What do you consider a "lowball" offer?

MaxFactor

MaxFactor

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Howdy,

Mods - I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this question since it's not about an individual per se. So please move it to the appropriate location if this isn't the right place.

At any rate, I've been buying and selling a few knives on the Exchange lately, so I've gotten a fair share of offers that I would consider "lowballs". I won't give out names.

I think offering maybe 10% less than the asking price is reasonable, but offering $200 or even less for a knife priced at $250 (which normally retails $275+) just seems downright rude to me.

Just wondering what you guys think constitutes a "lowball" offer.
 
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When I was trying to trade a knife a little over $100 I was offered one of the sub-$20 budget Kershaws... Nothing else, jus that one knife. I didn't even find it insulting, I just laughed because that was plainly a stupid offer.

I consider a low ball offer more than 25% under your asking price.
 
There are all types of buyers. There's collectors, users, people that want to test drive it. People that may want to sell it now or later for profit.
If I decide to sell its for a reason, so I want it sold and I am open to ALL offers. It only takes a minute to review it and decline it if you feel it's too low. The more action the better.
 
I think that offering at or near the lowest price you can find it on the net is reasonable, too much lower than that feels like the buyer is trying to take advantage of the seller's need for funds.
 
$200 for a $250 knife isn't a lowball offer if he asked nicely. It's all about how it is communicated, for eg.

"I know it's less than what you are asking, but would you be open to $200 for that knife....? If it's too low, I understand and I'm sure somebody will come along and grab it soon - good luck."

I'm ok with the above, and if I cannot sell my knife and am lowering my price close to $200, I'll remember his offer and would get it touch with him.

"That knife isn't worth $250 - you're asking too much. I'll offer you $200 - which I think is more than fair"

I wouldn't like the sound of the above.

It's all in the way it's communicated. Market prices change over time, sometimes you can get a lot more, sometimes a lot less.
 
I've not bought many knives from individuals here - yet. But I have purchased 8 from the exchange and sold none. Maybe I'm a bit different, but if I want a knife I'll buy it for the price asked unless it is overpriced in which case I don't even consider it. When I sell some knives, which I will do eventually (I have a couple that I want to sell as they just don't fit my current direction), then I will set a reasonable price and not accept offers. I'll ask what I want to get for the knife.

Just not into the haggling aspect of buying and selling. Yeah, I know that will probably put me at a disadvantage but that is OK. There will never be a time when I have to buy or sell a knife, so it is all good. If I get low ball offers even after mentioning firm price in the thread, I'll just thank the individual and decline. No big deal.

But like I said, perhaps I'm different in this respect. :)
 
People asking way over what their knives are worth and in some cases even ask more for a used knife than what they sell for retail.



some people don't check the prices of what the knives sell for on second hand market before posting theirs. So a low ball offer is a sort of saving them. Either that or their knife will just sit there unsold.
 
I haven't gotten many PM/emails asking for a lower price. The few times I did it wasn't for much less than I was asking.
It didn't offend me at all, and I didn't think it was low balling since it was 10% or less. If I didn't take the offer I would reply with a thanks for your interest, but no thanks.

Now if I was asking $250 and they only offered me $200 I wouldn't even bother to reply.
 
spyken said:
$200 for a $250 knife isn't a lowball offer if he asked nicely. It's all about how it is communicated, for eg.

"I know it's less than what you are asking, but would you be open to $200 for that knife....? If it's too low, I understand and I'm sure somebody will come along and grab it soon - good luck."

I'm ok with the above, and if I cannot sell my knife and am lowering my price close to $200, I'll remember his offer and would get it touch with him.

"That knife isn't worth $250 - you're asking too much. I'll offer you $200 - which I think is more than fair"

I wouldn't like the sound of the above.

It's all in the way it's communicated. Market prices change over time, sometimes you can get a lot more, sometimes a lot less.
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I'm with you on that. Communication is key. However there is a point where the offer is outright insulting. It has to be a combination of the two. I admit that there have been times where I would inflate my price by $10-30 to have room for negotiations when I post my prices with obo.
 
I just haggle right back and have generally sold at somewhere in between. I leave some room on my prices so I don't really mind.
What gets my goat though is the lowballer that I drop my price for and gets the purchase only for me to find it next week in the exchange for my original asking price.
ri9.gif
That sort of behavior has amended my attitude a little.
 
You are awfully insecure if a low offer for anything offends you. People offer what they can afford or what they think a knife is worth. If you disagree, ignore them. If someone offered one penny for one of my knives, I'd laugh and move on.
 
spyken said:
$200 for a $250 knife isn't a lowball offer if he asked nicely. It's all about how it is communicated, for eg.

"I know it's less than what you are asking, but would you be open to $200 for that knife....? If it's too low, I understand and I'm sure somebody will come along and grab it soon - good luck."

I'm ok with the above, and if I cannot sell my knife and am lowering my price close to $200, I'll remember his offer and would get it touch with him.

"That knife isn't worth $250 - you're asking too much. I'll offer you $200 - which I think is more than fair"

I wouldn't like the sound of the above.

It's all in the way it's communicated. Market prices change over time, sometimes you can get a lot more, sometimes a lot less.
Click to expand...

This is well put, I also think many buyers offer that lower price but are willing to go higher and so maybe they offer that lower price thinking you will come back with some thing like $230 and the bartering continues until an agreed upon price. Many sellers do not want to barter and that is reasonable, but I think when a buyer asks offers less than 15% of the asking price it gets low, but honestly it really depends on a the knife. The percentages to me change when you are dealing with a high end production/midtech or even custom compared to an entry level Spyderco or mid range kershaw.
 
Max, will you take $250 for that strider (joke) :D My offer wasn't that low, at all... hope you aren't picking on me :) Shouldn't be...

Locutus, I agree. Offer prices are just that, offers.. Say no. Move on. I do.. I make offers all the time.. I get them too. Either they work or don't.
 
That is dealer status in my book.. and I can't stand that either..

Personally, if I get a knife inexpensively and don't like it, I resell it for cheap and often at a loss to myself. No biggie. Part of "renting knives" to me...


Barman1 said:
I just haggle right back and have generally sold at somewhere in between. I leave some room on my prices so I don't really mind.
What gets my goat though is the lowballer that I drop my price for and gets the purchase only for me to find it next week in the exchange for my original asking price.
ri9.gif
That sort of behavior has amended my attitude a little.
Click to expand...
 
Hairlesstwinkie said:
I'm with you on that. Communication is key. However there is a point where the offer is outright insulting. It has to be a combination of the two. I admit that there have been times where I would inflate my price by $10-30 to have room for negotiations when I post my prices with obo.
Click to expand...

That's a huge part ot it, just being polite. Same thing when you get an offer, reply politely, unless it's just so low it's a joke. I sent an offer not long ago for almost 95% of the asking price, never got a reply at all. I ignore the seller for that, because I stay away from rude people when I can.
 
Sometimes I just explain why I priced it where I did. Sometimes people don't know about special aspects of a particular rare knife and just assume it should cost about the same as the parent model.

Sometimes I use my perceived value to let the market decide. So if I like Knife X $50 more than knife Y I will list "X or Y" and I end up with X left over, or Y and $50 extra. If they don't like X $50 more, they can buy Y instead. Or not.

But I've completed sales at my asking price after lowball offers a few times by just explaining why it is worth that much to me. I put an excessive amount of work into pricing before I sell though, so I know what I want out of something before I let it go.

On the other side, things I'm not really attached to get quick sale /no hassle prices and if I know I have it below market value, first unconditional I'll take it gets it. Hagglers miss out on those.
 
I never mind when someone asks me for a lower price. It never hurts to ask.

I also don't mind trade offers. You never know what someone might offer.
 
I agree....when I'm selling only I know my reasons or finances so it takes only a minute to determine if the offer is reasonable. I don't think you can set a percentage off your asking in every situation.....each is different and unique.

bleedingfinger said:
There are all types of buyers. There's collectors, users, people that want to test drive it. People that may want to sell it now or later for profit.
If I decide to sell its for a reason, so I want it sold and I am open to ALL offers. It only takes a minute to review it and decline it if you feel it's too low. The more action the better.
Click to expand...
 
wjswiger said:
I don't think you can set a percentage off your asking in every situation.....each is different and unique.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Percentage of asking price isn't conclusive. Is your asking price reasonable? Is it set to maximize profit or for a quick sale? Just because you saw the exact model you are trying to sell go for $300 last week, does not mean you are going to get that if the previous five went for $250. All depends on who is in the market for whatever you're selling, how much they're willing to pay, how much you're willing to accept, and how long you're willing to wait for the right offer for you.

To me, an offer is an offer. Maybe I'll accept, maybe I'll counter, maybe I'll say no thanks. I will not get offended by it.
 
I agree with others. Offers are Offers. No need to get upset about them. However, speaking out of both sides of my mouth, I really dislike it when sellers put an unrealistic price (based on the market) on an item then refuse to negotiate. Example: Knife A retails for $450.00. NIB on the exchange it goes for $380-$400. The seller is asking $450.00 plus paypal fees and shipping and then ignores or scoffs at offers that the market has dictated. That to me is WAY more annoying than if someone offers me $200.00 for a $250.00 knife.


Since I am giving my opinion on an annoyance, the thing that REALLY annoys me is when people say $400.00 + 4% paypal fees. A. as far as I know, that is against the rules of Paypal. B. Paypal fees are 2.9% + $.50 per transaction. C. Just include the fees in the price of the item and call it a day.
 
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