At what point is it lowballing. A poll.

[TheReceder]

Another interesting thread got me to thinking... When I buy or sell a bass, I'm willing to haggle. In some cases if a bass I'm looking at seems overpriced I assume the seller is expecting to haggle. I've made offers as low as 60% below asking price and had them accepted. Usually after admitting I understand that my offer was well below what was being asked, and telling the seller it makes sense that they may want to hold off, and see if someone comes closer to their asking price. I try to come off as respectful whether I'm making the offer or if someone makes me on offer that is being rejected.

So, in a nutshell, at what percentage do you feel an offer becomes "lowballing"?

 

[40Hz]

Depends on how close to reality the seller’s original asking price is.

 

[40Hz]

For the record, I rarely try to haggle down a price with a seller. Most times I’ll just pass and move along with other shopping if I think the asking price is too high. However, if it’s that rare something I really want, I will sometimes tender a lower offer. But I also include a note that the offer is only good for X weeks (usually two to four) from the date it was made. I explain I’m not doing it to pressure the seller. It’s just to give them time to see if they can do better while considering it, and at the same time not leave me sitting on the fence indefinitely.

I’ve found the more professional sellers who know how to play the game almost always appreciate doing it that way. Because I understand they need to make money. And they understand I have a specific amount of available cash to work with. I now have some reputable sellers and dealers who know what I’m interested in - and know I’m not going to waste their time playing games or kicking tires. As a result, some really plum private offers now come to me rather than me having to go out and find them.

Lot to be said for establishing some “street cred” in the marketplace. Respect goes both ways. And not taking anything personally whenever you feel respect is somewhat lacking is a good mindset to adopt whenever you’re buying or selling something.

 

[TheBlueFalcon]

Depends on how close to reality the seller’s original asking price is.

Agreed. Most people are likely to start at a higher price than they want (or need) to get, knowing that if they start at a sensible price they will only get lower offers anyway.

I've been on both ends of the situation, so believe that if someone isn't open to considering offers and responding to said offers, then they should not allow offers to begin with, or clearly state "no offers" if it is on a platform without a tick box for allowing offers or not.

Personally it's not the lowball offers that annoy me, it's people with selfish/disrespectful attitudes, especially those who try to tell you what your item is worth, based on their opinion and pathetic reasoning that clearly only serves their purpose of trying to pay you less than you know your item is worth.

I've never used this forum to buy used items, but on other forums I constantly see people taking a lowball offer on an older battered item because they are desperate to sell it and need the cash, but that price is then used against someone else when they try to sell a newer one in much better condition, but the argument is they are both used, blah blah.... Get a life!!

/rant mode off

 

[bassdude51]

IMO and generally speaking............over 20%. It depends if the object is over priced in the first place and if the ad has been stagnate for many weeks.

 

[HelpImaRock]

I start at 50% of retail price. It's a buyer's market.

 

[40Hz]

I've never used this forum to buy used items, but on other forums I constantly see people taking a lowball offer on an older battered item because they are desperate to sell it and need the cash, but that price is then used against someone else when they try to sell a newer one in much better condition, but the argument is they are both used, blah blah.... Get a life!!

The classifieds here are really good. I have had nothing but excellent experiences dealing with TB members. The sense of community tends to cut down on the nonsense you so often run into elsewhere. So much so that I’ll almost always offer any gear I’m selling here first to give the community first crack at it. If it doesn’t move in a month (no point in leaving it sitting if nobody’s interested, right?) I’ll just pull the ad and put it up for sale elsewhere or mothball it. That seems to work the best for my timeline.

Personally it's not the lowball offers that annoy me, it's people with selfish/disrespectful attitudes, especially those who try to tell you what your item is worth, based on their opinion and pathetic reasoning that clearly only serves their purpose of trying to pay you less than you know your item is worth.

I hear you. I’ve gotten those, and even reported a few particularly abusive ones on other sales sites. But other than those rare few times where they sounded borderline threatening, I let them roll off my back like rain off an umbrella and didn’t bother to reply.

 

[MynameisMe]

In my opinion there's no way to quantify this. It all depends on the buyer and the seller and the person's attitude and what they are willing to take or give.
For instance we had a concrete saw for sale on Facebook marketplace. $600. No takers we dropped to $500. Some dude offered $250. We ignored him he came back with $450. He never showed up we ended up selling to somebody for $400.
It's not one of your children, it's just a possession. If you're getting rid of it for any reason whatsoever you have to make a decision how bad you want to get rid of it. If you're paying bills or broke and need the money,j let it go and turn the page.
There's plenty more gear out there to get just like what you had.
Life goes on. People are way too invested in their stuff.
They are also way too sensitive when it comes to negotiations. Just say no and get past it if you're not interested.

 

[India_Sierra]

They always say that your first offer should make you cringe a little, but if it doesn't then it ain't low enough. That said, I think anything more than a 3rd off the total asking is very cheeky, unless it's something that has been sitting around. It's a free market though, I just ignore low ball offers and I don't get upset by them.

 

[comatosedragon]

Anything less than asking price is 'lowballing'. If you don't want to (or cant) pay what is listed, walk away. Life goes on. IMHO it is uncouth and crude to ask someone for a lower price.

If you went to the grocery store, and ask the produce clerk "How much do these tomatoes cost?" and she responds "They are cheaper the more you buy", there is a certain class of individual who will say "Well, load them on my truck until they are free!"

 

[bassboysam]

i don't get why people get so offended by lowball offers. who cares? say no thanks and move on. i lowball all the time, sometimes people accept, other times they don't. actually when they accept i think i probably did not go low enough...

 

[comatosedragon]

i don't get why people get so offended by lowball offers. who cares? say no thanks and move on. i lowball all the time, sometimes people accept, other times they don't. actually when they accept i think i probably did not go low enough...

I don't think it's that people are offended (maybe some are); more to the point that you know exactly what class of person you are dealing with when he/she opens with "hey, will you take $300 for that thing you have listed for $400?"
But yeah should just say no (or nothing) and move on with life, avoiding that person in the future.

 

[bassboysam]

yeah i guess as a buyer i'm not too concerned with what the seller thinks of me, i'm going to try and get it for as cheap as possible but at the same time i'm not going to haggle over $50.

what drives me nuts are people that will offer $700 for something listed at $720. i mean do you really feel better saving that $20? and if it is because you don't have the money then maybe you should not be in the market

 

[Bassamatic]

I agree with bassdude - If the item is way overpriced it is a different story. I just offered $300 for an item in CL priced at $600 and it was accepted when I pointed out that the item was not worth what he as asking and showed him other online prices for the same item.

 

[Ellery]

There's nothing wrong with asking for a lower price. If it hurts the seller's feelings they shouldn't be selling through classifieds. Selling things takes work, part of that work is enduring unreasonable inquiries. If I make an offer I do it respectfully and expect the same from the seller. I've had people reject my offers in a professional way, and I've had adults throw fits like little children just because I asked. I even had a guy email me back a month later "look I sold it for my asking price, you missed out, loser!". Seriously.

 

[Lesfunk]

The trick is to communicate.
Compromise is the key.
I don’t get upset with offers that I think are too low. I just say “I think we are too far apart right now” and don’t sell.
Both buyers and sellers should probably be willing to move a little bit to come to a deal.

 

[Double E]

This is such a non event for me... if someone makes an offer I just respond with an answer or a counter offer. Any offer is evidence of a buyer's interest in the item, I do not expect anyone to flatter me by offering more than they want to spend.

Conversely, I know some do get offended by low offers so if someone's price is set at a point that I have to make an offer to buy for more than 20% off their price in order to pay what IU feel the item is worth, I won't even bother. Some even get offended at that level... so be it, don't ask such high prices!

 

[gln1955]

To me there's no such thing as a lowball offer. It sounds like a thing to just needlessly be pissed off about. There are offers. Take it, leave it or counteroffer.

 

[Gougedeye]

So, in a nutshell, at what percentage do you feel an offer becomes "lowballing"?

At the point you feel the offer is too low.

 

[JimmyM]

It isn't low-balling if they accept.