maxvintage
Poster Extraordinaire
I really dislike haggling. Tell me what you want, if it's what I want I'll pay. Haggling feels like a pointless waste of time
I miss the days when people knew how to haggle
- Thread starter KokoTele
- Start date
CCK1
Tele-Afflicted
That's exactly what I do, I do my research, know fair market value, and make an offer I'm comfortable with. If it's rejected, I walk away after telling them that if they change their mind, please let me know.
I was born without the haggling gene. It's like I have the word "MARK" tattooed across my forehead.
Isn't that the whole basis of the dishonesty? The seller wants $500, but he lists it at $550 because he knows a buyer will want to haggle for a lower price. The haggling occurs and the deal is made for $500...no different than selling it at the fixed price to begin with.
What is accomplished? The buyer makes the deal because he feels like he won when he actually didn't and time was wasted. I have a buddy who considers himself a great haggler to the point that he will even haggle when ordering lunch. To him, he has to feel like he ripped you off before he will agree to the deal, like he needed to prove his superiority or something. I watched him run into his mirror image as a seller and the two got so angry with each other because neither side would budge $5 to make the deal. He drove home pissed off and I could not understand why, just pay the $5 and get on with your life.
I think the internet influence is why things are so bad today. Before it, you couldn't go online and compare prices, so you made the deal according to what "you" were willing to pay. You came away happy when you purchased the item for the price you found acceptable, but now you compare the deal to what you find in online listings...a whole different scale.
I never inflate my items as a seller. I list it for the price I was willing to accept and yet when I explain that to people, they often get angry about it. They just have some kind of need to haggle for their own ego. The last time it happened, I told they guy that I was changing my price to an additional $50 for a delivery fee. He argued and haggled until I dropped the delivery fee, buying the guitar for the same price that I listed it for in the first place.
Just a waste of time in my view.
radtz
Tele-Afflicted
I prefer this thread to the "someone offered me less then I'm wanted - how much outrage and anger I should be feeling?" threads.
Has Pawn Stars taught us nothing?
Has Pawn Stars taught us nothing?
Nightclub Dwight
Friend of Leo's
I generally don't like to haggle. I usually pay the asking price, and usually get my asking price when I sell--though I will discount if it makes sense.
For the past few years we have been giving a lot of household stuff away on our local "Buy Nothing" group. I think its through Facebook--my partner handles all that, so I'm not sure. It is really nice though, giving stuff directly to people who need it, rather than donating it to Salvation Army, Goodwill or the like.
I had a few larger household items that I decided I'd try to sell instead of giving it away. But, since we had been having so much fun giving stuff away, I decided in advance that I would list a price, but accept any price that was offered for these items.
The first item was an electric (corded) lawn mower. The buyer asked if I'd take slightly less than my asking price, which I accepted. I expected him to offer less once he came to get it, but he just handed me the cash and loaded it up. For each of my other household items the buyers paid full asking price. I would have let these go for free if someone asked respectfully.
When I sell music gear I usually have a price in mind, but since I was prepared to take $0 for these household items I was almost disappointed that no one haggled. It was a good lesson that I learned. You never know what the seller is thinking, so you may as well see if they will take less. I'm not sure that I can convince myself to do that next time I am a buyer, but I will try to keep it in mind.
For the past few years we have been giving a lot of household stuff away on our local "Buy Nothing" group. I think its through Facebook--my partner handles all that, so I'm not sure. It is really nice though, giving stuff directly to people who need it, rather than donating it to Salvation Army, Goodwill or the like.
I had a few larger household items that I decided I'd try to sell instead of giving it away. But, since we had been having so much fun giving stuff away, I decided in advance that I would list a price, but accept any price that was offered for these items.
The first item was an electric (corded) lawn mower. The buyer asked if I'd take slightly less than my asking price, which I accepted. I expected him to offer less once he came to get it, but he just handed me the cash and loaded it up. For each of my other household items the buyers paid full asking price. I would have let these go for free if someone asked respectfully.
When I sell music gear I usually have a price in mind, but since I was prepared to take $0 for these household items I was almost disappointed that no one haggled. It was a good lesson that I learned. You never know what the seller is thinking, so you may as well see if they will take less. I'm not sure that I can convince myself to do that next time I am a buyer, but I will try to keep it in mind.
Pawn Stars is reality TV BS. Many times the thing being offered to the show isn’t really for sale so the asking price is artificially inflated to the point of ridiculousness and the offer being made on the item is equally as ridiculous. Hence no deal is struck. Other times the thing has already been purchased by the show and the haggling you see is for entertainment purposes only.I prefer this thread to the "someone offered me less then I'm wanted - how much outrage and anger I should be feeling?" threads.
Has Pawn Stars taught us nothing?
I think the main point of this thread highlights the disconnect that some buyers have from reality of what something is worth even when the seller has priced an item fairly according to established market value.
Haggling accomplishes a way to bridge that disconnect. Refusing to haggle is counterproductive; it cuts you out of the game even before it begins and ultimately prevents you from getting what you want. Seems kind of dumb to me.
radtz
Tele-Afflicted
My favorite part of the haggle is when someone is selling a ring or something else tiny and thye talk about having to store it so they need to make $8000 in profit.
sax4blues
Poster Extraordinaire
As a buyer any offer I make is in the form of: I will pay $X cash and pick up today. If they want to sell great, if not no issue from me.
As a seller I price on the low side, state price is firm, and ignore all offers. I don't haggle as a seller because I believe majority are just internet lookers with no intent to buy.
As a seller I price on the low side, state price is firm, and ignore all offers. I don't haggle as a seller because I believe majority are just internet lookers with no intent to buy.
How is it dishonest to ask a certain price, knowing that you will receive lower offers that you may want to entertain?
I may be splitting hairs on the definition, but I consider the price to be the price. If the seller inflates it to allow someone to haggle on it, then it really wasn't the actual price then was it? In that case, the seller should list it with a price and add "or best offer". Then it would be honest since he is setting a starting point, but you don't see that much any more.
I am old and maybe honest to a fault, but when somebody asks me what I will take for an item, my response will be the least I will accept for the deal. So, when they counter with lower numbers, I find it offensive. I realize that there are far more hagglers out there than simple hand shake guys like myself, but that is just how I will always be.
So? There isn't such a thing as The Price. It's not dishonest, it's just an acknowledgement of how the market works for used items. It's nearly universal.
It's redundant to add that to a listing. You're going to get offers anyway. As a buyer, it's good good cue that this seller has more room to negotiate than others.
Why doesn't the market work that way for new items? The answer is because the seller isn't open to offers, the price is the price, take it or leave it. No different in my view for a seller of used. Being a seller of used should not automatically mean you will accept lower offers unless you state that up front.
It is this flaw in thinking that leads to people getting upset. If I list something for say $700, a buyer shouldn't assume that means I actually want $600 and start shooting me low ball offers. It should mean that I want $700, but maybe I will budge a few bucks for the sake of a deal, but certainly not much.
It is just 2 different kinds of folks really. What I have found is that when I buy something at the asking price, the seller will often throw in some perks because the deal was a positive one. I bought a '74 Dodge Power Wagon a few years back for $1,800 (1/2 restored) which is what he was asking. He dug through the garage and found me several boxes of "extras" and included all his hand-written notes made during the restoration. He still asks me about the truck to this day when I run into him around town. I doubt that would have happened if I irritated him by haggling aggressively.
I just don't feel that negotiations need to be a competitive event. I still remember the scumbag who came over to buy a car from me about 6 years ago. He parked a block away in his Cadillac, put a paint stained pair of cover-alls on, walked up to my house and gave me a sob story about being broke and being short $500....but wanted me to "help him out" but settling for less. The Rolex and Allen Edmonds shoes gave it away and it pissed me off. I called him out and he laughed it off saying that I couldn't blame a guy for trying. He was actually a dealership owner. I didn't sell him the car and chased him off with a garden hose.
I just find haggling unnecessary and often insulting.
I don't know where you've been buying, but I've always negotiated a better price on new and big ticket items. Guitars, cars, etc. it doesn't matter what the item is. If it is a high dollar item there is always room in the seller's mark-up to negotiate. If you don't then you are stuck paying MSRP and screwing yourself out of some serious cash. I can't imagine ever paying MSRP for a car or even a guitar for that matter. When buying big ticket items I always negotiate and get a better price or I don't buy.
Here are some examples. These were all within the last 2 1/2 years during the pandemic:
Brand new 2021 Fender Eric Clapton Stratocaster $asking price: 1999.99 - purchase price $1750 (Sweetwater)
2005 Gibson L5 - asking price: $8200 - purchase price: $7400
1963 Gibson ES-125TDC - asking price: $3800 - purchase price $3150
2014 Gibson Custom Shop 1958 Explorer - asking price: $3799 - purchase price: $3400
Brand new 2020 Gibson 60's Les Paul Standard - asking price $2799 - purchase price: $2100 - renegotiated price after not receiving the guitar pictured in the ad: $1900 (Be careful with Cream City Music.)
1998 Gibson ES-5 Switchmaster - asking price: $4290 - purchase price: $3700
I might add that the asking prices for all of these guitars were not outrageously bad. But respectful negotiation brought them down even further. My point? Negotiation does not have to be contentious.
Clive Hugh
Tele-Afflicted
I dislike haggling but in some cultures it expected and enjoyed. I was taught to haggle by an Indian hotel owner when I first moved to Fiji, he told me I would get on much better if I haggled but also that I would never really win. I did a haggle in India that went over two days every time I walked thru the market, but ended up with a beautiful set of bells, I reckon they were a good deal and the shop keeper had an enjoyable haggle.
ZackyDog
Friend of Leo's
It reminds me of when I worked here in 1986:
One thing for sure is we aint all the same!
That being a given, maybe we are mistaken to take offense at folks whose habits differ from our own?
Any more than they should be offended by our habits?
Which of us is granted the rights to standardize habits?
Of course we can say "round these parts we do not haggle", or, "well yeah, my price is a little high because round these parts we all haggle".
But why take offense?
Regarding the idea that those in areas where haggling is the norm list for a little more than they are willing to accept: I think some are confused in thinking every seller knows the exact right price for a used show blower in Spring, or a used dirt bile in Fall.
Or a used snow blower in Florida or a used dirt bike in NYC.
Almost every seller of used goods is going to lower the price if the goods sit unsold a while.
Today we may hold at $500 but in sixe weeks we may be ready to take $300.
I may be selling my house and my neigbor offered me I would guess $200,000 below market value.
I said too low and he asked how much I wanted.
I said I want market value.
Like used good usually are, my house is not a mint CV Squier with a known value everywhere in every market.
Note my funny joke?
CV Squiers are $450 new so must be worth $400 mint used byt then Sweetwater puts them on sale for $399.
How much is a mint used example woth then?
The value of used goods is determined at the time and place of sale.
Two parties determine that "value" together.
How does a seller know the value of their Squier?
I will add that for myself, my idea of the value of my used goods is pertially determined by a known deal on some other goods.
The last time I sold stuff to GC I took less than I wanted becausebthey had a powered speaker I wanted on sale for a realky goid price.
When I was a flea market picker/ dealer I would take less than I wanted if I knew there was a great deal on some other thing I needed the liquid cash for, which then turned into more profit than I lost on the cheap sale.
One other thing is if a buyer is a nice person I may take less than if they are a real a$$hat!
Why?
Happiness has a dollar value...
Edit: typed this without spellcheck while eating a sandwich at work.
Space touch bar is off too.
So many typos Im not even going to bother to edit!
Why?
The price is too low...
That being a given, maybe we are mistaken to take offense at folks whose habits differ from our own?
Any more than they should be offended by our habits?
Which of us is granted the rights to standardize habits?
Of course we can say "round these parts we do not haggle", or, "well yeah, my price is a little high because round these parts we all haggle".
But why take offense?
Regarding the idea that those in areas where haggling is the norm list for a little more than they are willing to accept: I think some are confused in thinking every seller knows the exact right price for a used show blower in Spring, or a used dirt bile in Fall.
Or a used snow blower in Florida or a used dirt bike in NYC.
Almost every seller of used goods is going to lower the price if the goods sit unsold a while.
Today we may hold at $500 but in sixe weeks we may be ready to take $300.
I may be selling my house and my neigbor offered me I would guess $200,000 below market value.
I said too low and he asked how much I wanted.
I said I want market value.
Like used good usually are, my house is not a mint CV Squier with a known value everywhere in every market.
Note my funny joke?
CV Squiers are $450 new so must be worth $400 mint used byt then Sweetwater puts them on sale for $399.
How much is a mint used example woth then?
The value of used goods is determined at the time and place of sale.
Two parties determine that "value" together.
How does a seller know the value of their Squier?
I will add that for myself, my idea of the value of my used goods is pertially determined by a known deal on some other goods.
The last time I sold stuff to GC I took less than I wanted becausebthey had a powered speaker I wanted on sale for a realky goid price.
When I was a flea market picker/ dealer I would take less than I wanted if I knew there was a great deal on some other thing I needed the liquid cash for, which then turned into more profit than I lost on the cheap sale.
One other thing is if a buyer is a nice person I may take less than if they are a real a$$hat!
Why?
Happiness has a dollar value...
Edit: typed this without spellcheck while eating a sandwich at work.
Space touch bar is off too.
So many typos Im not even going to bother to edit!
Why?
The price is too low...
Last edited:
As seen on TV, Christine!
One of my favorite anti-hagglers was an old retired Sheriff that I knew. He always attended the car club swap meets, but he hated to haggle. If someone low-balled him on a used carb or something, he would just take the item, throw it in a bucket and tell the guy "Since you think it is worth so little, I guess I should just toss it in the trash."
Some would walk away calling him a jerk, but a surprising number of them chose to pay his asking price instead. I never could tell if it was just a negotiating ploy or if he just hated to haggle, but it seemed to work for him either way.
Some would walk away calling him a jerk, but a surprising number of them chose to pay his asking price instead. I never could tell if it was just a negotiating ploy or if he just hated to haggle, but it seemed to work for him either way.
Tonetele
Doctor of Teleocity
Haggling is a sport in Bali. If you don't haggle they'll quietly and happily take your money. E.g. T shirt $5 rrp go for $3.60- you'll most likely win. It's done to encourage you to return for future sales.
