Anyone else receive low offers right away ?

They are testing you for desperation, figuring they can turn a quick buck if someone is desperate to sell and needs money NOW.

12-24-12: Maplegrovemusic
It is a waste of time

I'm certainly not defending their activity, but I would disagree that it is a waste of time. Obviously it is not or you would not be receiving these offers. I see it as another sign of the struggling economy. Some people will do anything to make a buck these days. I've had a large increase in door-to-door salesfolk in the last year or two as well. There are few real jobs out there any more, as more and more folks are fighting for table scraps.
It's sad, but it is what it is.

12-24-12: Rebelindiskyz
Ladies and Gents: It is the art of negotiation! Btw, it does not have to be a reseller who is offer a low price. I look at it this way: I walk to into a Car Dealership to buy a new car. She/He tells me the price, $30, 000. I listen to the pitch and then I say $20, 000!

OK, would you listen to the pitch and then say $3000? Yes, that is how absurd some of these offers are. They don't offer you 60-80% of your asking price, I've had some offer 10-25% of my asking price. I've been buying and selling for over 10 years on Audiogon and over 20 years altogether, and there is no doubt in my mind that these silly offers have increased in the last few years.

I really don't mind, I don't get upset, I actually find a lot of them quite amusing. For me, it adds entertainment to what otherwise can become boring, ordinary exchanges.

Phd, I agree with you that prices have been going up lately. Maybe it's due to the lowballers, maybe it's due to Audiogon's high fees, maybe it's due to the weakening dollar, I don't know for sure. It makes me wish I had held on to some gear so that I could sell it now for more $$$. :)

As for Bigby and Invenio78, I see that you are rather new here, welcome. That being said, maybe you should be on the sellers side of the fence for a while before you start seller bashing. As I tell my adult children, it is easy to tell someone on the other side of the fence how they should be living, especially when you have not been on that side of the fence. As someone who has been both a parent and a child, a buyer and a seller, I am able to understand what it's like to live on both sides of the fence.

There are good people and bad people on both sides of the fence.

@Invenio78, no harm done, no worries. I guess there is some misunderstanding here though. I've been here on Audiogon for well over 10 years, I NEVER considered Audiogon an "auction house". I have bought and sold many pieces of equipment over the years here, but never once did I put a piece for sale on auction. I've always placed ads. I found that I could always sell anything if I priced it aggressively enough.

Over the years though, I've found that patience is a virtue when buying AND selling. I may still 'jump' on an item if the price is right, but that is very rare (thankfully). I do realize that if I was desperate I could sell everything I have starting an auction at $1. However, that could also be a big mistake. I've seen quite a few people regret that decision over the years. Because this hobby is about being in the right place at the right time. Starting an auction at $1, you are "forcing" the time issue.

Many times I've turned down the early lower offers and found someone that really wants what I have weeks or even months later. Sure, it doesn't always work, occasionally I overestimate the price of something and wind up selling it months later at a steep discount, but this is very rare. I've also sold stuff that was snapped up within 30 minutes and wondered if I should have priced it higher. That's part of the "game".

The bottom line is, as you say "the market determines the value of an item". The only audio gear that I've seen for 80% off at 10 years old though is either digital gear or phono cartridges. I don't think you can compare the gear here to televisions, because for the most part, the stuff here has a longer lifespan. My current amp turns 20 years old this year, I've never had a 20 year old TV. Vintage gear is popular in this hobby, I can't say the same for television. :-)