Low Bar Bidding

ragwd · March 2, 2008, 08:34 PM

I have not posted in this section before, have always posted in the pistol forums and usually scouring the sales ads. I had a interesting exchange with someone trying to sell something that I had a interest in. With the way it turned out I thought I might talk about it here and see what everyone else thinks, hell maybe I am wrong, won't be the first time.
I was watching this wts post for something I was interested in but not a "I got to have it item" After a week it was getting no hits, I figured the asking price was too high so I pm'ed him a low ball bid (17 per cent lower than asking price). I also prefaced my bid by saying I did not intend a insult. So this guy pm's me back telling me it was insulting and not to bid like that again. I figure the guy got insulted, whether he was justified or not. I just thought I would pm him in return, telling him " sorry" and wished him good luck with is sale. He pm's me back telling me I must be stupid.
Well, I have been called much worse by people in real life as to not be bothered by something someone calls me on-line. But what I really want to know was a 17 percent under bid that far out of line ? I purposely didn't name names and kept the details out because I want no further issues with the seller, just would like to know if low balling is a faux pas?

Crimp · March 2, 2008, 09:18 PM

I don't see anything wrong with haggling over a price. I believe most people post an asking price. If they say it's a firm price, then that's another story. I personally wouldn't take offense to a bid from a potential buyer on anything I was selling. If I didn't like the bid, I could ignore it or simply say, "No thanks."

fburgtx · March 2, 2008, 09:30 PM

I don't think I would call a bid 17% below asking price that "insulting". Sounds to me like the guy has got a problem , esp. after you pm back to apologize and he calls you "stupid" (that's assuming that you are telling the entire story). Forward your pm's to the mods, maybe they'll have something to say about it, maybe not...

TheBluesMan · March 2, 2008, 09:35 PM

I have never understood people who say they are "insulted" by a low bid. The guy has absolutely no offers because his price is probably about 30% too high. You offer 17% less and *he's* insulted?

There's definitely someone stupid involved in this, ragwd, but it isn't you...

Oh, and I'm going to move this to Retail Deals & Feedback.

DonR101395 · March 2, 2008, 09:38 PM

Like the others have said, as long as that's the whole story it sounds like someone was just a little to sensitive or attached to whatever they were selling. Insulting would have been "Hey, I'll give you $150 for that NIB 1969 Colt Python you're asking $1500 for in the thread."

darrentxs · March 2, 2008, 09:46 PM

I've noticed a few ridiculous asking prices lately. You did everything right IMO.

ragwd · March 2, 2008, 10:00 PM

Thanks TheBluesMan for moving my post to the appropriate spot. Guys I have no reason to lie, I didn't post anyones name besides my own, I have all pm's if I wanted to post them, but really I just wanted to know if I goofed up on my low ball bid because I am sure I will be bidding again in the future. Thanks all who responded.

Buzzcook · March 2, 2008, 10:06 PM

Never apologize when you're bargaining.
If I was the seller I might send you the exact same reply just to throw you off your game.

ragwd · March 2, 2008, 10:12 PM

Buzz, He indeed threw me off of my game, and off the deal completely.

cabbynate · March 3, 2008, 01:10 AM

17%? I wish someone would offer me 17% less than I'm asking. I'd say you were justified 100%. Heck, That's only $17.00 less on a C note. 30-50% my be called an insult but even then, you never no what a guy may take.
In "Leaving Las Vegas" Nicolas Cadge took $850.00 for an $8.000.00 Rolex Daytona. Dose it happen in real life here in Vegas? You bet......

bclark1 · March 3, 2008, 01:54 AM

There's a lot of clowns out there who got ripped off when they bought it or think they can get all their money back out. I just sit around and wait, sometimes for months (or longer!) for someone that actually knows what their item is worth, and then snap it up. The savings has been very dramatic in the aggregate. Don't let someone else's ignorance get you down. Whether they're gun store owners or some underresearched goofball who dropped a grand on the first pretty gun he saw and thinks knocking off fifty for it being used is a good deal, we do ourselves a disservice by even humoring them. That's not a license to be rude, but just ignore them. People that can't see a difference between MSRP and market value don't deserve to be kept in business by generous hagglers.

Grandpa Shooter · March 3, 2008, 10:23 AM

My policy is to look at something, be it car, gun, furniture, etc. Look at price. If it is reasonable, buy it, if not don't. The seller knows what they want for it. I know what I am willing to pay for it. If they don't match, or close to it, I walk away.

In my opinion there is no need for emotion in any deal. Matter of economics, not emotionalism. Give no offense, take no offense.

ragwd · March 3, 2008, 11:42 AM

Thanks for all the replies, I am glad that I wasn't in the wrong. I really enjoy The Firing Line and don't want to cause myself problems. I didn't think that 17 % off was too low and it looks as though I have a consensus.

**JohnKSa** · March 3, 2008, 03:56 PM

Personally, I don't think that there is such a thing as an "insulting offer". There are reasonable offers, offers that are too low for me to accept, too low to even consider, and then there are offers that reflect poorly on the offerer's knowledge of the item's worth, but all I have to do is say "no" if I don't want to sell.

It's the seller's job to get as much as possible, it's the buyer's to pay as little as possible. Neither should get mad at the other for doing what they're SUPPOSED to be doing.

March 2, 2008, 08:34 PM	#1
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Low Bar Bidding I have not posted in this section before, have always posted in the pistol forums and usually scouring the sales ads. I had a interesting exchange with someone trying to sell something that I had a interest in. With the way it turned out I thought I might talk about it here and see what everyone else thinks, hell maybe I am wrong, won't be the first time. I was watching this wts post for something I was interested in but not a "I got to have it item" After a week it was getting no hits, I figured the asking price was too high so I pm'ed him a low ball bid (17 per cent lower than asking price). I also prefaced my bid by saying I did not intend a insult. So this guy pm's me back telling me it was insulting and not to bid like that again. I figure the guy got insulted, whether he was justified or not. I just thought I would pm him in return, telling him " sorry" and wished him good luck with is sale. He pm's me back telling me I must be stupid. Well, I have been called much worse by people in real life as to not be bothered by something someone calls me on-line. But what I really want to know was a 17 percent under bid that far out of line ? I purposely didn't name names and kept the details out because I want no further issues with the seller, just would like to know if low balling is a faux pas?

March 2, 2008, 09:18 PM	#2
Crimp Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 276	I don't see anything wrong with haggling over a price. I believe most people post an asking price. If they say it's a firm price, then that's another story. I personally wouldn't take offense to a bid from a potential buyer on anything I was selling. If I didn't like the bid, I could ignore it or simply say, "No thanks." __________________ -Montani Semper Liberi- West Virginians: Consider joining the West Virginia Citizens Defense League.

March 2, 2008, 09:35 PM	#4
TheBluesMan Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 15, 1999 Location: Ohio Posts: 7,558	I have never understood people who say they are "insulted" by a low bid. The guy has absolutely no offers because his price is probably about 30% too high. You offer 17% less and he's insulted? There's definitely someone stupid involved in this, ragwd, but it isn't you... Oh, and I'm going to move this to Retail Deals & Feedback. __________________ -Dave Miller ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ! NRA Certified Instructor: Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Home Firearms Safety, Personal Protection. Tick-off Obama - Join the NRA Today - Save $10

March 2, 2008, 09:46 PM	#6
darrentxs Senior Member Join Date: May 5, 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 401	I've noticed a few ridiculous asking prices lately. You did everything right IMO. __________________ Happy Trails to You

March 3, 2008, 01:10 AM	#10
cabbynate Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Las Vegas Nevada Posts: 174	17%? I wish someone would offer me 17% less than I'm asking. I'd say you were justified 100%. Heck, That's only $17.00 less on a C note. 30-50% my be called an insult but even then, you never no what a guy may take. In "Leaving Las Vegas" Nicolas Cadge took $850.00 for an $8.000.00 Rolex Daytona. Dose it happen in real life here in Vegas? You bet...... __________________ FEAR NO EVIL

March 2, 2008, 09:30 PM	#3
fburgtx Member Join Date: May 21, 2007 Posts: 59	I don't think I would call a bid 17% below asking price that "insulting". Sounds to me like the guy has got a problem , esp. after you pm back to apologize and he calls you "stupid" (that's assuming that you are telling the entire story). Forward your pm's to the mods, maybe they'll have something to say about it, maybe not...

March 2, 2008, 09:38 PM	#5
DonR101395 Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 2005 Location: NWFL Posts: 3,031	Like the others have said, as long as that's the whole story it sounds like someone was just a little to sensitive or attached to whatever they were selling. Insulting would have been "Hey, I'll give you $150 for that NIB 1969 Colt Python you're asking $1500 for in the thread."

March 2, 2008, 10:00 PM	#7
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Thanks TheBluesMan for moving my post to the appropriate spot. Guys I have no reason to lie, I didn't post anyones name besides my own, I have all pm's if I wanted to post them, but really I just wanted to know if I goofed up on my low ball bid because I am sure I will be bidding again in the future. Thanks all who responded.

March 2, 2008, 10:06 PM	#8
Buzzcook Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2007 Location: Everett, WA Posts: 6,126	Never apologize when you're bargaining. If I was the seller I might send you the exact same reply just to throw you off your game.

March 2, 2008, 10:12 PM	#9
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Buzz, He indeed threw me off of my game, and off the deal completely.

March 3, 2008, 01:54 AM	#11
bclark1 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,531	There's a lot of clowns out there who got ripped off when they bought it or think they can get all their money back out. I just sit around and wait, sometimes for months (or longer!) for someone that actually knows what their item is worth, and then snap it up. The savings has been very dramatic in the aggregate. Don't let someone else's ignorance get you down. Whether they're gun store owners or some underresearched goofball who dropped a grand on the first pretty gun he saw and thinks knocking off fifty for it being used is a good deal, we do ourselves a disservice by even humoring them. That's not a license to be rude, but just ignore them. People that can't see a difference between MSRP and market value don't deserve to be kept in business by generous hagglers.

March 3, 2008, 10:23 AM	#12
Grandpa Shooter Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2007 Posts: 140	My policy is to look at something, be it car, gun, furniture, etc. Look at price. If it is reasonable, buy it, if not don't. The seller knows what they want for it. I know what I am willing to pay for it. If they don't match, or close to it, I walk away. In my opinion there is no need for emotion in any deal. Matter of economics, not emotionalism. Give no offense, take no offense. __________________ Old enough to know better and way too old to care!

March 3, 2008, 11:42 AM	#13
ragwd Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2006 Posts: 925	Thanks for all the replies, I am glad that I wasn't in the wrong. I really enjoy The Firing Line and don't want to cause myself problems. I didn't think that 17 % off was too low and it looks as though I have a consensus.

March 3, 2008, 03:56 PM	#14
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 24,974	Personally, I don't think that there is such a thing as an "insulting offer". There are reasonable offers, offers that are too low for me to accept, too low to even consider, and then there are offers that reflect poorly on the offerer's knowledge of the item's worth, but all I have to do is say "no" if I don't want to sell. It's the seller's job to get as much as possible, it's the buyer's to pay as little as possible. Neither should get mad at the other for doing what they're SUPPOSED to be doing. __________________ Do you know about the TEXAS State Rifle Association?