Does the "what's your best price?" offer work for people?

[televillian]

when they ask "What's your best price?" I ask "how much you got"

 

[BigDaddyLH]

If there isn't an initial price there's this standoff where no one wants to blink first and state a price, because it gives the other person leverage.

For example if the seller gives the initial price of $X and the buyer thinks he'll like to pay $D less, the buyer counters with $X-2D so that the mid point is what he wants to pay.

 

[ChicknPickn]

When selling, your best haggling defense is, “I’m in no hurry, but I’ll call you if that changes.”

 

[1293]

This is why I never sell anything. If I don't want to keep it forever, I don't buy it. My wife was my first girlfriend (not bought, but same principle). I had two jobs in my career and only left the first one to get married and live in the same town as my wife.

 

[That Cal Webway]

Yes, best price is ok w me.



.

 

[KyAnne]

One might "up" things a bit to begin with and then answer that witha " Well...........(short sigh) I Have to Have (calmly yet honestly).......$xyz.....I have to (lowering voice slightly in a confidential tone)

 

[G.Rotten]

I'm helping a buddy sell off some of his surplus gear, and I am both amused and annoyed by some of the offers. I've been careful about my asking prices, finding a good compromise between recent comparable sales and being competitive with other items currently for sale. So far, I think my pricing has been good. Most items have sold quickly, but not too quickly, and either at asking price or close to it.

The haggling strategy that always bothers me is the question "What's your best price?" Does this work for people? Every time I hear it, my reactions include "Why would I bid against myself?" and "Really? That's all the haggling skill you have?" (What can I say? I can be a bit of a hardass sometimes ) I usually just respond with my asking price, and they are rarely heard from again.

I find the "best price" ask even more annoying than stupid lowball bids. (One guy offered $150 on a vintage lap steel that I'm asking $650 for.) I sometimes wonder if they have any idea what a fair price is. I often price so there is a little room to haggle, but that margin is not the 20 or 30% that a lot of the lowballers ask for.

I often get and sometimes use "what's your best price?". It's not insulting, it's direct.

When I'm asked I give my best price. At that point there's no more price negotiation, it's just go or no go. IMO it's far less insulting than a low ball offer. If someone asks my best price I give it to them. If someone sends a stupid low ball offer, they'll never hear from me (unless I feel like having a little fun at their expense).

IMO, "what's your best price?" Is the offer of someone a little more serious. A low ball offer is someone feeling out if you're desperate. They have no intention of buying they only want to steal.

 

[Killing Floor]

If I sell something I usually mark it very low. I’d look on Reverb and take 10% off that or more. Because if I’m selling it I just don’t want it anymore so the extra few bucks might mean I have to wait for it to sell or worse… make 2 trips to the post office haha.

Unless it’s a pedal from a company that went out of business. Guitarists and especially bassists will pay lottery money for pedals that didn’t sell well enough to keep the company open. Especially if it has a sticker in the box. Bassists will pay $50 extra for a box and sticker with a pedal.

 

[Drew617]

I find it mildly annoying when people ask that, but not enough to gripe on the internet about it. I usually just suggest they make an offer.

I do most of my selling on Reverb and often ignore that question outright. There’s a “make offer” button RIGHT THERE, or I’ve chosen not to accept offers if my price is unquestionably good, and either way the buyer has just identified themselves as someone who doesn’t get it, more likely than average to become a pain in my butt if i were to sell them something.

Also tends to weed out the impatient and entitled. Assume I’m at work and will answer you when I get home. I might get either a “too late, bought other gear” (good riddance) or someone who’d rather pay my full ask than wait a couple hours (fine with me.)

 

[MilwMark]

So you list as “best offer” and the basic scenario is:

- it’s ok for the seller to hide their best price

- but not for the buyer to hide theirs

?

Makes perfect “sense”.

Some of you really seem to make life harder than it needs to be.

If you are going to take mundane things personally, maybe stay out of marketplaces and sell only to shops.

If you want to be in a marketplace, maybe don’t take things so personally.

 

[mad dog]

Doesn't matter who it works for. Doesn't work for me. Asking me to haggle with myself is a non-starter. I won't make your offers for you.

 

[Ringo]

And on top of that “ what’s your best price cash”, well I’m not selling for anything other than cash so that is stupid right there!
I usually say I am not desperate, not a fire sale, I might make a slightly lower offer than what I have it listed for. If the person is truly interested they usually will make an offer which then can be negotiated or declined.
And sometimes I put lowball offers will be ignored in my listing.

I get it, I don’t get insulted, some folks have no problem making a offering ridiculously low offer, but I don’t deal like that.

As a buyer if I feel it’s a fair asking price I probably will just buy it. I may ask if the seller has any wiggle room on the price, but I keep it respectful. Sometimes they will sell cheaper, if not
I’ll buy it or just say no, thanks anyway.

 

[getbent]

I made an offer on a guitar about a month ago. The guy sent back a huffy note saying it was a ridiculous offer blah blah... a month goes by, he writes me back and asks if I'm still interested... the GAS had passed, I shrugged and wrote him back 'thanks for your very fair offer, I chose a different guitar the next day (and attached a picture of his model guitar) for XXX (less than what I offered for his. You have a nice guitar, someone will buy it."

You gotta strike while the iron is hot.

 

[TC6969]

Then you have the reverse! (I actually saw this yesterday)

"I'm asking $2500, but I'm not taking less than $2000."

Exactly what king of business strategy is this?

 

[carpenter]

If i am selling something, I put a price on it. Not make an offer. Not open to offers. I tell people when they are offended I am not a used car dealer. If I was a used car dealer I would be asking twice as much. If they still don't get it and make another offer I tell them get off my property.

 

[Octorfunk]

I prefer the phrase "Is there any wiggle room in the price." Let's them know I'd prefer to pay less, but doesnt force them to come up with a number. It also gives the seller an easy out, they can always just politely say no.

 

[naveed211]

Timely thread. I’m attempting to sell my car, I have a couple people interested in it on FB marketplace. But the first message I got was “what’s your best price?”

I told him I’d knock it down a couple hundred. Haven’t heard back yet, guessing I won’t. In reality, I’d live with about $1500 less than listed, but definitely no way I’m leading with that.

 

[sax4blues]

Since my CL prices are what I will sell for, everyone gets my best price, kinda like State Farm.

 

[viking]

Im in the middle of this , doing some serious cleaning out. Sold some guitars , and other stuff. The last couple of bidders on guitars have ended up calling me.....Both have been told " Forget it , Ill rather keep the guitar than sell it to you " one of the guys actually ended up wanting to give me the amount I was after , slightly lower than my advertised price.
He ended up asking , " Why is it no longer for sale ?" I replied " Its still for sale , but YOU cant buy it "!!

 

[sax4blues]

I replied " Its still for sale , but YOU cant buy it "!!

Good lesson for that buyer, now he’s stuck with ca$h to buy any guitar he wants and you get to keep the one guitar you don’t want. He’ll learn.