Trends in selling

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Cpl Punishment

Cpl Punishment

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Jan 28, 2006
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How y'all don't mind me posting this here, but since several others have or are starting small businesses. . .


I've noticed a trend lately that I'm really not too fond of.
Whether it's selling on eBay, on gunbroker, over the net in general, I've been getting a LOT of people lately waiting for a bid to end or just emailing me for stuff sold directly, and immediately try to start cutting me down on the prices.

Now, it's not just one product or type of product. Right now I pretty much buy whatever I think will sell when I get a great deal on something (wholesale closeouts, etc), and I start prices on a bid, usually 10% below the going street price (not MSRP), and for a static sale, I'll usually sell for 5% under street price, so it really torques me off when some dildo wants to cut me down to nothing (I guess they think I'm an evil capitalist pig for trying to actually make a profit), and I thought I was running a good business practice by selling things at a lower price than they'd have to pay elsewhere, and still eeeking a profit out of it.

I was just wondering if others have been running into this more lately, or if I'm just being overly sensitive to it. I mean it's always happened, but now it seems like the rule, not the exception.
 
My experience with my sale thread was that as soon as I posted the thread I started getting emails for 20% off my asking price.
I still get those when I do a price drop & bump, again a consistent 20% off my asking price.
 
I have not had any problems. The only thing people try to negotiate with me is shipping. Maybe you need to find your inner b*tch. Seems to have worked for me ;)
 
I never said I was selling at 20% off my asking.
I also don't do shipping included at that point.
 
I haven't had anyone objecting to my prices, or asking for a discount — but then again, I sell a service, not hard goods.

Another factor is that I retired (or so I thought) about a year ago, but agreed to still take care of some older clients. They're keeping me fairly busy, and just pay whatever I tell them to pay (which is way below market).

I would imagine that, if I sold some type of hard goods, people would be asking for a discount; I think it's just in the nature of people in this economy.

Nor have I heard that any of my clients have been experiencing requests for discounts, beyond those that have always occurred (people are always trying to save a buck here and there — don't we all?).

I'm in the advertising/publishing business, which is — in many respects — far different than retail. I write silly drivel and make visuals for a living, so I don't have to ship hard goods anywhere. I might have a different perspective on this discount thing if I did.
 
I run into it everywhere Forums & evilbay and at my job(sales) Economy is down and some people think their buying power is up b/c you need there business... IMO
 
I am guilty of this to a degree ,I am about 90% cash buyer at the pawn shops ,gun stores etc and yesterday I asked the pawn shop guy "Best Price " if I pay in full & Cash and I purchased a NIB under folder Romainian AK47 with alot of extras for a good price IMO but If I have cash I do expect a discount but I just ask the seller cash discount and let him do the percentage off... I do not beat him/her up over it,I understand great price plus the seller needs to clear a profit as well
 
texastonydobbs said:
I am guilty of this to a degree ,I am about 90% cash buyer at the pawn shops ,gun stores etc and yesterday I asked the pawn shop guy "Best Price " if I pay in full & Cash and I purchased a NIB under folder Romainian AK47 with alot of extras for a good price IMO but If I have cash I do expect a discount but I just ask the seller cash discount and let him do the percentage off... I do not beat him/her up over it,I understand great price plus the seller needs to clear a profit as well
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I always offer less and go for the best possible price at a pawn shop because i know they have a lot less in whatever than their marked price....but....I only do that at pawnshops because I know how they operate. I've gotten my best deals on buying and my worse deals on selling at pawn shops, (I just bought a nearly new De Walt cordless drill, two batteries, charger, and case...even some bits... for $50.00 at a local pawnshop, I'm guessing the seller probably got about $25.00) but I don't tend to approach any other business that way. I know my services go at a flat rate with the only discounts being for senior citizens and people I like that obviously can't afford something but need it done for their kids well being or something of that nature. That being said, in the current economy I can understand the motivation for people to do so.
 
I've been running into that too, some people try to say "well with the economy being what it is...is it still that price?" for things from wheels to cage work, some even want labor FLAT out not charged. My thoughts are, if you can't afford, it than don't buy it. I wouldn't allow myself to take huge losses on someone elses account trying to save a buck.

As soon as I clear generic stuff I've machined, I will stop offering parts to general public, and go back to a referral by previous clientele work basis. Another thing I wont do is total builds for just anyone anymore, I had a older guy I thought I was building a cobra for, turned out it was for his kid, cause earlier in the week I turned down his inquiry, and hard cash. So he had his dad ask. I spent nearly 3 weeks building the factory five kit, and than tweaking and modifying, and in went a GM LS7. Kid wrapped it around a tree at 40mph, it was fixable, but I said I wouldn't touch it. Was disgusted that what I worked so hard on, got trashed by some kid.

Another thing I hate, is when people try to get something for free. I personally inspect stuff i ship out, there are no staff or anything, i use to pop out parts for honda ruckus scooters, to taiwan, japan, etc where its known as the zoomer. Also made parts for sportsters, gsxrs, etc. People would try to claim something didn't ship with the package...eh.

But enough of my rant, I don't think you're being to sensitive, if you are being a fair guy, why feel bad?

If someone says they can't afford something from you? Than I guess they dont need to have it right then and there, right? Save up more than buy it.
 
If you don't want lowball offers, set a firm price.

I agree with TTD on pawn shops. Gun shops generally have an X% profit margin, but the goal of the pawn shop is to buy as low as possible and sell for as much as possbile.

I had a buddy I used to run around with who thought the entire world would take pawn shop cash offers on everything. But, then again sometimes it worked. Some guy was selling a front clip for a 63 Impala and was asking like $700 for it. Buddy says his famous "Would you take $300 cash?" and gives the deer in a headlights look. Guy took it.
 
perhaps it is the impression people have of ebay and other auction sites. They might feel it is less "official" then a store and try to get a lower price?

-Alex
 
if you think its just cause the economy is bad your wrong... it might have incressed but a lotta people are trying these old techs. I used to get all sorts of discounts around 2000... just by asking a few simple questions. i worked in retail and had an idea of how things worked.

But it has always irked me bargin basmenting me on stuff i have created sence i changed jobs. before the economy went bad it was " well if i can get this one cheap i can offer it to my friends and family in a big order". "that looks like cheap chinese stuff". i have heard about every thing and price my work accordingly. probably why i stopped working retail booths etc.

working as a craftmen , or fabricator. i kinda understand small production costs. and i rarely argue prices with craftsmen. i get more then enough deals. but i want them to feed there familys and continue working.

as for products ... i rarely haggle ... there are places that its fun to haggle... and expected. but for off the shelf products , i normaly go for the cheapest price i can find/mixed with the person offering it ... some times paying 5 bucks more will help a small guy out and keep him going im for it also knowing i will have good CS is worth 5 bucks.

another example is the local gun shop... hes pretty obvious about his price structure, tax included in the price. hes also cheaper then most gun shows. but people still come in to try and talk down a "little more off".

I have learned to just tune out most of that stuff. and probably sell less due to it. but i know what my time and energy needs to be worth....
 
I will occasionally make offers below someones asking price. If something has been advertised for several weeks and has not sold it may be that the price is too high and making an offer is a good deal for both buyer and seller.

As a seller I try to price my stuff low enough that it sells quickly at the asked price. If it's not moving however, I appreciate reasonable (10-20% below asking price) offers. My rational is that if I want to sell something, I would rather have someone tell me what they are willing to pay than sit on the item!
 
last year my company did a job(concrete) for a guy and after the job was done he wanted to re negotiate the price, and we gave him extras on top of that!:eek:

i think that people seem to be losing any sense of integrity now a days
 
I like to renegotiate my house being remodeled but I have common sense to know it does not work like that,we agreed on $15K and he'll get it even some in cash LOL dang ole signed contracts... :D I just like to Barter on somethings and I barter with Cash,not checks or debit cards cash in hand...and it works but I try to be fair to both parties :thumbup:
 
The best is when you cut someone a break on something and instead of either keeping their mouth shut or saying "thanks man I appreciate it", they STILL try and cut you down!
 
Shoot, I sell real estate and know how inflated prices on some things can be. I encourage people to make offers and shop loans.

There are alot of eBayers that have prices higher than that of online or even brick and morter stores. eBay has changed alot from when it started and GunBroker is even worse IMHO. Heck, I used to go there to find deals now I'm better off going local. I've got a friend with a FFL and when I found out the markup on some of the stuff I had bought I kinda felt like I had been taken advantage of.
 
I've been selling on ebay just few times, and it was enough. Kinda frustrating most of the times, unpolite people, non-paying bidders and all... :(
 
chenko said:
I've been selling on ebay just few times, and it was enough. Kinda frustrating most of the times, unpolite people, non-paying bidders and all... :(
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Same here, that's why I left eBay a long time ago.

It still surprises me when I get an email from someone that was on my site and they are asking to cut them a deal, or how low will I sell this or that for.

I just say no thanks or send them a link to eBay.

eBay or some of the others are one thing but I would never send an email to a website/business asking how low will they go in price.

to me that's like walking up to the counter at Walmart or BestBuy and saying "how much lower can you go for this iPod"?
 
There's been alot of talk around here lately about lowballing and the like.

There's a big difference between lowballing and being an informed buyer.

I never pay the asking price for anything. I do alot of sales in my job and I factor negotiation into my pricing structure and I expect and assume that others do the same.

I don't typically buy too many new knives as all mine are users so I find it easier and cheaper to buy them that way.

So, if I know that folder-x retails for $100 new, there's just no chance I'll pay that for a used one. I'll send an offer, off the forum in a PM or e-mail, for less than I'm willing to pay, say $80. I'm most likely willing to go $90 and it's up to the seller to either say "ok", which will thrill me or come back with a counter offer.

I don't consider that a lowball, it's just negotiating price. Happens every single day in the business worls I work in.

Now if I came at them with an offer for $50, thats a lowball offer to me.
 
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