bad rejecting offers. I've also gotten some very lowball offers that really surprised me. I guess they were a test to see how badly I wanted to sell it? On the flip side, I've made offers lower than the asking price, but my offers were always in line with going prices here, on eBay, etc. In those cases I've gotten the bass for either what I offered or close enough to it that I decided it wasn't worth missing the opportunity.

What I've never done is sell a bass for a profit after getting a good deal from a fellow TB'er. If I got a good deal here I've always passed it along to the TB'er who bought it from me. I've had a couple I sold here where the buyer gave me the "C'mon, how about taking something off for a TB brother?" and then sold it soon after for more than I agreed to. That looks like they're taking advantage of my good deal just to make money from it. Sure there's nothing illegal or against TB "rules" against, but it just smells bad to me.