LD1
Epic Contributor
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.
I dont think its about enjoyment, of the feeling of "whooping" someone.
Sellers want to make the most profit possible.....but at the end of the day.....they have a minimum amount of profit they "need" to maintain.
Most buyers want to spend the least they can to get whatever is being sold. Emphasis on most.
Some buyers, dont haggle. Their time is worth more to them than to just pay more and be done.
IF dealers never haggled....and always offered their "bottom dollar" price......their profits wouldnt be nearly as high as some of their competitors
And as a seller....or dealer selling something.....that "bottom dollar price" is ever changing. Usually depends on the level of interest in said items, and how long you have had to sit on it.
With regards to "haggling" with stuff being sold on craigslist.....I elude back to no two items are the same.
I may have a bushhog I want to sell. Their may be hundreds of others that are "similar" for sale also. I want to sell it for what its worth on the fair market. I dont want to sell it for what its worth "to me" because that may be a whole lot less. It may have NO value to me if I dont use it. So I can do my best to compare it to others on the market....maybe ask a little more than something similar that might not be in as good of condition....or ask a little less than something that is in better condition. But one cannot seriously assign firm value. Its gotta come across the eyes of the right buyer at the right time.
IF I am asking $600 for something....and get a call within the first hour of posting offering me $350 or $400.....I probably aint taking it. Its about feeling out what the market will bare. Now if I have had it for 3 weeks and not the first inquiry...and someone offers me $400....its probably gone at that point.
Same with buying. If I am looking at something just listed....I may inquire. But if its still there 3-4 weeks later we may get to a price agreeable to both parties.
MFG's and dealers do it too. Big price drops, inventory reduction and markdowns for old stagnant inventory. And lets not even start on MFG rebates or other dealer incentives and yearly specials.