Haggling...a lost concept?

[FlintRiverFowler]

What the hell is wrong with people these days?
I do a lot of dealing on Craigslist. It's somewhat a hobby of mine.
All I want to know is why won't anyone haggle anymore. Everyone just wants to know "what's the least you would take?" I tell people to make an offer and they won't.... There is a price listed as a starting point. Still they can't bring themselves to offer me any amount of money bc maybe it was a little higher than "the lowest I would take"
On occasion I do throw a price out there and usually they never counter my offer even though I probly would've taken a little lower had they just thrown out a dollar amount. I mean I'm not going to my bottom dollar right off the bat. I'm trying to MAKE money not just give stuff away.
Is it the sense of entitlement most people have that causes this? Perhaps our society has decline to the point to where were just all a pack of drooling idiots trying to rip fold off online... Or maybe they want to know what my low price is so they can go ask their daddy for the cash.
Who knows????
.

[jarbo03]

Seems to me with todays technology age, communication skills and person to person contacts are dwindling. Plus society as a whole has gotten really lazy.

[Goldfish]

Or there are so many f'n morons on CL that offer half your list price or less that nobody wants to deal with the stupid bs anymore. Not everyone can be a used car salesman like you flint

[Bufflehead]

Or there are so many f'n morons on CL that offer half your list price or less that nobody wants to deal with the stupid bs anymore. Not everyone can be a used boat and motor salesman like you flint

FIFY

[The Duck Hammer]

I haggle with people all the time. Don't try it at cabelas they don't think it's to damn funny.

[SpinnerMan]

My wife sells a fair amount of junk on bookoo, a local version of Craigslist. It's not high value stuff, but there is generally a little bit of haggling with most stuff.

We also got targeted by a scam artist, so watch for that. It was actually pretty funny before it got pretty annoying. They had a fake paypal emails and stuff that said as soon as we pay for the shipping, we would have the money released. All we had to do was send western union the shipping money to his "agent." When we didn't, he was saying he sent his money and blah blah blah. We told him to call paypal to get his money back

[Olly]

Flint in his old age.



To me is sounds like you're just mad because people don't want to play the game with you. I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

[SpinnerMan]

I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I'm with you. I don't like to haggle. I would much rather shop around which is a lot easier to do today making haggling less necessary.

[Olly]

I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I'm with you. I don't like to haggle. I would much rather shop around which is a lot easier to do today making haggling less necessary.

When I'm buying something used from someone I offer what I personally fell the item is worth. I don't look at it like a game or it's my job to get one over on someone or talk them down. If the seller doesn't think my personal value on something is fair that's okay with me and I move on.

[quackhead]

I always haggle. Too many people get mad if you offer less then they want. If things are used then it is only worth what someone is willing to pay!

[Olly]

I've had plenty of people get mad at me for offering them what I think something is worth. Most of the time they are out of their mind with the value though.

[sws002]

Flint in his old age.



To me is sounds like you're just mad because people don't want to play the game with you. I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

[Olly]

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

Flint was saying that he's tired of people not trying to go back and forth with him. He's tired of people just right out of the gate going low and not respecting the fact that he's trying to make money. He's tired of people wasiting his time on CL by expecting his item for much lower and not even trying to coming to a deal. If I'm not mistaken.

I was pointing out that I and I would think most people hate the back and forth he wants. So to avoid that I will either offer them what I think is fair and not a dollar more. When I buy something off CL I don't care if the person is trying to make money or not, that's not my concern. Plus haggling just isn't fun it's annoying and most people ge to butt hurt over it to make it worth my time.

[sws002]

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

Flint was saying that he's tired of people not trying to go back and forth with him. He's tired of people just right out of the gate going low and not respecting the fact that he's trying to make money. He's tired of people wasiting his time on CL by expecting his item for much lower and not even trying to coming to a deal. If I'm not mistaken.

I was pointing out that I and I would think most people hate the back and forth he wants. So to avoid that I will either offer them what I think is fair and not a dollar more. When I buy something off CL I don't care if the person is trying to make money or not, that's not my concern. Plus haggling just isn't fun it's annoying and most people ge to butt hurt over it to make it worth my time.

I think he would be fine if someone offered a price, but nobody does anymore, and it's frustrating as all get out.

[Olly]

I think he would be fine if someone offered a price, but nobody does anymore, and it's frustrating as all get out.

Just to play the flip side why not instead of saying "make me an offer" and expecting them to start a back and forth with you then they ask "what is your bottom dollar" or "how much did you want for it" you just give them what you want and be done. If you look at it from the other side people that want to hanggle make buying shit harder. Why put a higher price and work your way down? Put the price you want the first time and stick to it. Easy.

[sws002]

I think he would be fine if someone offered a price, but nobody does anymore, and it's frustrating as all get out.

Just to play the flip side why not instead of saying "make me an offer" and expecting them to start a back and forth with you then they ask "what is your bottom dollar" or "how much did you want for it" you just give them what you want and be done. If you look at it from the other side people that want to hanggle make buying shit harder. Why put a higher price and work your way down? Put the price you want the first time and stick to it. Easy.

Because if you put the lowest price you are willing to take A) you will never get any more for it and B) people will still ask for lower.

[Olly]

Because if you put the lowest price you are willing to take A) you will never get any more for it and

This is not true, this is how I sell everything on CL. I might put it 1% higher than I would take. Maybe.

But I like to think I'm also more realistic with asking prices than most people who stick junk on CL and expect to rake in the gold.

B) people will still ask for lower.

So? Just because someone offers you lower doesn't mean you have to sell it. Everything I have ever bought on CL was at the price point that I wanted it to be and not the seller because I only offer what I want to pay. They either sell or they don't and I walk away. It doesn't have to be so hard.

[sws002]

Because if you put the lowest price you are willing to take A) you will never get any more for it and

This is not true, this is how I sell everything on CL. I might put it 1% higher than I would take. Maybe.

B) people will still ask for lower.

So? Just because someone offers you lower doesn't mean you have to sell it. Everything I have ever bought on CL was at the price point that I wanted it to be and not the seller because I only offer what I want to pay. They either sell or they don't and I walk away. It doesn't have to be so hard.

You are missing the concept. I know how to sell stuff on CL, I do it all the time. I list my stuff at reasonable prices, and usually get damn close to it. I don't care if I list something for $2000 and you offer $1200, at least then I know what you are in for. I don't expect a back and forth that you would consider "haggling", I only expect to know what you are willing to pay, because I have already listed it for what I think it's worth.

[Olly]

You are missing the concept. I know how to sell stuff on CL, I do it all the time. I list my stuff at reasonable prices, and usually get damn close to it. I don't care if I list something for $2000 and you offer $1200, at least then I know what you are in for. I don't expect a back and forth that you would consider "haggling", I only expect to know what you are willing to pay, because I have already listed it for what I think it's worth.

Huh? I never said you didn't know how to sell stuff on CL. I don't think OP is talking about people not offering a price at all I think he's talking about how offended he is that they go straight to bottom dollar instead of playing the game of back and forth then working out a price together. That's how I read it and knowing flint that's what it sounds like to me.

[sws002]

You are missing the concept. I know how to sell stuff on CL, I do it all the time. I list my stuff at reasonable prices, and usually get damn close to it. I don't care if I list something for $2000 and you offer $1200, at least then I know what you are in for. I don't expect a back and forth that you would consider "haggling", I only expect to know what you are willing to pay, because I have already listed it for what I think it's worth.

Huh? I never said you didn't know how to sell stuff on CL. I don't think OP is talking about people not offering a price at all I think he's talking about how offended he is that they go straight to bottom dollar instead of playing the game of back and forth then working out a price together. That's how I read it and knowing flint that's what it sounds like to me.

What I got from it, and what frustrates me, is not people offering "bottom dollar" but people asking me to provide them with my bottom dollar.

[Olly]

What I got from it, and what frustrates me, is not people offering "bottom dollar" but people asking me to provide them with my bottom dollar.

But then he said

There is a price listed as a starting point. Still they can't bring themselves to offer me any amount of money bc maybe it was a little higher than "the lowest I would take"

Meaning that he is upset because he comes back with lower but still higher his bottom dollar they won't budge off the idea of giving him more than his bottom dollar. He's upset that people won't go back and forth with him. He likes to haggle and that's why he gets a lot of good CL deals.

[sws002]

What I got from it, and what frustrates me, is not people offering "bottom dollar" but people asking me to provide them with my bottom dollar.

But then he said

There is a price listed as a starting point. Still they can't bring themselves to offer me any amount of money bc maybe it was a little higher than "the lowest I would take"

Meaning that he is upset because he comes back with lower but still higher his bottom dollar they won't budge off the idea of giving him more than his bottom dollar. He's upset that people won't go back and forth with him. He likes to haggle and that's why he gets a lot of good CL deals.

Well then fuck Flint, he needs to be upset about the real problems with CL!

[Olly]

We can agree that people who ask for bottom dollar are idiots. I always just say "that is my bottom dollar, let me know if you want it".

[SpinnerMan]

We can agree that people who ask for bottom dollar are idiots.

No. It never hurts to ask. You never know when you are dealing with an idiot. You are only an idiot if you assume that the number you get back is definitively the bottom dollar.

I always just say "that is my bottom dollar, let me know if you want it".

Many people say that and then move off of that when given a counter offer. If it's OK, I'm not going to haggle even though I know the odds are good I could do a little better.

Of course it depends. Are we haggling over a $1, $10, $100, $1,000, ...?

My time is very valuable to me so I'm not going to try and haggle if it looks to me like the best I can do is not worth me wasting my time.

Or maybe they want to know what my low price is so they can go ask their daddy for the cash.

Or maybe they just have a lot more money than you and their time is more valuable so why waste it haggling over so little to them?

This comes up with my wife a lot. She spends way too much time worrying about trying to save way too little money. BTW, that is not a bad problem to have in a wife. My response is often just stop wasting my time and buy it.

[FlintRiverFowler]

Flint in his old age.



To me is sounds like you're just mad because people don't want to play the game with you. I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

You nailed it

[Olly]

Flint in his old age.



To me is sounds like you're just mad because people don't want to play the game with you. I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

You nailed it

So then why name the thread haggling a lost concept if you aren't mad about people not haggling but in fact mad about people just asking you what you're really willing to take for the item?

You're whole argument is that you're mad because people don't know how or care to haggle anymore.

[FlintRiverFowler]

Flint in his old age.



To me is sounds like you're just mad because people don't want to play the game with you. I hardly haggle on something. I will offer my price and if they say no thanks I walk away. Haggling isn't as much fun for 99% of humanity as is it for you.

I think you are missing the point. What you just offered is acceptable, you offered a price, which most of these CL goons won't do. Their default offer is "What's the lowest you would take?". If I was going to immediately drop from my asking price to the lowest I would take, why even bother with an asking price? I think I'm just going to start responding to such inquiries with "What's the most you would give me?".

You nailed it

So then why name the thread haggling a lost concept if you aren't mad about people not haggling but in fact mad about people just asking you what you're really willing to take for the item?

You're whole argument is that you're mad because people don't know how or care to haggle anymore.

Bc on order for the price to come down haggling must occur. Otherwise there would be no haggle and I'd have to drop to my low price
Immediately

[Olly]

Bc on order for the price to come down haggling must occur. Otherwise there would be no haggle and I'd have to drop to my low price
Immediately

So my point is proven. All you care about is haggling with someone. Why not in the first place put what you really want then only take that? Wouldn't that be much simpler? I think we both know it would be.

[FlintRiverFowler]

Bc on order for the price to come down haggling must occur. Otherwise there would be no haggle and I'd have to drop to my low price
Immediately

So my point is proven. All you care about is haggling with someone. Why not in the first place put what you really want then only take that? Wouldn't that be much simpler? I think we both know it would be.

Bc no one pays asking price. If everyone just listed things at their bottom dollar i would've just paid $100 more for the trailer that's hooked to my truck. And I didn't do it by being an asshole and asking the guy "what's the lowest you would take?"

[Olly]

Bc on order for the price to come down haggling must occur. Otherwise there would be no haggle and I'd have to drop to my low price
Immediately

So my point is proven. All you care about is haggling with someone. Why not in the first place put what you really want then only take that? Wouldn't that be much simpler? I think we both know it would be.

Bc no one pays asking price. If everyone just listed things at their bottom dollar i would've just paid $100 more for the trailer that's hooked to my truck. And I didn't do it by being an asshole and asking the guy "what's the lowest you would take?"

People pay my asking price all the time. All the time. Just sold that fridge from the camper for exactly what I wanted for it, guy tried to ask for lower and I politely declined his offer and he then bought it as my asking price.

You just love to wheel and deal and get mad when others don't.