Yeah, internet trading just isn’t what it used to be. Between shipping issues (I just dealt with one of the craziest ones EVER) a general lack of integrity in folks and a variety of other issues, it has made internet trading a PITA. In terms of offers an excepting them, it’s always a crap shoot. It’s rude to offer someone 50% of their asking... that just deserves a F-off reaction. I’ve never said that, but thought it for sure. I think the thing that burns me is when some one does make an offer on an item I’m selling, then it is excepted, and there are crickets. Happens more often than I care to acknowledge, and is technically a legal issue. Either way, it makes buying and selling less fun and sometimes more stressful than it’s worth.
Is Not Responding To An Offer Just Plain Rude?
Think about it in the context of a BUYER using the Audiogon system -
1 - “Lowballers will be politely ignored.
What constitutes a lowball offer? Is there a percentage of the asking price below which the offer becomes a “lowball”? If so, what is it? 90%? 75%? ….Is it connected to or disconnected from the length of time the ad has been running?
2 - When the only option is “Make an Offer”.
What am I supposed to do here? Am I supposed to offer more than the asking price? Less than the asking price? If less is OK, then refer to point 1 above.
3 - When the only option is “Make an Offer” and the ad says “price is firm”
What the heck am I supposed to do with that one?
If you’re listing an item with the option of “Make an Offer”, wouldn’t it just be courteous to give the benefit of the doubt to the person submitting the offer, assume he or she is a serious buyer and not a tire-kicker, and just reply one way or the other, in a timely fashion? I mean, there’s nothing lost, right? Just say “NO”. Or make a counteroffer….what’s so difficult?
I just sold a nice preamp to a gentleman who made an offer on it, it arrived with the buyer safely and he’s thrilled with it. So now I have wires hanging loose in my system where a preamp used to be, and it’s almost the Holidays. I found a suitable replacement on Audiogon in the $7K range, made an offer within 10% +/- of the asking price, and…drum roll….….nothing.
I sat around all weekend waiting for the seller to respond, but they didn’t have the decency to just message me and say no. So I was stuck with the “Seller has 48hrs to review your offer” BS, now I’m back to square one and without the means to play my favorite Kenny G Christmas albums.
One bandaid fix would be for Audiogon to adopt the ebay system and allow sellers to automatically decline offers below a certain amount. Then they wouldn’t even have to interact with us lowballers and their delicate sensibilities wouldn’t get hurt…..heck, I’d even take a photo of me wearing a mask as I press the ’Submit Offer’ button, if this is a Covid thang…
Whinge over…
Merry Christmas :)
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- 79 posts total
- 79 posts total