Buying & Selling stuff

[Greatwhite]

So I've bought and sold a bunch of things on Kijiji, and similar sites - and I can't get over insanity that I deal with from people.  Lowballing is way too common, but I can understand it - people are always looking for a deal.  Today, I got to see the other side of it first hand, and HAVE to share.

I'm in the market for a car to replace a 2003 Tiburon that is having some rust issues, and is in need of a little work that I just don't have time for.  The wife & I decided that we'll probably pick up a used 4 door Honda Civic, and I found a decent looking 2006 listed at $8500 with ~100,000 kms.  Decent price, looked good in pictures, etc so I emailed the guy to see if I could come see it.  My plan was to bring $8000 cash in my pocket, and drive home.  $500 down is a fair final price.

I got a reply later in the day saying to come by tomorrow, with his phone number.  I asked WHEN tomorrow, and for an address (because it's generally easier to get an address via email than over the phone - right?)... Well, he replied that he'd give an address tomorrow when I call, "and oh, by the way, the price is now $9800 because I did some searching and found them priced over $10,000"

Yup..  He just ended my interest in even talking to him further.

I'm bad at over pricing items with the expectation of coming down with negotiation.  But going up OVER $1000  at that stage in the game is just insane!!

When I'm buying things, I don't generally like trying to talk people down, and pay pretty close to what their asking price is.  When I'm selling, I don't like people lowballing.. I've had a 55G tank & 48" light on the classifieds here and on Kijiji and emails from Kijiji usually ask if i'd sell the light alone.  Sure... $200 for both items, $150 for the light alone....  I've been offered $100 for the light at least 9 times in the last month.  I counter at $125, and they walk.

Then you get people who say they're interested in seeing "whatever" and then don't show up to see it.  Or worse - they DO show up, and then decide to ask dumb questions that result in a deal falling through... like my ad for a bar-height table and 2 chairs..  "i have 6 kids, do you have 4 more chairs?" or "does the table have a leaf to extend it?" (while looking AT THE TABLE that has a solid top)

The best is when people say "oh, I won't have the money until Friday - can I take it now and pay you on Friday?"  lol?

I've always been interested in the psychology behind buying/selling personal belongings (houses included)...  I try to understand where people are coming from when they do crazy things, but some things are just beyond my abilities.

[brotherluv]

LOL...the story of my life bro.  I feel after being in sales for over 6 years, that this world is just an overpopulated mental hospital...psychology is my major!

[Feivel]

+1 i like what you said lol ahhhhhh sooooooooOOOOooo true, the wheel and deal

i on the other hand have had some good luck, my budget isnt as big as yours but, i was looking at a 92 civic for 500$,it had a 2001 obd2 engine in a 92 obd1 car. it was toyed to death, drop kit, sunroof, new front end, etc... i noticed the distributor was shot,its 200$, but the wires spliced before the connector so i left the civic there. on the other hand i was thinking about this truck that was offered to me and the welding company i want to get going. 95 ford f150 4x4 6inline 280km body is nice box is mint, guess what i just bought the truck 3 days ago. it needs bearing in the front for 4x4 and a ebrake cable. the guy paid 800$ for it couple months ago because his driveway needs a 4x4 to get in and out of. He said the truck was too big for it so I offered him 600$ cash put it in his hand he signed the papers and we split ways

[Greatwhite]

Wanna buy a Tiburon real cheap??!?!   Just kidding.

When we bought our house, we saw that it had just come down $10,000 from the asking price I had seen the week before and it fell into our budget.  I knew not to expect much from the seller in the negotiation because already they are feeling that they are at a loss.  My father in law has dabbled in realty and advised me on the opening offer - which was a complete low-ball, and I felt horrible about even offering it.

My rule of thumb, which I think is common, is to take the asking price and determine what I feel a fair price is, and then ask the different below my fair price.  ie/ $8500 asking, I want to pay $8000, offer $7500 and meet in the middle.  Sometimes you'll end up just under the middle, sometimes just over - but it's DOWN from the initial asking price in the end.

[washefuzzy]

I've had the the same problem when I sold some items of mine.
I had a lots of no shows. So what I do is I tell them I'll be home between a certain time that is convenient for me. If there is no show it doesn't bother me because I haven't put my life on hold waiting for someone to show.

[delslo]

I had a 90 gallon tank I was trying to sell, It's back at home (up here for school), had my brother stay at the house twice and my mom once for people that were coming to pick it up, not one of them showed or called. It's one thing not to show up, it's an entirely different thing to not have the decency to call and say that you aren't coming.

[RedFish]

Greatwhite you are one of the good people and I agree with your experience.   I've sold several things on kijiji and so many people say they are coming but never show up or call.    One guy gave a low-ball offer for a bird cage AND insisted I should deliver it to him for free.   A woman wanted me to deliver a cage 45 minutes away and when I asked for $10 time/gas money she ranted at me that I was not her employee and why should she pay me like one!

But some were on time and bought it for the reasonable (I thought) asking price.

I've had two opposite exeriences when looking but not buying.   Last year I was looking at purchasing a used guitar for my daughter.   Talked via email with one seller over a couple of days, and then told him we had decided to go new.  He thanked me for letting him know (told me that was a rare experience for him) and wished us well.
A few days ago I emailed a seller about a netbook, got an answer, asked another question and didn't hear back.  The next day I emailed him and told him I had changed my mind and would not be buying it, and got a snarky email "too bad you loser, the guy that bought it loves it!".   Really, I don't understand the mindset of that person.   He sold it, I didn't keep him from selling it, and he calls me a loser?

Ah well, the experiences can't be that bad or I wouldn't keep using it!

[Greatwhite]

I always assume I'm talking with a 14 year old when I email about things and get poorly spelled responses full of grammar problems.  So getting a "too bad for you, loser" response wouldn't really surprise me.  I'm actually surprised the guy I emailed about the car yesterday didn't reply when I pointed out that prices don't go UP during a negotiation. *shrug* 

[Brine]

I've had mostly good experiences...except for one. I was selling my 125 last spring and had a number of back and forth e-mails from a member. He was the first to answer so I put him ahead of others who were interested also. After a half dozen PMs back and forth over a two week period I agreed to sell it for less than my incredibly low asking price $200 for a six month old 125 and the stand. He set up a time to come and pick it up. He never showed, never called, no PM. I sent a PM asking what happened to him and he answered with a single question mark as if he had absolutely no idea what I was asking about. If it wasn't against the rules I would pass on the name so others don't bother to try to deal with him.


I have to admit I failed to show on one occasion when I was new in the hobby. It was for some plants. A week or two after I failed to make the pick up l was at work at Canus Plastics and this guy came in looking for some material to make a clear cover over some of his plants to give them a chance to root before his pleco tore them up. I introduced myself and asked if he was aware of OVAS and surprise, surprise it was the guy I bailed on....sorry Errol.

[bettabreeder]

There has been a couple times where the seller has bailed on me. Most of the time it's just communication errors that you have to learn from and continue forward.

Brine your story about the plants gave me a good chuckle. Funny how small the world is eh?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rockgarden]

Hopefully, I am none of the BAD actors referred to in any of the preceding e-mails.

My worst was the attempted sale of My first D200.  A person called me, agreed on the price, etc. and then later called me to say that something had come up at work and that he would come at a different time  which happened to be inconvenient for me. Sooo .... I hoped in the car and drove to his place of business out on Montreal Road.  Got there no problem, discussed the camera and then he offered me 1/2 the price that we had agreed to on the phone.  I kindly said "No, thank you". Before I left his office, he mentioned that he might like to buy some of my photography. I had no problem saying "Thanks for your interest, but no thanks." (There is a bit more to the story but ...).  Sold the camera to another person a few days later.  They went away happy with their purchase.  I was so happy that I immediately told my good news to the guy in the east end of the city!

I don't reply to ads if I think that the asking price is way out of line. At the same time, it is fair to say that I will often offer less than the asking price. My goal is that both buyer and seller are reasonably happy at the end of the transaction so if I think that my offer is a fair offer and the seller is sure that their price is a fair price then it is not unusual for me to walk away wishing the individual the best of luck/success with selling the product.

Have I got a deal for you? Remember to BUY RAFFLE TICKETS at the GIANT AUCTION.  I'll give you a much better price if you buy 5 instead of just 1!

Ron
www.megapixeltravel.com

Ron

[mmaisonneuve]

Ya hey just like the member that have asked me for a 7.5 pound bad of DI resin from BRS and never showed up or even replied to my email !

Thanks Shawn

[JetJumper]

Ya hey just like the member that have asked me for a 7.5 pound bad of DI resin from BRS and never showed up or even replied to my email !

Thanks Shawn

This is why I make people pay upfront unless I know them