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The issue of lowballing... What does that mean?

I LOVE Audiogon. I have purchased and sold many items here and it is a wonderful resource for audio nuts of every variety. Big solid state, tubes, analog, vinyl? Sure it all goes.

So I see posts that are make offer but the seller says "lowballers" will be ignored, vilified, cursed and cussed. So why have a make offer sale? Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. It doesn't matter what you paid for it, or how much you love it. And why be upset? Declining requires one mouse click. Countering maybe five or six clicks or keystrokes. Just curious as this is a commerce site.

I have received offers that seemed really low to me, but I am still happy to have interest and I always counter offer. I recently sold a Clearaudio TT for a lot less than I thought it was worth. But all the offers were low and I had to rethink my view. It ultimately sold as a real bargin but I'm happy and so is the buyer.

Your thoughts?
128x128superbike

Showing 3 responses by mechans

mechans
3,048 posts
 
I have wondered about that myself. If a seller wants a certain price and doesn't wish to field offers all he has to do is put "Firm"! in the ad. Otherwise how can a buyer possibly know what the seller means by "reasonable offers only" and the ubiquitous low balls will be ignored (or worse)?
I started a thread just like this on Audio Asylum and it was well recieved. You are not the only one wondering how low is low, people had a bunch of ideas but none of it was clearly logical. Thanks for bringing it up here.
BTW The next time you are about to give away some good stuff send me an email first.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
Well we still haven't decided what the definition of a lowball is beyond the most blantant examples and virtually anything below the asking. (Less than 10% below asking see Polk's last post)
I tried to think of a good way to put a price on something but was only able to return to the oft said, anything no matter what it is -is worth what someone will pay for it. There are too many variables. Even my own thinking that a used item should be priced at its wholesale price of approx 50% of full retail is challenged by scarcity, condition, age ,product support, ease of shiping, etc. etc. That such offers are not lowballs in my mind but clearly are to others.
If our auctions functioned as well as they possibly could then perhaps that would answer the question. However the seller would put a reserve on anything of substantial value to him and lowballs would be all the bids below that figure.
So we have yet to agree on any convention in this regard. Given that how can you fault some one for an offer that is anything not patently ridiculous.
mechans
3,048 posts
 
@ Jedinite is it 55% off the listing price or  55% off the regular? or suggested  retail price??  The 2nd part makes some sense, but asking some of the people around here to tolerate 55% off what they think is the already discounted listing price does seem a bit much.  But all it takes for rejecting an offer is a few clicks it shouldn't be overly onerous. 
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