My brother-in-law, the king of low ballers!

In reply to Beer Baron:

Key words you mentioned there in this low ball game are 'respect' and 'insulting'. Polar opposites but w/ just a little thought out consideration of the potential buyer makes or breaks the sale.

dean1484 wrote: When I get low balled I counter with a higher price.

I did this on the last house I sold. The poor real estate agent didn't know what to do.

Send him to me. I'll waste hours of his time and come away laughing. And he'll pay what I ask or not at all.

Anyone ever said "yeah, I'll take your 'low ball price' if you also give me 'the balance'?"

Or:

"Oh, if you only have $500, I have plenty of other items for sale in your price range. Perhaps you want this barely used inkjet printer?"

My most recent example of low balling, the guy had an odd guitar for a very fair price (after he'd lowered it about 3 times). After he bumped it on a forum and the local craigslist for about 3 weeks, I sent him an email saying I could pay 60% of his asking and pick it up with cash next day. I even said it was a lowball offer in my email. He came back with 70%. I came up with the extra $100 somehow and met him the next day. I promised him if I sell it he gets first right of refusal, but if he doesn't want it I'll probably make some money on it--and someone will still be getting a good deal.

I saw a cl add this morning that said something to tge effect

" No gas monkey negotiations on price".

I think there may be a new term out there for low ballets.

Robbie wrote: Anyone ever said "yeah, I'll take your 'low ball price' if you also give me 'the balance'?"

Yes I have once or twice responded with, "Yes, that will be an acceptable deposit, how and when did you wish to pay the remaining balance"

dean1484 wrote: I saw a cl add this morning that said something to tge effect " No gas monkey negotiations on price". I think there may be a new term out there for low ballets.

I think this is the term for the people who want you to knock off some of the price because they're driving in from two hours away.

Devil's advocate on the lowballers:

They are playing the numbers and the cute responses are a waste of time on your part. It doesn't faze them. They move on and are one contact closer to the deal that works.

They are looking for and get a positive response sooner or later, on something. They are not looking for a friend or your opinion on proper negotiating tactics.

(I generally don't lowball, and often I pay asking price. I did get an awesome deal once by saying I only had X to spend, and I know it's worth more...they took it.)

jamscal wrote: Devil's advocate on the lowballers: They are playing the numbers and the cute responses are a waste of time on your part. It doesn't faze them. They move on and are one contact closer to the deal that works. They are looking for and get a positive response sooner or later, on something. They are not looking for a friend or your opinion on proper negotiating tactics. (I generally don't lowball, and often I pay asking price. I did get an awesome deal once by saying I only had X to spend, and I know it's worth more...they took it.)

At one time that may have been true but craigslist mentality and bullE36 M3 like gas monkey have made more people think its an acceptable negotiation tactic so many people who really want your item are playing the game these days. I've sold a number of items to people who started out too low and when set straight with one of the above responses came back to negotiate a real deal. The ones who don't want to deal don't come back, but a non response just make them keep emailing because they dont know if they got through.

I weigh my response based upon my desire to sell and the intial contact email.

"Yo dawg will u tak (20% of asking)" is less likely to get a considered thoughtful response from me than.

"I really like your item but based upon my research and xx conditions I am only able to offer you (20% of asking)"

Neither will get me to sell but the first one would get a "No" or one of the sarcastic comments above because I have no desire to deal with that buyer even if they do come up with a better offer so I'm not to worried about scaring them away.

Funny thing, when I shop used, I tend to pick the one that is a reasonable price already.

When I pay that reasonable price, most times I also get a "hey, all this stuff comes with it too!" and the boxes of parts start coming out of the garage.

I just bought a travel trailer and the same thing happened, guy threw in a bunch of the new camping gear that they bought to go with the trailer.

If you work the guy on the price, you're not likely to get anything else with it.

Trans_Maro wrote: Can't stand lowballing time wasters. I had a guy who called about a car, we agreed on a price, he and his girlfriend drove four hours to get here and then started trying to work me on the price again. He had to drive all the way back home without a car. People don't seem to realise, I don't -have- to sell it to you. I'm perfectly happy to hang on to my junk for a while.

I sold a parts MGB GT with a really good shell a while back and a guy drove up from Albuquerque to get it. That's a seven hour drive. I'd forgotten to mention the car came with a transmission, which made him a pretty happy guy. He told me after we'd loaded it on the trailer that he'd been planning to negotiate on price, but once he saw the trans he couldn't. Nothing he'd said earlier had ever given me any impression he wasn't going to pay full price.

So you drive 7 hours each way to pick up a car and you think you can negotiate from any position of strength? I would have happily helped him unload that car right back off the trailer...

Happy ending, though. The car's been restored and is back on the road, looking good.

In reply to Keith Tanner:

In my neck of the woods, money changes hands before anything of mine is loaded into someone else's transport.

What can I say, I'm a trusting guy. Besides, it's the equivalent of putting an item in someone's hand in retail.

Trans_Maro wrote: Funny thing, when I shop used, I tend to pick the one that is a reasonable price already. When I pay that reasonable price, most times I also get a "hey, all this stuff comes with it too!" and the boxes of parts start coming out of the garage. I just bought a travel trailer and the same thing happened, guy threw in a bunch of the new camping gear that they bought to go with the trailer. If you work the guy on the price, you're not likely to get anything else with it.

Kind of like this pile of spares and stuff that came with SanFord.

Or the pile that went with the RX-7 I sold it last week.

Sometimes negotiation is fun.

Bruce

I don't lowball.

Except with Keith Tanner recently. Worked out well, though I think that had more to do with his generosity than with my negotiating prowess.

Thanks Keith!

I don't lowball unless the person is just bat E36 M3 crazy on the price. I have made a low offer, just like a previous post where you say I am interested at $XXXX price. I have sometimes paid full price telling them I wasn't even going to counter. It was priced right, so why bother.

I know a lady that at one time negotiated with the grocery store and department store. It was embarrassing being around her. Her dad was a picker. I guess it wore off on her.

In reply to Toyman01:

.... including the kitchen sink, as they say

I don't lowball, but I do expect anything that I buy with a motor to sell for less than the asking price.

I have gotten some great deals over the years. If you don't ask for it, you won’t get it.

BTW: I am in purchasing, so I get paid to be a cheapskate.

This whole situation is tied into the fact that there are 2 basic types of people:

1) Those who feel it never hurts to ask, and

2) Those who feel a request is an obligation.

Type 1 people figure it's easy for everybody to say no, so why not ask. Type 2 people have a hard time saying no, so they feel imposed upon when somebody asks them for something, and they rarely ask others for anything.

We are not a haggling society, so subsequently most people aren't very good at it, don't like it, and won't engage in it. In other societies, it is just business-- a low offer is not an "insult" it is just an invitation to dicker. Nothing personal.

Because the rest of us are really not very good at it and/or become emotional about it, the few that are good at it have an advantage.

Basil Exposition wrote: We are not a haggling society, so subsequently most people aren't very good at it, don't like it, and won't engage in it. In other societies, it is just business-- a low offer is not an "insult" it is just an invitation to dicker. Nothing personal. Because the rest of us are really not very good at it and/or become emotional about it, the few that are good at it have an advantage.

Agreed, but the gas monkey mentality has made everybody a freaking expert negotiator now (or so they think). I love when they say cash money, because how else do you think I'm going to sell it?