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
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.
Sorry if this is a dupe posting to this thread. I'm trying to get this out there as I'm tired of getting hit with lowballers.

FYI

Audiogon has now defined lowball offers to be 55%.

I don’t know if you all saw this but I got an e-mail from A’gon stating they have a new feature in place to hinder insane lowball offers.

After you log in go to your Account and select Edit Account. Then scroll down in the Policies section there is a check box to automatically reject lowball offers.


Policies

Lowball offers

Automatically reject offers below 55% of your asking price.

I wish this could be user specific. I would have set this to 45% off of listing price for my tastes but it is a start for Audiogon. I hope this button works and deters the stupidity of the lowball offers some people send.

Thanks
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@ 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.