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.  

[wolf*song]

Not sure I agree. When I haggle, I first look at as many other listings for the same item, and tab the ones that are priced lowest, with shipping, and the offer those who have OBO listed a few bucks less, so that I make the best deal.

If you don't wanna go lower than a particular price, you can list an item that way, and not have to deal with multiple offers, at all. It's why I never list my auction items at .99. I list them for the minimum I'm willing to take, and if it goes up from there, good for me.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

[dubiousgain]

Well then, unless you are indigent, you need to check your personal dignity-

[d-k_treasures]

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@emerald40 wrote:

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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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What could you possibly pick up at a thrift store for .59 and get $100 for?

Someone dropped the ball which is why I no longer donate to thrifts.  I refuse to bankroll ebay resellers.

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You would be surprised what items you can pick up for 5.00 and under anywhere ..... and get 2-400 or more for easily.

[sockmonkeydave]

@retrose1

I haveo  BO on most of my items that are over 20 bucks.

I have great margins, so I can entertain offers.

Funny thing is most just buy at my price.

I no longer use auto decline, I want to see all offers, even low ball ones.

I lost out on some sales when I first started.

( with auto decline, you don't even see that there was an offer )

Now a used car, I will try to haggle, that is the dance you do.

But a can of beans.... no...

Now I do like barter, everyone around here knows I am the fix it guy.

Tune up your lawn mower, that will cost you a 12 pack.

Replace the drive coupler in your Maytag ?  If you rake my yard.

My favorite pawn shop guy sends me email, when he sees something I can sell.

( and I trade him stuff I know nothing about, comics )

My best ever, fixed a lawn mower for a friend with chickens, he paid me with eggs.

I take the farm fresh eggs to the "hot wok" and trade for supper.

As Red Green would say " If women don't find you handsome, they should find you handy"

I think more people are looking for quality these days.

I bought a pair of leather boots from wally, made in china, 25 bucks.

I don't know what they treated the leather with, but it made my feet burn.

Bought a pair of "Carolina" USA boots, they have lasted 20 years.

[coolections]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

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Don't forget all buyers are not only stupid, but they are also all scammers. lol

[sockmonkeydave]

@coolections

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@coolections wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

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Don't forget all buyers are not only stupid, but they are also all scammers. lol

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There is a lot of stupid in the world,

like the kids who step out into traffic, with ear buds in.

Or the guy with the 60 grand BMW, who rides the rear of my 500 buck beater.

I think most people are good.... some are just not too bright.

[retrose1]

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@coolections wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

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Don't forget all buyers are not only stupid, but they are also all scammers. lol

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And some posters have reading comprehension problems - translating the word most  into all.

If they were smart and not stupid and easily manipulated, then basic marketing tricks wouldn't work on them.  Putting the expensive brand name items at eye level in the grocery stores for example.  OR one of my favorites - the going out of business sales that marks all their clearance items at full price and discounts them 10% and the buyers think that they are getting a bargain, when they could have bought them a week earlier for the clearance 50% off price.

[the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth]

Most means most, as in more than half. Most means nearly all but not quite.

I think a better word for you to have chosen would be SOME.

Marketing tricks only work on some people, not most and definitely not all.

[retrose1]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most means most, as in more than half. Most means nearly all but not quite.

I think a better word for you to have chosen would be SOME.

Marketing tricks only work on some people, not most and definitely not all.

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I figure that marketing manipulation works on at least 80% of the people looking to buy.  That to me is most.  Some is less than 40% and with those numbers companies wouldn't be using tricks, they would be using honest marketing.

When my B&M store was at the dying mall, we had a Sears anchor store that advertised a month and a half during Nov and Dec (newspaper inserts and tv ads) that the Southtown store was having a 50% off sale.  Everything in just the Southtown store was half off.  I drove past their parking lot every day and there was barely a car and very few sales - but the North store was doing well at full price.  So a week into January Sears announces that they are closing the Southtown store - everything is 10% off.  The entire parking lot was filled for 3 solid days full of shoppers willing to stand in line for bargains that aren't bargains at all.  Even the last week the store was open and had been turned over to liquidators, there were still more cars in the parking lot each day than the entire month and a half combined when everything was 50% off.

Most buyers are stupid and easily manipulated by marketing.  You say the words store closing and their wallets drool like Pavlovs dog.

And as proof, how many sellers here understand how the use of keywords and good pictures and good discription and how often they come asking what else they can do so they can manipulate the buyer into buying their item and not one just like it from another seller?  They don't say the word manipulate - but that is exactly what they mean.

[rixstuff]

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@sockmonkeydave wrote:

@coolections

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@coolections wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

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Don't forget all buyers are not only stupid, but they are also all scammers. lol

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There is a lot of stupid in the world,

like the kids who step out into traffic, with ear buds in.

Or the guy with the 60 grand BMW, who rides the rear of my 500 buck beater.

I think most people are good.... some are just not too bright.

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Since you mention it, just yesterday a woman crossed a busy street in heavy traffic all while watching a video on her phone.  A car scraped another car dodging her when she just walked across the street without looking.  The scraped car completely understood that it was decision between hitting a car or a person.  She barely looked up when the cars collided...and kept on walking and watching her video.

[rixstuff]

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@retrose1 wrote:

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most means most, as in more than half. Most means nearly all but not quite.

I think a better word for you to have chosen would be SOME.

Marketing tricks only work on some people, not most and definitely not all.

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I figure that marketing manipulation works on at least 80% of the people looking to buy.  That to me is most.  Some is less than 40% and with those numbers companies wouldn't be using tricks, they would be using honest marketing.

When my B&M store was at the dying mall, we had a Sears anchor store that advertised a month and a half during Nov and Dec (newspaper inserts and tv ads) that the Southtown store was having a 50% off sale.  Everything in just the Southtown store was half off.  I drove past their parking lot every day and there was barely a car and very few sales - but the North store was doing well at full price.  So a week into January Sears announces that they are closing the Southtown store - everything is 10% off.  The entire parking lot was filled for 3 solid days full of shoppers willing to stand in line for bargains that aren't bargains at all.  Even the last week the store was open and had been turned over to liquidators, there were still more cars in the parking lot each day than the entire month and a half combined when everything was 50% off.

Most buyers are stupid and easily manipulated by marketing.  You say the words store closing and their wallets drool like Pavlovs dog.

And as proof, how many sellers here understand how the use of keywords and good pictures and good discription and how often they come asking what else they can do so they can manipulate the buyer into buying their item and not one just like it from another seller?  They don't say the word manipulate - but that is exactly what they mean.

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Not me - we had a store near us that was going out of business for THREE YEARS! SO CLOSE ALREADY!

[tunicaslot]

I side with Rose on this one. My Sears also closed - weeks before the announcement they were having their annual $3.99 markdown - I picked up a few things but was holding off for the final markdown to $1.99 which usually happens the next week. Unfortunately - it was announced that our store was closing and a big going out of business sign went up with an increased % every week.

The parking lot was packed - I went in a few times only to find out all those $3.99 items were now full price because they were giving 30% off - and peope had carts full of items - I wanted to say - you could have bought those for $3.99 3 weeks ago. I went in the last day to see what was left at 90% off - the store was nearly out of stock of everything - and being the 90% came off of the MSRP - the few items left were all over $3.99 which I had pd a few weeks back.

It's no different than Macy's biggest sale of the season - which is held once a week - or the rummage sale I went to on Sun - used clothes 50% off - starting prices were quadruple what you would pay at the Salvation Army for the same item - but it was loaded and women were walking out with bags full of over priced 50% off clothing.

[missjen831]

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@retrose1 wrote:

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@u_cant_take_it_with_u wrote:

OMG....They are!  I do not understand it. My seller account is used to sell vintage, hard-to-find car restoration parts. Most of my [possible] bidders are so tight, I can almost *hear* them squeaking! They may feel their car is worth $60,000.00, but heaven-for-bid, they should have to spend $30.00 for some rare bobble for it. And all from the comfort on-line shopping! No driving for miles to swap meets, no gasoline fees, and no walking for miles, in the hot sun...Searching. I mean, for crying in the beer!  If they are THAT cheap... Do the math there. It never used to be like this, but now, selling on eBay sounds like a hatchery...Cheep! Cheep! Cheep!

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And if they feel that their car is worth $60,000 they will get all bent out of shape if someone offered them $59,000 for it when they put it on the market.

I've dealt with hagglers and they usually feel that it is a privilege only they are entitled to. 

The resellers wanting to cash in on the profit you are willing to give away, not so much, but the basic haggler will want top dollar for their stuff when they list it.

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Exactly. And those basic hagglers are the ones who chap my hide the most. My husband's step father is a basic haggler, God forbid he ever pay retail or the sellers asking price. He's a sheister. He will haggle and haggle and try to get things for practically nothing, he's a smooth talker. He'll smooth talk you into practically giving away your widget and then turn around and sell it for top dollar and if someone tries to haggle him, he gets offended! He's the worst! Smart at what he does but G-dang does he tick me off with his ways! Just the way he bad mouths the buyers who dared to offer him less when he is mr el cheapo king haggler! 

[emerald40]

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@the*dog*ate*my*tablecloth wrote:

Most buyers are stupid.

Wow. Thank goodness you can only talk about YOUR buyers. Mine are awesome.

Maybe it's something to do with how you set up your listings. You could maybe figure out why you're attracting so many stupid buyers.

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I can assure you as a prolific buyer here I do not fall into the stupid category and neither do my buyers.

Stupid buyers do not survive here or anywhere long before they go broke.