Has haggling died?

   / Has haggling died? #31  
I love to haggle but price most things fair for a quick sale and there’s no need to dicker. But buying? Oh yeah I love it. I worked in a gun store at age 16, and learned the fine art of wheeling and dealing used guns. It makes me smile just thinking of it. My buddies would ask me to buy stuff for them at flea markets and gun shows because they hated to haggle. I tried to force them into it a few times by telling them what to offer but they just couldn’t go ask for a lower price. So on more than one occasion, on little things $20 or less, I would tell them what to offer (sometimes half price just to start negotiations) and my buddies would refuse. So I would walk up to the table and hand the guy a $10 bill, pick up the item, and say something like “good?” And they almost always say yes. So in those cases I’d turn and smile to my buddies and say $20 if you want it from me. Sometimes they bought it and a couple things I still have and love to remind them of the good deal I once got when I bought it out from under them. Good stories and good times.

Much of the entire world haggles for nearly everything.
Not so much in the USA
 
   / Has haggling died? #32  
Here's a reverse haggle.

My son had a 1964 M-F tractor with loader and backhoe. The rear main seal was leaking REALLY bad, and it's a MAJOR job to replace it. He put it up for $4000 (I think that's what he paid for it maybe 2 years before and hadn't done anything major to it).

Got a guy that seemed really interested, and came to look at it. He offered $6000. My son said "No, it's not worth that, I'm asking $4000".
 
   / Has haggling died? #33  
Here's a reverse haggle.

My son had a 1964 M-F tractor with loader and backhoe. The rear main seal was leaking REALLY bad, and it's a MAJOR job to replace it. He put it up for $4000 (I think that's what he paid for it maybe 2 years before and hadn't done anything major to it).

Got a guy that seemed really interested, and came to look at it. He offered $6000. My son said "No, it's not worth that, I'm asking $4000".

You raised that boy right.:thumbsup:
 
   / Has haggling died? #34  
All of the "pro-hagglers" seem to think they won the sale because they "haggled". Really, if the seller has to inflate the price to allow for "haggling" rather than set a reasonable and fair market price, aren't we just wasting one another's time. Because of "rule of haggling" I have to add to the price at the beginning of the sale so that I can take off at the end. But I know that haggling seems to be required so I add a few dollars so that some guy can tell his wife that he "kicked my butt" in the sale. I guess if it gets the item sold then so be it.
 
   / Has haggling died? #35  
All of the "pro-hagglers" seem to think they won the sale because they "haggled". Really, if the seller has to inflate the price to allow for "haggling" rather than set a reasonable and fair market price, aren't we just wasting one another's time. Because of "rule of haggling" I have to add to the price at the beginning of the sale so that I can take off at the end. But I know that haggling seems to be required so I add a few dollars so that some guy can tell his wife that he "kicked my butt" in the sale. I guess if it gets the item sold then so be it.

Have a friend/coworker who sells used vehicles on the side, some of the stories he's has are entertaining -- especially the ones where someone wants to keep haggling to the point he finally got tired of it an told them "it's no longer for sale for you to buy". ....apparently some have never considered that the seller can walk/drive away from the sale as well or that continually nagging and attempting to wheel and deal on the price beyond what the person is willing to accept is just plain old rude/disrespectful and counter-productive.
 
   / Has haggling died? #36  
All of the "pro-hagglers" seem to think they won the sale because they "haggled". Really, if the seller has to inflate the price to allow for "haggling" rather than set a reasonable and fair market price, aren't we just wasting one another's time. Because of "rule of haggling" I have to add to the price at the beginning of the sale so that I can take off at the end. But I know that haggling seems to be required so I add a few dollars so that some guy can tell his wife that he "kicked my butt" in the sale. I guess if it gets the item sold then so be it.

It’s just to see who has the bigger pair.
 
   / Has haggling died? #37  
Saw an interesting piece on Youtube. Never tell them you are going to pay CASH or they will not give you a discount as they (especially vehicle dealers) make their money on financing and other Gimmicks, so if they know they won't be making that money, they won't reduce the price.
 
   / Has haggling died? #38  
All of the "pro-hagglers" seem to think they won the sale because they "haggled". Really, if the seller has to inflate the price to allow for "haggling" rather than set a reasonable and fair market price, aren't we just wasting one another's time. Because of "rule of haggling" I have to add to the price at the beginning of the sale so that I can take off at the end. But I know that haggling seems to be required so I add a few dollars so that some guy can tell his wife that he "kicked my butt" in the sale. I guess if it gets the item sold then so be it.

Sure that could the true in some cases.

But I think that for the most part....haggling is how the market determines the value.

With used stuff, like c-list stuff or FB marketplace stuff.....no two items are alike. Same condition, options, hours/miles, location, etc.

Obviously as a seller, I want to sell my stuff for the most amount of money possible. As a buyer, I want to pay the least amount possible. Haggling is a way to meet in the middle and arrive at a fair price.

I have seen stuff posted and re-posted for months and months. Obviously the seller thinks their stuff is worth more than the market will bare. I have also seen stuff sold the same day within hours. Obviously the seller was a bit under priced.

But without negotiation, and haggling, you really have no idea the true market value of what you are buying and selling.
 
   / Has haggling died? #39  
Saw an interesting piece on Youtube. Never tell them you are going to pay CASH or they will not give you a discount as they (especially vehicle dealers) make their money on financing and other Gimmicks, so if they know they won't be making that money, they won't reduce the price.

^^^^^ true!!!!
 
   / Has haggling died? #40  
What someone is willing to pay is what sets the price in my opinion. But my point is that because "haggling" seems to be norm we just are fooling ourselves thinking we negotiated or haggled for a better price. Now, of course I ask a seller if they have some "wiggle room" but I do that because I know they added to the price from the beginning knowing I was going to offer less. If this makes people feel better well then I guess we keep doing it.

I am old enough to remember the days of purchasing a car when the "haggling" at the dealership took most of the day. You were put in the sales person's "cubicle" and the insanity commenced. The salesperson made his ridiculous offer and the buyer countered with a ridiculous counter-offer and away we go. The sales guy or gal kept going back and forth between some phantom sales manager and the buyer each time changing the numbers but this crazy procedure took all day.

I am glad the most car/truck dealers have gone to a best price program. With many of the sales taking place online the dealerships really have no option but to get their price quickly. I can't deny that some dealers may have some price reductions left in their pocket but those who do in this environment will lose sales.

From the many comments here it appears that many enjoy haggling and I suspect it will continue. I also understand that sellers may be willing to adjust their price so a lower offer makes sense. I don't mind if someone offers me less than I am asking. And I can pretend that I am in complete torture dropping my price. But once you load up my item on your trailer you will head home thinking you "whooped" me but I go into the house saying that is the price I was going to ask in the first place if I didn't have to haggle.
 
 
Top