Is the art of negotiation gone?

[jake33]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

As a seller it is annoying getting awful bids.

As a buyer, I play a numbers game, go make 20 lowball offers and 2-3 will go through to my surprise.

On both sides of the table, I think this is a constant concept to understand ---- The market value of an item has very little or nothing at all to do with how you personally as an individual value an item.

As a seller I will get ticked of because the buyer wants to get a jersey to wear and doesn't value the fit, while the real value is the item being a piece of memorabilia.

As a buyer, I am not a Mets fan, but would I buy a game used Mets jersey for $10? Sure, most likely to flip it for a quick profit though. When a fast profit is involved, my interest as a buyer will change with it. Doesn't make it nice or even right, but just being honest with that statement.

[Juicyfruit66]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I should say reasonable offers.

[Juicyfruit66]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I think if you are using best offer and you don't have a preset decline limit, you're not being a good business person for rejecting offers without countering. Especially when it's 400$ for a 500$ item. Buyers can't read minds, maybe the 500$ was wishfull thinking and it would go for 400$, a buyer would be an idiot not to ask for 400$. Sometimes sellers who reject and add sarcastic remarks remind me of that comic book guy on the Simpsons. Even low ball offers can work in sellers favour cause they eliminate 1 of 3 chances to bid.

[Jim65]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I always look at my initial offer as a starting point, if the seller is offended and does not respond, so be it. Each side is trying to get as close to their price as possible, its not personal.

I once made an initial offer at 10% the BIN and the seller accepted, item was way overpriced and he was just starting to realize it, I got a bargain but not a huge one.

[aphanna25]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

As a BIN OBO seller of some vintage game bats I tend to list higher, but will always counter any offer with my best price and the "Thanks for your interest. This is my lowest on this one" comment quite simply because they are my potential customer. I only get annoyed when someone tries to rationalize the lowball with a dumb comment but I'll still play nice. Much broader, when I was buying in the late 90's, the hobby was taking off and prices were white hot. Now (some) things have bottomed out and some sellers are already listing BIN at heavy losses, which makes the transaction all that more emotional for the seller.

[grandeleague]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

The problem with eBay is most of the game used items are so overpriced it is crazy and a reasonable considered offer looks like a low ball offer. Where the sellers arrive at some of these valuations on items is beyond me. I'm not an expert on many teams but I am a 30 year collector of braves equipment and I caneed tell you that game used braves items on eBay priced fairly is very few and far between. Some folks are easy to deal with but some won't budge on prices. It many cases it's better to network and buy at shows or from fellow collectors.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

It runs the gamut on eBay. I've never had any sellers get indignant with me, although I tend to bid on low value items for the most part. One seller I buy minor league cards from usually gets offers from me for 40-50% off, and, because I'm a customer in good standing, he always takes care of me. On the other hand, I've had guys I've offerd 20% or less off haggle or refuse my offer. To each their own.

Dave Miedema

[Buccaneer Madden]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I've never sold anything with a Best Offer but I just bough a pair of Mike Evans game used gloves that way. The guy wanted 150 and I looked around as saw that most NFL gloves don't go for nearly that much so that's what I nicely told him and he accepted my lower offer. Its nice when they are willing to negotiate but I agree that most seem way to stuck on their inflated prices.

[joshmiller0]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I never really take offense to low offers... and I too have made them... Sometimes when I make a lower offer the seller will either take it or come back at a price much lower than the listing...sometimes even at half price. I've gotten many items by offering a bit low and getting a good counter. It doesn't hurt to make an offer... Same when I'm selling.. if I've had an item sit, I might take a much lower offer than I would have originally... What does annoy me is when I don't even get a counter... even if it's just a few dollars lower, counter me with something.

[gingi79]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I too have found more and more sellers less interested in haggling. I do my very best to offer fair market value and come closer to initial BIN requests than not but I have seen an influx of non responders or cheeky counteroffers. Interestingly enough, it's the impulse stuff less than $200 range when I offer 80%+ of a BIN that gets ignored most often.

I'm seeing more and more items listed well above their market value with buyers who seem offended by the idea of haggling. Why? You are a seller, I am a buyer and this is a service business. The customer might not always be right but don't let them know it!

If I'm not being rude and we are discussing the item honestly and fairly, you should at least be respectful enough to try and negotiate. We may not work out a deal on this item or not today, but this hobby is tiny and perhaps a deal can be struck later. Some of my best items came from failed deals, done with mutual respect that eventually panned out. A cordial response and respectful communication will garner far more interest from me as a buyer than being ignored. Just sayin..

[salukidave]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

There's no reason for a negotiation to become personal on either side.

[Bhawk2]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

If I've listed the item as a straight BIN I will usually just respond to an offer of 50% with "No Thanks" figuring we are too far off. If the offer is 80 or 90% of list I'll either accept or counter-offer. If I'm listing it as "Best Offer" I'll at least counter.

I rarely offer less than full price for BIN, but I did have a situation recently where I thought maybe the listing price was in error. The item was a pair of game worn cleats from the 1960's, no player identified. The BIN price was literally 100 times the highest price I've ever paid for similar items, so I thought maybe the listing was in error. I asked, as respectfully as I could, if the list price had a missed decimal. The seller wrote back that "THIS IS NOT AN ERROR, THAT'S MY PRICE!" I was willing to double my previous high, but I didn't think the seller would accept 2% of his listing price, so I didn't even make an offer.

[beaglegypsy003]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

Most times my offer would just be rejected with no counter offer. I do hate it when the seller just lets the offer expire. When that happens I won't even submit another offer since the seller doesn't even take the time to respond.

[helf35]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

I always counter if it's within reason. On the occasion I get a $66 on a $500 bat then I counter with $466. I list with the intent of always coming down 25-30 %. I wish eBay would adopt a timer like most auctions that add time if a last second bid is placed. I would be more inclined to list at auction again. I also hate when I'm asked what my reserve price is.

[COWBOYS4EVR]

Re: Is the art of negotiation gone?

My favorite is when they low ball you, and comment that that player
is no longer with the team. As if I didn't know.
The player broke records last year, that doesn't mean
I'm gonna let it slip out for pennies.