Trends in selling

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I'd have to agree with shotgunner11, that's how I look at it.

As for the bay, it surprises me some of the prices on there. One could go to a real store or order from a company online and get some stuff cheaper than there.
 
Just because someone offers you a low price, doesnt mean you have to accept the offer. Say "No thanks" or ignore it and move on. Remember, an item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If you have to sell it fast, you will probably lose $. If you can wait, hold out and see what happens. I dont think people are going to offer you more money than your asking !
 
Well it is an expensive business try to sell crap on the bay. By the time you pay their fees and then somebody pays by paypal and you try to cash your paypal which only takes about a month, and extracts more fees........I can see why sellers jack prices up because the overhead on ebay with paypal is getting to be the same thing as the overhead you would pay at a brick and mortar.

Mind you, I never really sell anything. My wife likes to sell her crap and then she doesn't want to take the hit on converting her paypal to cash so she often gives it to me. Then I go buy an ESEE product. I personally think its a great thing to convert brown purse #8 into an light machete :D :D Hell it would be a lot cheaper if purse #8 were never bought in the first place. But I gots no control over that variable!

I'm a little bit with Shotgunner. I look at the exchange thread and I see a lot of used customs going for about $10 or $15 less then new. Not sure why anyone would pay that even if it is mint. Since, I tend to know all the makers I buy from, I'd much rather put the money in the pocket of the maker and keep his business alive for an extra $10. Besides, I get to tweak things from the maker and not a purchased blade. Also, I think a user, even if the product is mint, should take a bit of a hit.

But that is just me. Mostly, if I like something being offered as a custom I'll provide a discreet email with a trade offer. In the case of the trade, I often slightly exceed the value of goods that I'm offering in trade.
 
People just want to feel that they're "getting a deal". You can always consider bumping your prices up a little so you have some room to come down for these guys, that way you both win. I feel for you, I generally don't ask people to lower prices on anything. If I think the price is fair I will buy, otherwise I just walk away.
 
OK, let me elaborate on what torqued me off.

First of all, my business model is to buy things on closeout, or some other real low deal, and offer them at prices below the asking price for t he unit in that condition. So, I'm already cutting people a break and accepting a lower profit.

The one that got me really pissed was I picked up an antique mantel clock at an estate sale. It didn't work, so I basically got it for a steal. I hunted down the correct parts to fix it (i.e. the right year, maker, etc), and fixed it to working condition. I got a proper appraisal done on it, and was straightforward with the work that was done.

I posted it for sale on an antique auction site. I had detailed pics of the work done with some very close up pictures of the replacement parts. This isn't eBay, these are guys that can look at stuff, find it in a catalog or appraisal book, and be able to tell if it's the right part, or if "No, that's not right, the gears weren't ground that way on that model in 1897." I listed it at 10% below market value (yes, I would have still gotten a hefty profit). Bunch of watchers, no bidders. Auction ended.

A guy contacts me and says "Man! That's a great piece at a great price! Can you take another $375 off of it?" "Umm, no. You're right, it's a great piece at a great price, the starting price is the least I'll take." So he says he doesn't have that much.

OK, I re-list it.

Same thing, no buyers.

Same guy contacts me. "I see your clock didn't get bought again. You ready to deal with me on it yet?"

So I, not in quite so few words, told him to go f--k himself, I decided I liked it enough to not sell it.

That's the kind of crap I'm talking about.

Anyone who knows what they're buying when they look at a listing of mine knows I'm not jacking anything up. In fact, I'm using the "Don't get greedy" business model to get myself better establish, so in maybe a few years I can quit my night job.
 
Only you as a seller knows what you are willing to take for an item you are selling. If the price is firm, then mention it in your ad and if someone makes you a lower offer, let them know that maybe next time they should read the whole ad. I buy and sell a lot, whether it's motorcycles, camping gear, and or knives, so I know exactly what you're saying but I also know that my stuff is only worth what the market will bare (sp?). Just because you think you are cutting someone a deal, doesn't mean that it is the best deal out there, and I don't have a problem with someone asking me if I will take less or with someone making me a offer lower than my posted price. If it is something that I really want, and the price is right then I won't even ask if the price is negotiable. If it is something that I wouldn't mind having but the price isn't exactly where it needs to be, then I will ask if the price is negotiable. Remember that you are using the internet to "pimp" your wares and are reaching far more people than if you was to use your local paper to sell items, so the trade off is well worth it in my opinion.
 
I kinda thought it was understood that in an auction -- live or internet, the starting price is the lowest price, especially when a certified copy of the appraisal is in the ad.

No, what it is, is some guy wanting me to break even or even take a loss so he can flip it for the same, or more, than I was asking.

Shysters can shop elsewhere.

I see where Jeff is coming from when he says some customers you just don't need.
 
An item is worth what someone is willing to give for it that day. If I saw an item that had been relisted many times I would be hesitant to buy it because I would question its worth. If I can't sell something I bought for close to what I paid for it in a reasonable time frame...I would know I overpaid.
 
Sok, homey.

I sold it FTF for the same amount to someone who really (seemed) to want it and was happy to get it at that price.
 
I sell all of the time on gunbrookers and I dont seam to have a problem. I have people emailing me all of the time and dont go through gunbrokers just to buy my knifes. I sell on A bunch of sites and I never had anyone offer me a lower price than I ask for.
 
One thing I've learned as a buyer, you're not gonna get a better price for something if you don't ask for it.

You sell on the internet so that you can get in front of "millions of people" right? If you're gonna get offended by someone who wants to negotiate, maybe you ought to try elsewhere.
 
richard thurman said:
I sell all of the time on gunbrookers and I dont seam to have a problem. I have people emailing me all of the time and dont go through gunbrokers just to buy my knifes. I sell on A bunch of sites and I never had anyone offer me a lower price than I ask for.
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If they do, do you get offended and call them all kinds of nasty names??
 
I’m a hypocrite. A guy on a gun forum is selling a holster for $40 shipped, which is what you can buy that particular on for new from several places online.

I PMed him and said if he didn’t sell it and decided he’d take $30 for it I’d take it. 25% lowball. Then again, he’s asking full price.
 
I think it's understandable. Many ebay sellers have an option to "make an offer" which is sure to attract the perspective bargainer to see how low he can go and win. At the same time the buyer might just directly contact the seller and inquire about a lower price, like you mentioned. I did just that when I bought a sheath from UltraReef. He cut me a good deal on it too, so I think it was worth it. :)
 
Combining several responses:

1.) If you're an informed buyer and you see that what is being offered is below the current street value, and you still want to wheel and deal, then you're lowballing, or you're not really an informed buyer.

2.) The fact that everyone on the internet (that's hyperbole, for those who can't recognize it) wants to act like a big shot wheeler and dealer, don't act surprised at how high some people start their prices. They're probably sick of offering a good deal and having people want to waste their time haggling.

3.) Apparently, selling face-to-face works better for me, or maybe people that I meet face to face, know enough to grab a good deal when they can. Oh, and they also bring their friends back.

4.) If you come to me with a smug attitude like you're the only game in town and you're going to force me to deal with you, or not deal, yes I'll call you names.

5.) HOW you do something may have a bigger effect than WHAT you do.

6.) "Shyster" isn't much of a "bad name". You should hear what I call people when I'm mildly irritated. ;)

Have a nice night. :D
 
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rayban said:
If they do, do you get offended and call them all kinds of nasty names??
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why would I do some thing as stupid as that?? this is a free country. If they want to offer me a lower price then go for it and I will tell them I wish them good luck in finding it. I do a bunch of research on priceing then I put it up for sale.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
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.
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This is pretty much how it works everywhere. Here are buyer "tactics" I have heard before:

1. Your $100 knife is $101 at some other store, and it's not "second hand." So I want yours for $75.

2. Gee, I've sure seen a lot of these floating around lately. Maybe you should cut your price in half, then I'll think about it.

3. I can't see how you are only selling at a 10% discount when there's clearly a microscopic scratch on the coating of the pocket clip. Maybe a 40% discount would convince me.

I might be over-stylizing but those are the main culprits. My typical answers:

1. No.

2. No.

3. No.

I will sell what I want to sell at a price I want to sell it for. It might take a little while, and I might need to hustle it on multiple forums and bump it a few times, and even cut the price a little here and there. But giving in to pressure tactics will only make matters worse for everyone, so I just say NO.
 
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