My theory on Low Ballers

[IronHog]

Well you sort of answered your own question, and I guess did'nt read how this thread was started. a LOW BALLER is not a serious offer. Here let me explain. I'll give you $100.00 for you house today. I'll give you $50.00 for you vehicle. Well? Come on. These are two serious offers as you explained. That didn't insult you did it? What I did was just admit you do not know what your house and car are worth, so as a buyer I think you're uneducated because I just LOW BALLED you. Still not insulted, well good for you. Me and quite a few other here DO get insulted, and when we get insulted the person insulting the seller usually never leaves with what they came to buy.

OK let me spell it out for you.

When a buyer P-off's a seller by low balling it doesn't matter if the buyer offer MORE than the selling price. Now for some people money is the driving factor, never for me. It's all about attitude, respect, etc.

If a buyer is a low baller he steps into a whole new realm. If he low balls me then I think - DO I LOOK THAT STUPID? Then the negotiations takes on a whole new life. Then it becomes a P-ing contest, and rather than being a NEGOTIATION between two people it become how can I prevent this guy from buying this "bargain". Beside the buyer thinking I'm a Moron, I then instantly thinks he's a Moron and nothing more than a tire kicker wasting my time.

There are ways to negotiate productively. Low balling is not one of them

If you are going to sell things on a regular basis you are going to deal with the public.... most people are tire kickers and even serious buyers are often looking above their budget or looking for something so specific that it doesn't exist ........ getting emotional over low starting offers is going to cost sales and crush word of mouth about you.

One should expect low offers on used equipment in particular...... there is always massive risk for the buyers and rarely is any particular item exactly what someone wants or needs.

 

[CinderSchnauzer]

Really? So some of what you post here is false and insincere in order to hide your true character?

The OP stated "One thing I know for sure you've missed out on a thousand other bargains.................. "

I suggested he knew nothing about me. I don't even know that about myself - how could a total stranger be that brilliant and in addition to know it for sure?

How do you come up with connecting the dots to conclude "what you post here is false and insincere in order to hide your true character?"

Do you have a problem with reading and comprehension?

 

[timster2]

I lost a house to a low baller. The house was listed for 150K and that was just out of my price range so I did not make a low ball offer. Well a local contractor offered 100K and being he was the only one who made an offer and the house was an estate they took his offer.

When I bought my snow blower for my BX the seller, from CL, listed it for the going rate for one in decent condition. When I got to his house to buy the unit he was not including the quick hitch, he needed it for his plow. I lowered my offer by the cost of the quick hitch and other parts to make the unit whole. He complained that I was low balling I countered with he was not selling the complete unit. We eventually agreed on a price which allowed for the purchase of the missing parts.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

If I think somebody is asking way too much I state "What's the least you will take? If he is within my range we make a deal. Some people will tear what you have apart just to try and make you come down; I've gotten so I will politely tell them that I won't waste more of their time.
If I'm selling I want a fair price; if I'm buying I will take a good deal but am also willing to pay what it's worth if I want it.

Have you ever refused to sell something to a kid because he didn't understand there was a reason that truck was only $150?

I like that approach. If I am going to be driving a ways I will ask if it checks out when I get there how many hundred dollar bills will it take to get it. If it checked out as pictured/described I do the deal without more talk. If I still have some interest but it is kind of take it or leave it I will tell them what I will do and be happy with a yes or no reply. I think I win more often when the answer is NO. :laughing:

The HD 9' 3PH disk that I picked up a few months ago was priced at $495 online and when I got there it was marked $595 and was better than some I had seen priced at $800. Blades are well worn but axles are straight and the sealed bearings turn easy by hand after setting for years.

He honored the $495 price then I paid $275 for a Ford 14" three bottom set of plows that were well worn and common. I had seen mint sets for $450 but I only got them to loosen dirt I want to move by box blade or FEL only and they are going to set out side. A huge factor I had driven 35 miles in the F700 16' flat dump so there was ZERO cost to pick up the plows. The preferred buy would have been 100 miles round trip in the opposite direction and even with the PU it would have driven up the net cost.

 

[greasemonkeyok]

How do you come up with connecting the dots to conclude "what you post here is false and insincere in order to hide your true character?"

Do you have a problem with reading and comprehension?

As to the last question, the answer is no.

As to the first question, anyone who reads and comprehends your posts knows something about you unless what you post is not true or sincere.

Of course that doesn't mean the reader knows everything about you, and I concur with the concept that the reader is not going to know whether you have missed out on any deals or not.

 

[Willl]

I 'low balled' a little bit this mourning.

Might happen again tomorrow.

 

[sodamo]

So an update to my previous post:

Buyer showed up, pretty close to on time, he did have to call due to wrong turn. Always amazes me when people say they didn't print out the directions. LOL

First observation, he came by himself, so good chance he wasn't buying and leaving with my vehicle. Seems his GF could have come but doesn't drive a stick.

He really looked over my vehicle, never offering a negative. Went with him for the test drive. We talked story a lot. I answered every question. He even tried to see if his surfboard fit - a bit tight.

So after more than an hour, he makes his offer - $500 less than my asking and volunteers his thoughts re the tires (original equipment). Funny thing i had debated putting on a new set, but decided a better option was to leave them on and negotiate. Bottom line, I saw no reason to counter, but offered my thinking on the tires and accepted his offer. I think we both felt it was a win win.

He left a non refundable cash deposit and will be back later in the week to pay and pickup.

Now if my other listing goes as well...

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Soundguy]

if yo are both happy, that's all that counts!

 

[xtn]

Maybe the argument about whether or not a low-ball offer is "insulting" is just a semantic one. I think, "You're ugly," is a personal insult. I think, "I'll give you half price," is not. I can see that it might make a seller mad, but that's not the same as being "insulted."

xtn

 

[Scotty Dive]

Maybe the argument about whether or not a low-ball offer is "insulting" is just a semantic one. I think,
xtn

EXACTLY!

It has been said many times - market price is what someone is willing to pay at that given time. Selling a wood stove in July will fetch you less buyers than in winter and most likely the price it is sold for.

Let me give you an example - Say you are selling a large boulder and you feel it is worth $5K and BTW What you feel it's worth is where all of these problems begin. You place an ad in CL and you get a few emails and two people who come and see it and offer you $2500 and you refuse because they are low balling you. Assuming they are not in cahoots and are on the up and up, what you have here is Market price. You have two bona fide offers. It is your right to not accept that price and wait for a another buyer to come along. Maybe you think this boulder is rare and you decide to wait to get your price. Two months go by and you get a call from a guy desperate for this boulder. He needs one immediately and yours is the only one being sold in the area. He offers you your $5K and you got your price albeit it took two additional months. Some might argue, you just took advantage of someone in need and ripped them off $2500 extra bucks over what its market value is. My point is this is all perspective. What you don't want to be is emotionally attached to anything you are selling (or buying) because you have lost perspective and have a diminished capacity of striking a deal. That's why everyone is saying its not personal. By being emotionally attached to the product, a low ball offer is now offending you. Someone said it insults them and makes them feel like a moron. Well - it might make you feel like this guy is wasting my time, but feeling insulted and insecure because of what someone offered is just another way of saying you are married to what you are selling. And if you are looking for respect instead of money when you are selling something - well I just really do not know how to comment to that except...then give it away to charity and gain the respect in knowing you did someone good. I will say this thread has really opened my eyes in that there are some people out there selling their stuff with tears in their eyes as I leave with it. That's a shame.