Inquiries ignored.

dodge man · Sep 23, 2020

So I have been looking for a box blade for a couple of years. I do not need one badly, more of a want, so I am looking cheap. I see 5 foot wide at the local farm store for a little more than $600 brand new, so that is what I am basing my price on. Probably not the best unit but good enough for my occasional use.

I have noticed one on Tractor House for about 6 weeks now, 5 foot home made. It looks ok, used and unless they told me I would not know it was home made, $450. Seems high to me for used home made. I checked the dealers website and the still had it. Tractor House has a make an offer so I offered $200. Tractor House sent an e mail confirming my offer was passed on. I left my e mail and phone number. No response from the dealer. I had the same thing happen before I bought my JD 2 years ago, called on a used Kubota, how much to add a loader to it, no call back.

How do you guys handle this? In my mind it is my money I am offering and I do not give them a second chance. Do you pursue it and call them until you get a response?

TractorGuy · Sep 23, 2020

Try running a want to buy ad on Craigslist. State what you want and what you are willing to pay. If you don't say how much you want to pay you will get responses from people wanting new price for junk. Be specific on condition and price.

I have bought a brush mower and a disc harrow this way.
Both were 4ft units un good condition for $250 each.

bigtiller · Sep 23, 2020

Skip the middle man (Tractor House) and the e-mail. Call the dealer. Sometimes e-mail communication gets misplaced or forgotten during busy times.

Rebeldad1 · Sep 23, 2020

I try to be fair with what I sell. I dont want to give it away and do my homework on the market. If I put a price on something and you offer 1/2 or less without even contacting me first or looking at it ...I wont give you a reply back and waste my time.

Reb954 · Sep 23, 2020

You offered 44% of the listed price. I wouldn't have responded either.

He is a dealer so he has to make a profit to stay in business. To make a profit he has to use his time and money wisely. Responding was not a wise use of his time.

dodge man · Sep 23, 2020

I wondered if the offer is to low. I do not know how the dealer got a home made box blade but I suspect it was on a trade in.

GeneV · Sep 23, 2020

Well you are offering less than half his asking price. If I was the seller, I'd figure we could never reach a price agreement anyways, since you're coming in so low. I may or may not respond as a courtesy, depending on how busy I am.

No offense intended whatsoever, just saying per my perspective as a seller...I sold a few things over the years.

Beaver Cove Deere · Sep 23, 2020

I'm with the others. It was priced fair and you cut it almost in half. I would have ignored you also. When I list something it's close to what I'll take and if you offer a lot less than 10% off the asking I will not waste my time.
The chipper I just bought a couple of months ago had been sitting on consignment in a dealers yard for a while. It looked like it was in nice shape so I offered 3000 for it knowing it was listed for 3500. I fully expected a counter offer of 3300 and I would have bought it at that but the owner obviously wanted the money so he accepted to my shock. However I then got to pay Maine sales tax.

I was pleasantly surprised of the condition of the chipper when I arrived to pick it up and pay for it. It was only slightly used.

Industrial Toys · Sep 23, 2020

This stupid sheit happens all the time. If you sell something in an open market, you should expect low ball offers and respond to them in a civil manner. UNLESS you specifically mentioned FIRM or no low ball offers, even though that is kind of open to interpretation.

Who says there is some rule about what constitutes an accceptable offer?

As far as I am concerned, offers are often meaningless anyway, until someone opens up their wallet and takes out the cash.