Why are so many people so cheap these days?

[neveriiold]

I thought it was only at yard sales and on Craigslist that shoppers want everything for nothing.  I am findng the same mentality on eBay now.   I have been selling for about 10 years through various avenues and have never seen anything like this.  Have a brand new in package $175 quilt for sale on Craigslist (right now won't even think about listing it on eBay because of shipping costs) and am asking only $40.  Email I get yesterday only asks, "How low will you go?"  Really?  I know some people like this "game," but I am really tired of all the lowball offers.  

[a_c_green]

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southern*sweet*tea wrote: 
ummm, decline and block?  Auto-reject?

If you lose money on a sale, how can it be the buyer's fault?

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Agreed: set your Make Offer limits for auto-reject below a certain point, and maybe auto-accept above a higher one, and then the only ones you'll see are those that fall within the boundaries of the haggle zone that you've defined. 

I had a pleasant surprise in my buying account last week: I sent what I thought would be a good but rather low opening offer, setting it one cent above a nice, round price figure in case my competition offered the same number, but instead of the expected counteroffer (or refusal) from the seller, I apparently hit just above his auto-accept threshold, and the widget was immediately mine. Sweet.

[bubbleman2010]

How does one determine fair market value? I've always wondered about that...

[plumbingspecials]

It depends what you sell. If it's a unique item that only YOU are selling, it's up to you, whatever you want to set your price at. But for someone like me, who has a store of brand name plumbing products, I have to RESEARCH pricing (as most buyers will also do to get the best deal). Many of my products are price protected by the manufacturer, so everyone selling those particular items will all be at the same price (which is where "Make offer" comes in handy). I know what I can afford to sell the product at without taking a loss, while giving the buyer a really good deal on a popular active product.

BTW - I love to sell things at a discount when I can! I know that feeling of getting a good deal, and I want my customers to have that same feeling when they buy something from me. On the other hand, some buyers will try to take advantage. I've had offers at 80% below my asking price. Like, yeah, right. I'm generous but I'm not stupid!

[plumbingspecials]

It's not the lowball offers themselves, it's the attitude that a seller should sell below a fair price because the buyer "wants" it. Seriously, I had one person begging me to sell a faucet way below my own cost because "it's just so pretty, I have to have it!" Although I know the buyer was not intending to be insulting, but it IS insulting when considered the time, effort and cost (of the product) that goes into listing that item. Sometimes, they should just enter their offer and NOT a message on why a seller should sell at that price. It's a real turn-off and the buyer is likely to get blocked.

[ripcityresell]

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@neveriiold wrote:

Yes, I totally get what you are saying.  You haven't read my earlier posts.  I think this called taking advantage of people.  If some sellers want to sell their items so low, that is their choice.  I choose to sell nice products at fair prices.  I am not here to finance someone else's business.

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It's only taking advantage of someone if they cave and sell it for less than they are willing to for some reason. Simply making an offer is not taking advantage of anyone.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Just because people offer less doesn't mean they feel "entitled" to pay less. 

There's a whole lot of irrelevent judgement going around in this thread. It doesn't matter WHY a buyer wants to offer less. Seller should look and decide if it's an acceptable offer to them. Doesn't matter whether the buyer is rich, poor, wants to use it as a dog bed or donate it to charity. That's none of the seller's business. It's certainly none of the sellers business to make negative assumptions about potential customers.

But hey, it's your deal. If you want to go around suspecting people and being crabby that's your prerogative. Its doesn't mean you're more moral or have the right to judge other people. It just makes you more judgemental.

And yes I understand I'm being judgemental by making this post. However as far as I know none of you are my potential customers.

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@bubbleman2010 wrote:

How does one determine fair market value? I've always wondered about that...

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For what I sell, it's whatever someone wants to pay for it, and the longer that item hangs around in my inventory, the lower that price is going to be on my end. I'm here to sell stuff and make a profit, and if a lowball does that for a long tailed item, it's all good. Get it gone so something else can take it's place.

Every seller's price will be different, just like every buyer's price will be different. But according to some, that's a baaaaaaad thing.  Playing price hardball is fine if that's how you roll, but some sellers just want to sell, move their inventory and make money.  Why is that wrong?

[southern*sweet*tea]

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@plumbingspecials wrote:
It's not the lowball offers themselves, it's the attitude that a seller should sell below a fair price because the buyer "wants" it. Seriously, I had one person begging me to sell a faucet way below my own cost because "it's just so pretty, I have to have it!" Although I know the buyer was not intending to be insulting, but it IS insulting when considered the time, effort and cost (of the product) that goes into listing that item. Sometimes, they should just enter their offer and NOT a message on why a seller should sell at that price. It's a real turn-off and the buyer is likely to get blocked.

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Oh for sure it's annoying. Ignore and block, politely counter, whatever cranks your tractor. It's not personal and shouldn't be taken that way.  I've gotten plenty of begging lowballs, I just shake my head, mutter "jerk" or some other appropriate word under my breath, and counter or decline, and if the offers are ridiculous enough, I block.  Then I move on.  I certainly don't get insulted. If they want to paint themselves as a whiny cheapskate, let them. It's no skin off my teeth, because it's not me looking like an entitled three year old.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Seems to me there can be "entitled three year olds" on both sides. lol

[vintagecraze50]

People will try to get something for practically nothing--but you sure do not have to sell it to them that way.

[ersatz_sobriquet]

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@plumbingspecials wrote:
It's not the lowball offers themselves, it's the attitude that a seller should sell below a fair price because the buyer "wants" it. Seriously, I had one person begging me to sell a faucet way below my own cost because "it's just so pretty, I have to have it!" Although I know the buyer was not intending to be insulting, but it IS insulting when considered the time, effort and cost (of the product) that goes into listing that item. Sometimes, they should just enter their offer and NOT a message on why a seller should sell at that price. It's a real turn-off and the buyer is likely to get blocked.

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Yep! 

I have one of these hounding me month after month on an item. They are insisting I sell it to them for xx dollars because that is what they want to pay for it!  I'm still amused at this point, but in the future they are probably going to make it onto my 'best buddy list'. 

[bubbleman2010]

ersatz I always make sure I take those 59 cent thrift store price tags off my merchandise buyers tend to pop a cork if they paid a $100.00 and see you only paid 59 cents...

[ersatz_sobriquet]

I saw just that when I was putting up the photos on a listing bubbleman LOL! 

[coolections]

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@bubbleman2010 wrote:

ersatz I always make sure I take those 59 cent thrift store price tags off my merchandise buyers tend to pop a cork if they paid a $100.00 and see you only paid 59 cents...

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Please don't say that. This thread is suppose to be about cheapskate buyers not cheapskate sellers who pay 59 cents at a thrift store or garage sell walking out with that $100 item. lol

[vintagecraze50]

Good point. The seller may be in a similar predicament as the buyer in terms of keeping people fed in their household.