My New Zero Tolerance Craigslist Attitude.

[InhumanResource]

I'm just shy of 60 years old. I've always been a bit of a gypsy buying, selling or trading a wide variety of things ranging from ridiculously expensive audio gear to classic British auto parts to musical instruments. I see threads like this everywhere with people complaining about buyers on CL or sellers on eBay or everyone on Facebook. We have more ways than ever to connect with potential buyers or sellers and yet it seems now, more than ever, we have this angry zero sum interactions over what many would consider to be a part of normal negotiations.

How did so much of what we do as people devolve into this zero sum thinking? Is it really surprising that the art of negotiation, on just about all levels ranging from dating to politics, seems to be dying? I used to love making deals but now it seems like the level of intransigence is overwhelming, relegating the act of selling into a horrible chore. People need to lighten up and realize that the notion 'a deal isn't a deal unless I stole the thing,' is not really healthy, on many levels.

I wonder why this happened. There's a sub on Reddit I used to follow that was geared around retail customers being unruly towards other customers they mistook for workers. "I don't work here lady" or something like that. I unsubscribed because most of the submissions smacked of miserable folks capitalizing on someone's innocent mistake and really giving them the treatment like OP. Not so much vindication in the face of bad behavior or rudeness, just general "hey I have an excuse to be crappy to this person now" stuff.

It's a real turn off. The guy asked a fair question and tried to negotiate a price break. That is part of business. You can decline and maintain the offer to buy at fun price, or not. Refusing business while the person is en route is just a crappy thing to do.

Advertising that it feels good to be crappy to someone is (arguably) worse.

 

[And I]

Like The Dude said to Walter Sobchack, "You're not wrong, you're just an a-hole".

 

[JRA]

Flaking and low-baller's are nothing new when it comes to selling something on Craigslist/online

i never take someone asking to buy for less personally

 

[lowendrachel]

I usually write on my ad. FIRM! No more negotiations in person.

 

[loveandbass]

Try and be nice OP

 

[MordBass]

YESSSS! You're my hero of the day.

I had a similar one happen last year.

Guy: Hey man, I see you want $300, would you do $180?

Me: Way too low, Im being generous at $300. I'll tell ya what, if you want it for $275 today, ok.

Guy: I can be there in an hour for $265.

Me: Fair enough, heres where we'll meet (yadda yadda)

WE MEET

Guy: Looks great man, so whats the best you can do for me?

Me: I can do you right by honoring what we agreed to when you left your house to come here.

Guy: Hows $220 sound?

Me: Here's how this works. We already negotiated and then left to come here with an agreed price. If you think
for a second that I wont send you home empty handed just to spite you, you're about to have a bad day.

Guy: Hey man, its the internet, people bargain.

Me: Yea, and we did bargain, and we did agree. You have a 90's Expedition and came from 30 miles away. I just
drove 3 minutes to be here so I really dont care if you need to gas up and drive home with nothing.

Guy: Ok Ok, How about $250? Its only 15 bucks different what what we agreed on. Thats nothing.

Me: I feel ya, $15 is nothing... so now its $280. Or is that not how you want this to work?

Guy: Fine Fine... heres the $265 man. Geez you drive a hard bargain.

Me: No, Im just not a douchebag that goes back on my word after baiting somebody out of their house.




Funny thing is that I've done this like 3 times now and I win every time. Whatever amount they offer, i just counter by the same difference, in the other direction.




Additionally...... I've been selling on craigslist since it started.... same with ebay... same with classified listings on the tag boards of GC and local shops... etc.
FWIW.... I used to be 5'6 and 135lbs, now at age 37, ive been lifting a few years and Im at 5'6 187lbs. These back and forths go a lot easier now and I cant help but think thats why. Its not like im aggressive or imposing... I think its just that before, I looked like i would be intimidated easily.
One of my friends is a cop and whenever he does craigslist meets, he has his badge on a chain around his neck and a glock on his side. Tells people he just got off work lol. Said nobody has ever tried to further negotiate lol.

 

[Fair Warning]

If they are on the way for pickup......the price is set. They might ask for a lower price, but if they drove a long distance, they are prepared to pay the agreed price.....

 

[NKBassman]

The guy asked, you refused, and he accepted without argument.
Then you shaged him around.

 

[FingerDub]

He inspired it by being kind of a jerk. All he had to do was say no.

How was I a jerk? I called his bluff about turning around. Then he swore at me after I said I didn't want to sell it to him anymore. And all this after he got an additional 50 off because I tripped on the ad price when we talked, which I still was going to honor.

He's the jerk.

 

[MordBass]

How was I a jerk? I called his bluff about turning around. Then he swore at me after I said I didn't want to sell it to him anymore. And all this after he got an additional 50 off because I tripped on the ad price when we talked, which I still was going to honor.

He's the jerk.

100%. Once either party leaves for the meetup..... thats it. What was agreed, has been agreed upon.

 

[FingerDub]

The guy asked, you refused, and he accepted without argument.
Then you ****** him around.

Imagine what a headache he might have been had I actually met him. And he didn't just ask, he threatened me and that he was going to walk away. I'm not doing business that way anymore.

 

[mrcbass]

I agree that I would have been annoyed with the call and would have probably responded with something like "Man you're already getting a good deal because I screwed up. But not going lower, Turn around if you won't honor our agreement." and then allowed him to come do the transaction. If the mistake pissed OP off that much, he should have just cancelled the deal before the meet.

Trust me, CL transactions can be very aggravating most of the time and I can't wait to be done moving what I'm trying to move. Nothing is ever gained by the verbal transaction OP listed.

 

[tb4sbp]

Buyers on CL or eBay are looking to score a deal. Sometimes it works. What is the big issue? They are just a squirrel after a nut. If you are firm in your price that is alright. They can negotiate all they want just let them know it is this price or no deal. Don't take offense to it. Like the old saying 'Hate the game not the player!'

 

[NKBassman]

Imagine what a headache he might have been had I actually met him. And he didn't just ask, he threatened me and that he was going to walk away. I'm not doing business that way anymore.

lol no. A threat would have been "If you don't knock the price down I'm turning around.", in which case your response would have been justified.

From what you posted in the OP, he asked politely and in a joking manner because he was frustrated stuck in traffic, you refused, and he immediately relented.

 

[kesslari]

If someone has driven for an hour, they have skin in the game and incentive to pay what they agreed to pay (or full price, if they haven't made an offer). They're the ones who are out a 2 hour investment if you say no.
If someone has you meet them somewhere (investment of time on your part) then you also have an investment in the deal (your travel time) and IMO they're more likely to make a lower offer.
I avoid those situations.

 

[Mister Boh]

TBH If you asked for 600 id have offered 500... But that would be before we agreed to meet

 

[MultiScaleMale]

lol no. A threat would have been "If you don't knock the price down I'm turning around.", in which case your response would have been justified.

From what you posted in the OP, he asked politely and in a joking manner because he was frustrated stuck in traffic, you refused, and he immediately relented.

I read it as the buyer claimed to be running late because of all of the traffic, wanted $50 because of the hassle and then when he was told “no” then he was magically almost there.

 

[InhumanResource]

How was I a jerk? I called his bluff about turning around. Then he swore at me after I said I didn't want to sell it to him anymore. And all this after he got an additional 50 off because I tripped on the ad price when we talked, which I still was going to honor.

He's the jerk.

You could have just said no and the price is firm at 600. Instead you decided to refuse the deal while you knew he was en route. There was not any reason for that, therefore it was a jerk move.

 

[MordBass]

You could have just said no and the price is firm at 600. Instead you decided to refuse the deal while you knew he was en route. There was not any reason for that, therefore it was a jerk move.

The reason for that was the buyer trying to renegotiate after he was already en route. Once he's on his way, the seller isn't taking anymore offers that he gets and has set time out of his day for the meet. The buyer decided to wedge in the idea of just turning around if he couldnt get another $50 off. Yet somehow... some way.... when he was told no.... he was suddenly almost to the seller and the traffic wasnt an issue. He rolled the dice and lost.

 

[Corevalay]

I'm sorry, but this is a complete overreaction on your part. Seems to me you were just waiting for any reason to pull the plug.

Seriously, whats the harm in the buyer asking for more money off? It's a simple negotiation. Best case you say yes, worst you say is no and he pays the agreed upon amount. I've certainly bargained with someone once I see bass in person, almost always if there's something "wrong" that wasn't stated. Sometimes they'll agree, sometimes they don't. No problem. All you had to do was say "it's the $600 we agreed on or nothing", but to tell him you weren't selling it to him anymore is childish. Even your first response back was snarky and nasty where it didn't need to be. I'd have told you to f-off as well.