Low-balling asshats

[Neo Ash]

Unfortunately, we have all had to deal with them at some point. But where does a person draw the line between a reasonable offer and low-balling?

Example:
Selling item X for 500.
Offer of 400....reasonable. Offer of 150....fuck you!

I consider NG.com to be a very tight community. I'm also involved with Audiogon, which I also consider a community. I've had some great interactions with Audiogon members over the years...online..phone...and face to face.

What pissed me offer was an offer I received yesterday from some guy in regards to some gear I have posted for sale. It was low-ball....not to the point of insulting...but low. He has ZERO feedback and a join data of yesterday. To keep things simple, the item for sale comes in two versions; there are upgrade options to go from A to B. This guy was attempting to use the fact that the upgrade costs $1500 to low-ball me. That was just fucked up logic in my opinion. So what was the real motivation....being a cheap ass because he can't really afford the item and wants to waste my time? Buying at a stupid low price so that he can flip the item and profit off the community?

My reply was as follows; keep in mind that a couple of messages had been exchanged. I was feeling enough was enough. Also, keep in mind that I was INCLUDING shipping which is a $100 value on the low side.

Upgrading these (amps) is your prerogative. I don't understand how what you wish to do with them after the purchase should affect the purchase price and negotiations. My asking price is 44% lower than retail. By the time I cover shipping to you at your asking price, I would essentially, receive roughly $xxxx to $xxxx for the amps (65% off retail). Is that fair for a current production item in this condition that retails for $xxxx? I have no intentions of giving these amps away. There is a wide margin of difference between reasonable offers and low-balling. Maybe you should try eBay.

Was I an asshole? Maybe it was just the mood I was in. Maybe it's spill over from being pissed off with flippers and people that take advantage of this community (NG.com). Enough is enough dammit.

I'll end my rant. Anyone else have the same sentiment?

 

[Tacitus]

Unfortunately, we have all had to deal with them at some point. But where does a person draw the line between a reasonable offer and low-balling?

Example:
Selling item X for 500.
Offer of 400....reasonable. Offer of 150....fuck you!

I consider NG.com to be a very tight community. I'm also involved with Audiogon, which I also consider a community. I've had some great interactions with Audiogon members over the years...online..phone...and face to face.

What pissed me offer was an offer I received yesterday from some guy in regards to some gear I have posted for sale. It was low-ball....not to the point of insulting...but low. He has ZERO feedback and a join data of yesterday. To keep things simple, the item for sale comes in two versions; there are upgrade options to go from A to B. This guy was attempting to use the fact that the upgrade costs $1500 to low-ball me. That was just fucked up logic in my opinion. So what was the real motivation....being a cheap ass because he can't really afford the item and wants to waste my time? Buying at a stupid low price so that he can flip the item and profit off the community?

My reply was as follows; keep in mind that a couple of messages had been exchanged. I was feeling enough was enough. Also, keep in mind that I was INCLUDING shipping which is a $100 value on the low side.



Was I an asshole? Maybe it was just the mood I was in. Maybe it's spill over from being pissed off with flippers and people that take advantage of this community (NG.com). Enough is enough dammit.

I'll end my rant. Anyone else have the same sentiment?

No, I've had exactly the same thing happen to me several times and my reaction was the same.

People pull this shit all the time and try to get ANYTHING for free. The longer you're part of a community, the more respect people have and won't do that anymore.

I cut deals for people I *know*, not ones I don't.

 

[lithy]

Unfortunately, we have all had to deal with them at some point. But where does a person draw the line between a reasonable offer and low-balling?

Example:
Selling item X for 500.
Offer of 400....reasonable. Offer of 150....fuck you!

I consider NG.com to be a very tight community. I'm also involved with Audiogon, which I also consider a community. I've had some great interactions with Audiogon members over the years...online..phone...and face to face.

What pissed me offer was an offer I received yesterday from some guy in regards to some gear I have posted for sale. It was low-ball....not to the point of insulting...but low. He has ZERO feedback and a join data of yesterday. To keep things simple, the item for sale comes in two versions; there are upgrade options to go from A to B. This guy was attempting to use the fact that the upgrade costs $1500 to low-ball me. That was just fucked up logic in my opinion. So what was the real motivation....being a cheap ass because he can't really afford the item and wants to waste my time? Buying at a stupid low price so that he can flip the item and profit off the community?

My reply was as follows; keep in mind that a couple of messages had been exchanged. I was feeling enough was enough. Also, keep in mind that I was INCLUDING shipping which is a $100 value on the low side.



Was I an asshole? Maybe it was just the mood I was in. Maybe it's spill over from being pissed off with flippers and people that take advantage of this community (NG.com). Enough is enough dammit.

I'll end my rant. Anyone else have the same sentiment?

Why even bother getting upset though? Just send back a simple, no thanks, and move on. If he wants to come up in price, he'll message you again.

 

[Kid Panda]

Yea dude was looking to flip hard. Fuck that guy. I don't deal with anyone under 100 post count and at least 6 months tenure nowadays.

 

[Neo Ash]

Why even bother getting upset though? Just send back a simple, no thanks, and move on. If he wants to come up in price, he'll message you again.

Normally I would have let it go. That is until I get a message like this....

I don't see how $xxxx is fair but good luck on the sale. Keep my info if you decide to come down on the price.

That first sentence is what rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

I've said this before, but the worst time I experienced this was a particular "retailer" trying to buy my hacks for a fraction of my already low price to increase profits.. it got to the point where he was arguing with me about "what my personal time in labor was REALLY worth". I told him TOUGH SHIT and cut ties.

 

[lithy]

Normally I would have let it go. That is until I get a message like this....


That first sentence is what rubbed me the wrong way.

See and I look at a message like that as someone intentionally trying to get under my skin, in which case I become even more resolved to keep them from getting the reaction they want.

 

[Neo Ash]

See and I look at a message like that as someone intentionally trying to get under my skin, in which case I become even more resolved to keep them from getting the reaction they want.

You're probably right.

I just received a new message from the dude. He attempted to explain how he was right. I love how this total noob with zero feedback is attempting to explain how the high end audio market works, to a veteran Audiogon member. I'm pretty sure he's trying to get under my skin with that. I'm going ignore the dude...he's not worth the wasted effort as he is clearly deranged or a dumbass.....maybe both.

 

[cdamm]

I've said this before, but the worst time I experienced this was a particular "retailer" trying to buy my hacks for a fraction of my already low price to increase profits.. it got to the point where he was arguing with me about "what my personal time in labor was REALLY worth". I told him TOUGH SHIT and cut ties.

Is that who I think it is?

 

[Fritz]

Kennyboy or Christoph which one is he talking about?

 

[Lemony Vengeance]

Is that who I think it is?

We ALL know.

 

[WoodyXP]

Was I an asshole?

You were an asshole, but rightfully so. I always put lowballers on blast.

 

[Tacitus]

I've said this before, but the worst time I experienced this was a particular "retailer" trying to buy my hacks for a fraction of my already low price to increase profits.. it got to the point where he was arguing with me about "what my personal time in labor was REALLY worth". I told him TOUGH SHIT and cut ties.

Yosh pls.

 

[Tacitus]

See and I look at a message like that as someone intentionally trying to get under my skin, in which case I become even more resolved to keep them from getting the reaction they want.

That's exactly what it is.

When I get PMs like that, they usually get both barrels.

People want everything for free.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Yep, I don't give a fuck about being rude to lowballers.

I figure they've earned it because they are being rude asking for such a low price.

I don't often make offers for lower prices when I'm trying to buy something, but when I do I make damn sure it's reasonable, usually no more than 10% lower than the asking price.

 

[hyper]

I just reply "lol" and go about my day

 

[skate323k137]

In general (in the real world, not on forums) I figure any offer that's asking for more than ~30% off is probably insulting. Around here where things are already usually priced very fairly anyway, I typically won't try to ask for any significant discount unless I'm purchasing multiple items or the item has been up for a long time.

I've said this before, but the worst time I experienced this was a particular "retailer" trying to buy my hacks for a fraction of my already low price to increase profits.. it got to the point where he was arguing with me about "what my personal time in labor was REALLY worth". I told him TOUGH SHIT and cut ties.

$60/hour cash minimum for labor or GTFO. Quite possibly more if you're not my friend, maybe less if we're really good friends.

 

[Capt. Lurker]

Heck, I love it when you’re working a trade deal with someone on here that has what you want for some items they want from you and they’re interested in. And to boot, we live in the same state so save on shipping FTW right?! Wrong…

Then this clown leaves me hanging, stalls for weeks on end with no update, late replies and some bullshit excuses that he’s been busy or some stupid shit, but he keeps me hanging around with the “I’m interested” line.

And then one day this clown replies back finally with, “Oh hey, I bought these items on fleaBay (the exact items I’ve have been trying to trade him, and that he said he’d like to make a deal with me for what I want from him).

Then this clown says, “I think you’re the seller, maybe we can meet or we can work something out, haha”?

I hear crickets chirping when I read this PM…

And I’m like WTF, is this clown for real!? (think to myself, I didn’t sell my stuff on ebay as I have been waiting for our deal). So I don’t reply and leave this clown hanging like he did me, while I go find what he has, what I’ve wanted to begin with, for a significantly less price/value (and mint) than what he was going to get out a deal I would have made with him.

And then this clown PM’s me a couple times later, with hey, do you still have such and such? I’d still like to get this. I’m like (to myself) piss off; you wasted my fucking time douchebag!!

Fucking JACKASS, no sense of courtesy… NONE!

 

[Teddy KGB]

Like the others have eluded to, don't sweat the guy. I just ignore lowballers for my FS stuffs. They usually get the hint pretty quick.

 

[Lee Gray]

Theres a guy over at one of my star wars forums who think he likes to help out the community, hes a type of Mini TonK, hes always talking about and naming lowballers yet tries to sell things way above what they are worth.

I put on something on ebay a few weeks back at £800 someone contacted me asking if I would take £300.
The only time i will offer a chunk less than something is, is when the price is way over the top but if its a great price to start with, i just do the deal.

 

[NeoSneth]

The problem is all these pawn shows on TV. People think you need to start at 90% of the value as an offer, and then you meet at 50% retail after haggling.

Some people aren't trying to be asses, they are just pretending to know how to negotiate.

 

[Comrade Porn King Mikhail]

The only time I get annoyed with lowballers is when they're clearly trying to pull a fast one. They know what the item is worth because they're offering a trade from a similar platform, or they're trying to say here look at these cheapest auctions on eBay.

If they are honestly clueless, then it's more of a moment. There've been times when a person was just misinformed or did not know enough about the hobby to provide a fair offer. Then you feel like NeoAsh, trying to educate them and being fair about the process. No one wants to gouge or be ripped off, you just want to find an equitable price point where the buyer feels like they're getting a deal and the seller is able to get fair value for their product.

 

[El Maricon Loco]

Lowballs suck, but usually I'll entertain it by just saying Nah, some people will shoot a lowball just to test - then get realistic. I would just ignore the flipper-style offer though, or like hyper - lol at them.

On the reverse side of that, when will people on places like Clist learn that a realistic selling price is not comparable to one cherry-picked eBay BIN auction?

 

[FAT$TACKS]

I really think it is some kind of mentality of entitlement. I feel like it is grown from an inflated ego and ignorance. From my experience, most of the people who have pulled that kind of shit with me have also magically been the kind of people I wouldn't want to have to be in the same room with.

Out of all the outlets that I've tried doing business on, I think Craigslist has been the worst, followed by Armslist, and then ebay. Anything I've listed on Craigslist I've had several people offer me next to nothing for and then try to argue why I should sell it to them for that.
Pretty much the same thing on armslist. Then ebay is a whole different can of worm. Seldom have i listed anything over the last few years that I've not had a flipper message me to just buy it outright for crazy low price. Then after I refuse they want to argue about it. I usually just block them from bidding on my stuff there at least.

I honestly think a lot of this kind of thing is rooted in some form of mental illness.

 

[Joneo]

Every time you get butthurt about lowball offers, cdamm wins.
Seriously though, it's not worth getting all bent out of shape about. It looks unprofessional.