Why do so many sellers take offense to offers on their listings?

@rhodes 

Life is nothing but negotiating. 

Sounds like a page from a Grant Cardone book...Sell or Be Sold!

@tomic601 It's your lucky day friend I will give you 2.5X retail a cool $500 for that 1961 MC240 and you're welcome! 🙂

Why are you upset if sellers think your offers are insulting?

Who cares what they think?

Get out there and toughen up your psychology.

It seems everyone here has a different spin and that’s ok. I just believe a seller should come back with a reply of what they would be willing to accept. It seems easier than all the other approaches.

I sold something last year and low-balled myself. Can't win for trying! 

I treat reasonable offers from potential end users reasonably. Those can maintain an intelligent conversation about a product, and tend to ask relevant questions. Sizable discounts may go to those who deeply understand the product.

I dislike lowballing from those who just want to make a quick buck on resell. Those don't care about the product at all, but just mechanically offer a low enough price virtually guaranteeing a profit on resell.

People get too emotionally invested in the gear.

People frequently overvalue what they have.

No one is forcing you to sell at the lower price. Be a grown up and ignore it if you don’t like it.

It is business after all not personal.

Unfortunately there are resellers who will offer you an amount that guarantees that they will make a massive profit when they sell at your current asking price.

I think it's fair to call these lowball offers and not develop kind feelings for them. 

"If you haven't noticed the audio market seems to have come to a standstill" 

No, I have not.

Whatever I am buying. If the initial asking price is not realistic I move on.

If the asking price is over what I think is a fair price, based on model, age and condition, then I assume the seller has built in a buffer so I offer a little under his price and see where it goes.

If the price is fair, I don't quibble and pay the asking price so I don't screw myself over a few dollars.

On average, I believe more problems start with the seller, than the buyer.

@tony1954

nailed it ! Point, set, and match …in tennis jargon.

But with a qualifier IMO that problems created in ad communication is not necessarily tilted more towards some Sellers,, but rather equal in number and in poor form with unrealistic 1st steps of some Buyers .

I have sold quite a few pieces through CAM/USAM and at the bottom of my ad I always state, "please, no trades or low ball offers, those that do will be ignored", and yes, people still email with stupid offers and I just ignore or I will respond if it is truly ridiculous.

What I truly dislike is when people ask, so how much is that in US or Euro funds? Umm, it’s called an "online currency converter" its free and readily available online even...

my favorite tim_p was when selling a heavy pair of mid sized speakers,without boxes,  local sale only, "how much to ship to Paris?"...

@bubba12 

"I just believe a seller should come back with a reply of what they would be willing to accept"

IME, replying to a lowball offer has never resulted in a sale, ever. 

"If the price is firm don't leave the offer option available"

I use the "Offer" feature so I can check out the buyer. You can't do that with "Buy it now"

@jond i am pondering your generous offer, i can get back to you with my counter in a decade or so. Look for an email from getoffmylawngrouchyaudiophile.org

Thanks for making my Dad’s day……

@markpao hmmm. I think you are wrong. I have made numerous deals and I have made low offers that were sweetened as we negotiated. Not to mention a ‘no response’ makes me hesitant to go after other items a person has for sale. There is one dealer in particular that lists items over and over again. After no response 

from him a couple times I have written him off completely. 

When selling an item here on Audiogon and I make a counteroffer to a potential buyer, am I obligated to sell it to him even though I may have received a better offer while waiting for his reply?

ozzy

Dealer’s don’t have to sell.  They can always ignore low ball offers.  It takes more energy to pour scorn on a lowball offer than it’s worth.

@rhodes, still working on absorbing all that....*L*

If on the hunt, I study the market on it prior to.  If I think it's fair enough, the seller gets theirs and all happiness....  'Let's make a deal' w/ a 'firm' generally a no-start, obo begats curiousity why...

Shipping is what it is, but private party packaging can be a crapshoot.  Insist on insurance, or nogo...

No Returns?  PayPal it.

Mho....Buyer ought to beware, just 'cuz...

I'm with @mikelavigne ​​​​​​. I work in sales and price is usually the starting point the buyers use to engage and smokescreen. It's up to the seller to provide something besides price if they want to close the sale and keep their margins. I've made two fair offers to two different sellers in the last 30 days on a $4k amp and a $14k amp. Neither felt they needed to budge and both are still and will continue sitting on those items until they cut their price or offer something else to entice the buyer. I just personally won't overpay because they feel I should. 

Well I sold a lot of items on Facebook market place but ones in a while I get low ball Offer less than 50% off asking price lol 😂 so what I mostly do is click their name and block them for life 😉☺️🤣

I took low ball offers personal 

thanks to Google it’s easy to do quick research for selling price of most items out there 

I've been lowballed a couple times on an integrated I have for sale. It's not worth my trouble sell at a lower (than already fair) Price. I will keep it in the closet for a spare. It's their loss.

There has been a lot of talk about sellers egos but a low ball offer suggests one of several things to me.

1. That buyer is a Low Baller Phenotype(there system has $100,000 worth of retail goods they got for under $10,000). They almost don’t care what they are buying as long as it’s at a fire sale price. They enjoy showing pictures of their system and regaling stories of their incredible deals to anyone that will give them a pulpit.

2. That buyer is a Win at all Cost Phenotype. Their goal is to beat you in negotiation. They aren’t interested in a fair price. They want to win and want you to lose in the negotiation...great ego boost and they can continue to look at that piece of audio gear daily reminding them of their conquest.

3. Haven’t taken the time to investigate recent prices of what that item sold for. Their mindset is some fraction of the retail price regardless of other market forces like scarcity, age etc...

Bottom line is that I don’t want to deal with any of them. My prices are always firm, based on current trends, and typically slightly below market value. There are enough fantastic buyers out there that someone realizes it quickly and rarely do I have something for sale more than a few days. I want the buyer to "win" knowing they got a good deal. I win by securing a sale before the ad goes stale.

Have any of you ever used "stereobuyers"?  Full page ad in Stereophile.  I am trying to sell My Vincent hybrid 150 Watt integrated which retailed for $2000 when I bought it.  I was expecting $800 to $1000 for it as it is in Primo condition.  They offered $400!  I am still insulted.

Knowledge is king, do your due diligence on the item you are either buying or selling both technically and financially. When it comes time to list or buy you have confidence in making a good transaction. One lesson I learned the hard way, is when you purchase an item with the idea that someday you will sell it to upgrade or no longer need it buy something that will retain some resale value. Case in point: Bought a Triumph Trident 900 motorcycle years ago for a good price and rode it for several years and then decided to sell. It was in perfect condition with only 5,000 miles, but Triumph is a niche brand, not like Honda orYamaha, and appeals to a certain crowd so it took a while to sell at 1/2 of the original cost. Now only buy items that I have confidence in selling in reasonable time at mineable loss.

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@schw06 if you are selling at a reasonable price then you are probably not the person I am referring to in this post. One time I offered a pretty low offer on a piece because it had been on the site for over six months. At that point I don’t think there are any offensive offers.

@bubba12-definitely agree on any offer being fair for something that hasn't sold in 6 months. 

I’ve bought and sold gear, sometimes made money and occasionally broke even. Mostly ’common’ brands, Martin Logan, Emotiva, Tekton, NAD, Topping, B&W, Buchardt, etc. I price things just below the next lowest seller. I figure it gives me a slight advantage and ensures the buyer is getting a fair deal. My ultimate goal is for the buyer to be satisfied, and enjoy their purchase. Occasionally a buyer will low-ball, and I explain my pricing strategy, which will either lead to a sale or not. I figure if the lowest price available isn’t good enough for them, then they’re probably looking to resell. I’d rather keep the gear for a rainy day, dig it out of the closet a couple years later and it’s suddenly like a new toy again. There’s no offense taken by low- ball offers. People (myself included) can make financially sound purchasing decisions - especially with such non-essential items. And sellers (myself included) can be doing the same with selling decisions.

It may well be an issue of culture, or education. There are times a potential buyer, giddy with the thought of falling it the deal of a lifetime, is tiresome and unappealing when parting with something you have found value in. Perhaps like shaking the hand of a teenager who has just come out of the bathroom with a skin mag and would like to meet your daughter. She may be technically "fair game" but that does not mean it is pleasant to deal with the pimples or greasy hand. We are in this for the pleasure of music not low life ego trips.

@simao Seems to get it. First of all from a selling standpoint. If I want $2000 for an item, I'm going to list it for $2500 so I have some negotiating room. If someone really wants the item and they offer my selling price or even a couple hundred less, I still come out ahead. From a buyers stand point, you have to know what you are willing to pay for an item. I have received many offers at a low price and then neverget a counter offer. I think a lot of people don't understand the art of negotiation. It's a used piece of gear. You want to sell/buy it. You should expect to negotiate. Some people are so offended on either side of the trade. Don't be offended.....negotiate! If I am willing to pay the $3500.00 asking price for an item, my first offer is not going to be the ask. I will say something like, can you live with $3000.00? If I get a yes, then I know the person is wanting to move the item on, If I get a no then I will split that amount to see if we can settle at the $250.00 difference.

You also have to understand how to control a situation. When I purchased our home I told my wife, we're going to offer "X" and they are going to counter with "Y" and we are going to quibble over a few thousand dollars on a large dollar purchase. I told my wife that if we pay the asking price the conversation is over an we control the situation. We offered full price with possession at closing and made the deal. No one here should be offended. If you receive an offer simply justify your price....(this is a current model unit that is in excellent shape at half the price of new) If they aren't willing to come back with a better offer then so be it. There are always ways to negotiate, both parties need to be willing to do so. As a successful salesman I can tell you that you don't get unless you ask. Have a starting point but be willing to haggle. For sellers, understand that people are going to go fishing to see what they can catch. Simply counter offer and then you know where the person is really at. Remember, if you are "offended" then that is on you, not the other person. Being offended is just plain dumb. 

@boxcarman Don't you see your problem? It's right there in front of you. You expected $800.00 for an item and stereobuyers offered you $400.00. What did you expect? It's an $800 dollar item and they are a reseller. They're certainly not going to offer you market price for an item, You have to understand the situation. See the last sentence of my post above.

@travelinjack BINGO!!!

I feel the same way @bubba12.  What does it take to say no to a “lowball”? One second? Often if you thank people for their interest and politely decline the item now becomes something they can’t have and naturally they want it more.  Then they can’t let it go and negotiations start.  I’ve often made reasonable sales that started with a “lowball”.  Anybody who lists an item for sale and notes “lowballs will be ignored” is potentially missing lots of opportunities to sell.  Not very smart.

I had a boss who once told me that prior to setting a product price he would contract so market research, look at the competition and then finally ask the customers what they were willing to pay. 
 

There is plenty of info available to allow the seller to set a price in the ballpark of current and recent offerings… but that doesn’t mean buyers have the same view. And, at the end of the day, the seller doesn’t have to sell. 
 

Why does this seem to happen more and more frequently?  I suspect it is because our culture has become “deal” oriented vs fair value oriented. 
 

Personally, I care as much or more about the credibility of the seller and the condition of the product as I do about the price. 

@falconquest @fernski  I agree with both you gentlemen. Great answers!

The best way to respond to any offer, including a low ball is to send a counter offer. Being offended makes no sense. If you offer me 1000 on a 10000 lusting I will counter at 9,900. Show you are a serious seller and respond to all offers.

“Anybody who lists an item for sale and notes “lowballs will be ignored” is potentially missing lots of opportunities to sell.”

If a buyer walks away from an ad after reading above message then what does that say about the buyer? Is he a lowballer or lacks the ability to strike a cordial communication with the seller?

From a seller point of view, I interpret this message as seller is not interested in haggling over price nor wasting his time over back n forth negotiations.

There are always ways to break the ice with someone who isn’t flexible on price. I hate to say it but most people are just plain rude in their communication to the seller. The above message doesn’t deter me from reaching out to the seller. I always start by greeting the seller and ask them politely if there is room for negotiations and state my offer price along with short explanation on my offer price. And what does my offer include i.e. who is paying for shipping and PayPal fees. 

There are some sellers who think they deserve top prices on what ever they sell and are complete jerks if you ask for even a penny off. I understand they have bills to pay, but they really should try to let people down a bit more Graciously.

@bubba12 I have bought and sold items that started with a lowball offer, so yes, that is certainly wrong. The one way to guarantee the death of a transaction is to end communication.

As a seller, I don’t need multiple great offers. I just need one. Buyers can offer what they want. I don’t need/want to know their phenotype, psychological issues, if they were breast or bottle fed... If I don’t like their offer, I don’t accept. If the offer is good, time to start packing the gear for shipment. It’s that simple.

As a buyer, how am I to know what the seller’s final sell point is? Unless the sale is marked as firm, many times they don’t even know. So for a seller to take offense to the fact that a buyer did not guess the magical, secret number that allows them to feel warm and fuzzy about a sale is absurd. The objective of a transaction is to exchange money for goods, nothing more.

Quick story: I was recently looking at buying a somewhat popular, not so expensive item that was listed in 3 or 4 different ads on eBay. I received an offer from a seller that was a bit below his original asking price. I wrote the seller simply asking if they could let me know what their best price was as I was looking to make a quick deal. They wrote back insulted that I would ask such a thing and that they would never sell to me regardless of my offer. I ended up buying off another ad. The offended seller had to re-list multiple times and after months and months, they stopped posting. Not a shock that it never sold.

I guess I’m not alone in thinking an offer is a starting point to a negotiation. I am happy to hear it.

I've sold a lot of things on eBay, very often with the 'Offer' option. I had one item listed at $995, it was probably worth $850-900. I never even saw one eager buyers first 6-7 offers, they were so low they were automatically ignored. He started at $225, then kept adding $10. Was I offended? Nope. I did contact him eventually, complete waste of time. My favorite ones are wannabe buyers contacting me to bitch about my 'way too high price', how it's not worth that, and will never sell. I make sure to let them know when it does, lol.

Some sellers are great to deal with, and some are plain rude.

In my opinion offers that are about 30% off the asking price are fair, and we can negotiate from there (both as a seller and a buyer.) One of the smoothest transactions I've ever had on audiogon was for an item priced at $3300. I offered $2700, seller countered with $3000 and he paid shipping and we had a deal within a few minutes.

Same as a seller. If you make a super low offer I politely decline. No need to get personal. Unless you're a scammer who "purchased" the item I sell and never pay for it, and ask me to send it to another country or your friend who's going to pay me later... 

So many sellers prices are inflated, I sell high but my equipment is always in perfect, as new condition. I personally pay more for that when I buy. I’ve also “lowballed” because the selling price was too high, not near market price, I’ve also purchased this offers as the seller realizes they are too high. Negotiations are a skill, so many just make rude comments and walk away if the price is too high. I encourage buyers to suss the seller out. You may find a great deal. People talk in absolutes in this hobby, there are no absolutes. Maybe people here should listen to music a little less and try to interact with humans a little more! It could be beneficial.

What you are running into may itself be a negotiating tactic. Acting as though you wouldn't consider and are insulted for having received such a "low ball offer" may just be another way of asking you or suggesting that you should increase your offer. Make whatever offer you feel comfortable with and it the seller doesn't like it you don't make the deal. The smart seller would try to negotiate but not all sellers feel the same.

@gnaudio, “music a little less” our universal language. :-(

Less communication and “more of that good stuff” is what brings us together, know? Maybe :-)

Just to add, as a Seller I have a set price(ad)and lowest I am willing to accept. If need be, to help my ad along, I will offer "free shipping" in asking price "only" inside my country. It also depends on what I'm selling, a cable is free, a 60 lb amp not so much. If I come down in price during negotiations shipping cost and insurance always plays into it. PayPal fees are always mentioned in the ad and will be charged to the Buyer at going rate, "unless" it is sent as friend/family which is free to the Buyer.

Last, negotiating is always part of the dance, and hopefully all parties leave the floor smiling and with each others phone numbers......

I don't understand it.  Buyers want a bargain and sellers want as much as they can get, generally.  So what?  As a seller, if you get lowball offers, just say no.  No reason to get offended by it. Buyers can't  be faulted for trying to get a bargain.

I do not think many sellers  take offense to offers,  just a vocal few...