This bloke won't haggle!

[James Collins]

I do realize that there's obviously no obligation to take my offer. I guess to me, if someone makes a reasonable-ish offer, I'd counter it (haggle). Why not? The person is a "live one" or they wouldn't have made an offer. Naturally, if they're in no hurry, they'll hold out. But these are "buy now" listings with "or best offer" option... so I'd think they're trying to sell faster, versus listing an item for bid. When I see "or best offer" along with "buy it now", it feels like an opening to haggle. I'm learning that others don't see it that way. That's cool.



Don't worry, James, I'm not losing sleep! I don't think it was inherently wrong to post about it. Isn't this a discussion forum? Oh well.

It is. And you are free to your opinions and to share words. If you didn't make the original post, it would be less entertaining.

 

[Acoop]

In truth, it has nothing to do with anything in this context. Selling and buying is a business transaction that consists of: offer, acceptance, and tender. A price is stated (offer) and agreed upon by the buyer and seller (acceptance), after which cash is paid (tender) and the goods change hands or the services get rendered. At which point the transaction is considered completed.

That's all there is to it. Anything else that comes along for the ride (or gets dragged in) is extraneous to the actual act of conducting a business transaction.

People often lose sight of that.

It's the seller whom makes the final decision correct? ... That's all I'm saying. ...

 

[Lenny JG]

You were perfectly clear, brotherman. My point is that personally I'd be taken aback to learn only after we'd done the haggle that you were still holding out for better $, which is how I'm understanding what you've written. My experience has always been that either the haggle closes the deal or someone walks away, so I'd kinda feel jerked around. But as I've said, this practice you describe is unfamiliar to me.

Now if you were to tell me at the outset, "I'll haggle with you to reach an agreeable price BUT I reserve the right to hold out for better from someone else," then we've got some ground rules going in that I can either accept or decline.

Please please please don't take any of this as judgy of how you roll in these situations. "You do you." I'm just putting down my POV and learning a different way from what I know.

I don't think you'd be taken aback now that you know that this happens regularly; so I wish you well in the future and to not be surprised when this exact scenario happens again.

I was always taught that a deal is done when the exchange is done, not when I expect that my offer would suffice or when my maybe customer feels that they made a good enough offer to me.

I would say for sure that there is no ground rules other than: One party may take a seconds money in exchange for goods, or not, based on the discretion in which the 1st party has no obligation to vocalize and the other 2nd party is not entitled to.
Also the 2nd party does not decide when the 1st party sells their goods. That is at the sole discretion of the holder of said goods.

I'm not trying to be be judgemental or rude either. Just saying. Now you know this happens so it shouldn't be too hard to grasp anymore.

 

[LBS-bass]

If I really wanted a particular bass, and offered 675 and that was not accepted,I would quickly evaluate how badly it needed to be in my house.

Happened to me. I made an offer on a bass and it was rejected. I thought about it and realized the difference was not worth agonizing over. Best decision I ever made was hitting that "Buy it Now" button. That was the day I bought my #1.

Sometimes I think we get so caught up in the game that we forget what's really important.

 

[Lee Moses]

It's the seller whom makes the final decision correct? ... That's all I'm saying. ...

The party who agrees to the other person's offer is the one who makes the final decision.

 

[truand85]

So Anyway, some folks just don't care to negotiate or 'haggle'.

I usually say OBO, but I won't negotiate, counter, or 'haggle' on site... and I make that clear before I give out my address. If someone offers me less than my asking price, I'll thank them for their offer and tell them that I might contact them later. I assume the risk that their offer may no longer be on the table. I follow this guideline for anything I sell, not just instruments.

I've had a couple of situations where someone came to look at something I was selling, offered me way less than my asking price and claimed that was all the money they had with them. When I declined, they tried to up their offer by small amounts...and finally jumped to my full price as I was escorting them to the door.
But I was done with them way before that. I thanked them for their time and told them I didn't think we could do business.

That's why I won't haggle for CL ads in person. We agree on a price before I spend time and gas getting to you or I walk

 

[Shaggai]

Remember in certain cultures it is an offense NOT to haggle.

 

[lunarpollen]

Under normal circumstances, it would be weird for him to flat out decline your offer instead of saying something like "thank you, I'll get back to you" which would imply that he is still waiting for other potentially higher offers. But it could be that the seller means "highest bidder" rather than "best offer," and is expecting people to offer higher than the asking price. If the seller is really meaning it to be like an auction and that the asking price is the starting price, he should say so.

 

[LBS-bass]

Under normal circumstances, it would be weird for him to flat out decline your offer instead of saying something like "thank you, I'll get back to you" which would imply that he is still waiting for other potentially higher offers. But it could be that the seller means "highest bidder" rather than "best offer," and is expecting people to offer higher than the asking price. If the seller is really meaning it to be like an auction and that the asking price is the starting price, he should say so.

Does eBay give you an option now to directly negotiate with a buyer? Back when I was selling stuff on there (several years ago) this was not only discouraged but you'd lose your account if they caught you selling something outside of their service parameters, since at that point you're essentially using them for free advertising and they're not going to make their fee if you take it offline and mark it unavailable.

I thought about the only thing you could do there was push a button to make an offer and then have the person on the other side hit "accept" or "reject." Maybe it's changed since then.

 

[Mike Vee]

Pet peeve. A bass (or whatever, really) is listed for sale with a price and "or best offer". Let's say it's listed for $700, and I offer $600. Then the seller declines my offer without making a counter offer. So I try again... I offer $650. Again, the seller declines without a counter offer. Really??? Why even bother listing as "or best offer"? Just make it a firm price! UGH. Drives me nuts, and it happens surprisingly often.

I hate when people do that. I REALLY hate it. I get very offended, like, do you want to do business or not? Unless it's a super low-ball offer, it's very rude.

 

[40Hz]

It's the seller whom makes the final decision correct? ... That's all I'm saying. ...

Both share the decision making process. And it's usually the seller who ultimately decides. But depending on the type of transaction the buyer may have a decent amount of legal leverage as well because there is such a thing as a forced sale. A foreclosure sale would be an example of that. But that would probably never apply to a normal everyday business transaction like buying a bass however.

So yeah. For all intents and purposes the seller pretty much gets to decide.

 

[LBS-bass]

Both share the decision making process. And it's usually the seller who ultimately decides. But depending on the type of transaction the buyer may have a decent amount of legal leverage as well because there is such a thing as a forced sale. A foreclosure sale would be an example of that. But that would probably never apply to a normal everyday business transaction like buying a bass however.

So yeah. For all intents and purposes the seller pretty much gets to decide.

The seller is always in control; it's their decision whether to make a counteroffer or not.

 

[Mike Vee]

If you offer $699, he might take it.

lol exactly

 

[40Hz]

That's why I won't haggle for CL ads in person. We agree on a price before I spend time and gas getting to you or I walk

I'm the same way, except I'm not into haggling over much if anything. I negotiated enough contracts when I was running a business that wheeling and dealing has lost its appeal for me. Not that I ever did enjoy it. I'm more the "work towards consensus" rather than competitive type.

Nowadays I'll either pay the asking price, or (if invited) sometimes make a single "best offer." If it happens, that's fine. If not, then there's always the next deal. Because I'm fortunate enough to never be in a position where I have to buy or sell something.

 

[40Hz]

The seller is always in control; it's their decision whether to make a counteroffer or not.

Wasn't talking about making a counteroffer earlier. But I will agree with you on that part. The seller has more control over the average business negotiation process assuming he/she isn't being forced to sell for whatever reason. And there can be plenty of those. .

 

[truand85]

I'm the same way, except I'm not into haggling over much if anything. I negotiated enough contracts when I was running a business that wheeling and dealing has lost its appeal for me. Not that I ever did enjoy it. I'm more the "work towards consensus" type.

Nowadays I'll either pay the asking price, or (if invited) sometimes make a single "best offer." If it happens, that's fine. If not, then there's always the next deal. Because I'm fortunate enough to never be in a position where I have to buy or sell something.

With musicians I'm the same way to be honest. I'll make one offer I think is fair, if not accepted I'll move on. If it's a bass I really want I won't hesitate to pay asking price.

Cars? Mortgage rates? I'll haggle to the death.

 

[LBS-bass]

Wasn't talking about making a counteroffer earlier. But I will agree with you on that part. The seller has more control over the average business negotiation process assuming he/she isn't being forced to sell for whatever reason. And there can be plenty of those. .

Well, yeah, assuming it's not happening at gun or knifepoint, the seller always has the option to say no

 

[40Hz]

Well, yeah, assuming it's not happening at gun or knifepoint, the seller always has the option to say no

There's also potential liability risks for backing out after you reach a certain point in some negotiations. But that's something I'll leave to the legal professionals to talk about.

 

[Lee Moses]

Well, yeah, assuming it's not happening at gun or knifepoint, the seller always has the option to say no

And the buyer doesn't?

 

[LBS-bass]

And the buyer doesn't?

The buyer does, but the buyer then ends up without the product, whereas the seller still has something to sell to someone willing to pay the asking price. A sales situation assumes that the seller has something the buyer wants. But I see what you're saying.