I appreciate your offer, however - I politely decline.

[Just Jim]

Heck, I would never over an insulting low offer

 

[etrain16]

I don't mind seeing threads re-hashed, since not everyone gets to join in the earlier conversations. I'm a big boy, I can pass on a thread if I'm not interested in the topic.

Now, since this topic is up again, I'm all too happy to offer my 2 cents for consideration. My personal view is this, if I have an item listed and someone makes an offer, especially a low-ball offer, I don't get offended, I will politely tell them I'm not interested. If they want to offer something higher, we can talk. When I'm the buyer, I do try to avoid low-balling the seller. My rule is usually no lower than 25% below the asking price, depending on what it is. If I'm in a pawn shop, it's more likely to be 40% lower since I've seen the kind of markups they have. In most cases I will make an offer of some kind to a seller, if they don't like my offer, no biggie. Generally, if someone has something listed too high, I just avoid that listing altogether rather than try to educate them on the actual value of their item.

Now the one thing that does raise my ire just a bit are those folks that don't answer your PM, ever. I've PM'd a number of people over the years to make an inquiry or offer on an item for sale, to never have those messages responded to. If you've got an item listed, I think it's only reasonable to watch your inbox. Maybe you can't get back to me in 10 minutes, but 24 hours is more than reasonable unless you found yourself in the hospital after listing. I try really hard to get back to folks within 1-2 hours max (except the middle of the night when I'm asleep). Sometimes people end up selling the item to someone else without ever giving the courtesy of a response. I just make a mental note that I won't bother buying anything from them in the future.

Most of the folks I've met and done business with here on NWFA have been fantastic. Good communication, no flakes, and usually a nice little chat about guns when we meet. The only folks I really have to complain about are those that really aren't a regular part of the active forum, the regulars have always been good folk.

 

[etrain16]

I came here awhile back because I thought this group of people was a little different than the gouger sites. .. .

Many people here are better, but there's no way to weed them all out. The best thing about this site is seeing feedback scores for folks here. That's something you don't get with Armslist, etc. I don't really recall too many gouger listings by people with good feedback ratings. There will always be questionable people, and they rarely will have much, if any, positive feedback.

 

[IronMonster]

My rule is usually no lower than 25% of the asking price

25% of the asking price? So you dont think that $250 offer on a $1000 item would be a "low ball" offer?

 

[Just Jim]

 

[ripcity]

If anyone is reading that has 22 ammo, I'll take it off your hands for 3 cents a round. This is much better than offering. Thanks.

 

[Velzey]

Uggggh!

 

[etrain16]

25% of the asking price? So you dont think that $250 offer on a $1000 item would be a "low ball" offer?

I think you may have misunderstood. I mean 25% below their asking price, not 25% of their asking price. I would never offer $250 on a $1,000 item.

As I said in my post, it's no lower than 25% and that depends on what it is. I may only offer 10% below the asking price, I simply don't go more than 25% as a general rule. I personally wouldn't offer someone $750 on a $1,000 listing. I take each listing on an item by item basis. Some listings warrant a lower offer than others. I generally try to go by what I might accept for a similar listing and go from there. I've had people offer me 50% of my asking price. In my mind, that's a real low-ball offer. But low-ball means something different to each person. I have yet to have anyone tell me they thought I was low-balling them, so hopefully my offers have been in the realm of fairness.

 

[billyinfinity]

hmmmm...douchewaffle. i'm going to rotate that in to my regular "tame" insults. i'm glad i got something useful out of this thread.

 

[Kruel J]

hmmmm...douchewaffle. i'm going to rotate that in to my regular "tame" insults. i'm glad i got something useful out of this thread.

I agree.

 

[Just Jim]

Just me but there isn't anything out there worth arguing over. Having it or not doesn't matter a hill of beans. Plus it doesn't matter to me if I sell something or not, I can leave it to my next of kin for all I care. Haven't seen many real treasures here but do see a deal now and then.

 

[IronMonster]

Often those "dont get offended at my ridiculous offer" types are pretty easy to get worked up. I had one guy who made me an offer I didn't like. I could not tell you what it was or even what the offer was but it went something like this.

Ad lists price at $300

him -"Hey how about $100 for your gizmo"

me=- How about you give me $400 for my gizmo?"

him "The price in your ad is $300?"

me "And yet you offered me a $100 so obviously you understand the price can change"

him "So are you interested in selling it to me for $100?

me "At this point I wouldn't even sell it to you for the $300"

him "You dont have to be such a f@#kin arsewhole, I was interested but not now."

me " If "interest" means willing to pay 30% of what its worth then I am interested in just about everything, Evidently your not interested in paying what I would be interested in selling for so I am no longer interested in talking to you "

him " F@#K YOU"

me " $600?"


Hey? What did I do? Why get all bent out of shape buddy? I did not even go up as much as you went down

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I get irritated when I outline EXACTLY what Id be interested in for trades and some douche offers a carpet or guitar.

It shows a lack of attention to detail on their part.. Why on earth would I sell/trade a firearm to a guy too stupid to read an ad?

I never blow up, I just say thank you for the interest but no thanks.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Often those "dont get offended at my ridiculous offer" types are pretty easy to get worked up. I had one guy who made me an offer I didn't like. I could not tell you what it was or even what the offer was but it went something like this.

Ad lists price at $300

him -"Hey how about $100 for your gizmo"
me=- How about you give me $400 for my gizmo?"
him "The price in your ad is $300?"
me "And yet you offered me a $100 so obviously you understand the price can change"
him "So are you interested in selling it to me for $100?
me "At this point I wouldn't even sell it to you for the $300"
him "You dont have to be such a f@#kin arsewhole, I was interested but not now."
me " If "interest" means willing to pay 30% of what its worth then I am interested in just about everything, Evidently your not interested in paying what I would be interested in selling for so I am no longer interested in talking to you "
him " F@#K YOU"
me " $600?"


Hey? What did I do? Why get all bent out of shape buddy? I did not even go up as much as you went down

The $600 at the end killed me!!

 

[etrain16]

I get irritated when I outline EXACTLY what Id be interested in for trades and some douche offers a carpet or guitar.

It shows a lack of attention to detail on their part.. Why on earth would I sell/trade a firearm to a guy too stupid to read an ad?

I never blow up, I just say thank you for the interest but no thanks.

I always assumed they did read the ad, but chose to ignore the trade list. I had one recently for some lighting. That was a first. I politely declined. My ad did say at the time "no trades, cash only". I think some folks just like to cast a broad net in the hopes they might get one person to bite.

What if it were a carpeted guitar?

 

[Lars]

It's a waste of time to respond to every offer. If you are clear on what you want and the other party doesn't even come close to your asking price or trade requests then ignore them. If you feel that your offer is fair have some comparables to back it up.

 

[billyinfinity]

WTS OR: Douchewaffle brand Carpeted Guitar LNIB $600

 

[forefathersrback]

Wow, I read through all the posts. This was more entertaining than a chick fight.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

I made an offer on an object based on what I could currently buy it for online at the time. The seller declined my offer by saying that I did not know what I was talking about, that the item was not on sale. I then posted a link to the site where the item was on sale, not in an effort to still purchase the item, but to show the person that I do not say things that are not true. After I posted the link to the website he complained to one of the moderators about me. I will never do business with him again if he can't take the truth.

 

[IronMonster]

People dont like to find out they are wrong, or what they have is not what they thought it was. I had a guy threaten to burn my house down because I told him his item was only worth a tiny fraction of what he was asking. I normally try to just ignore those situations but in this case I really did want to buy what he had, I just wanted to pay a realistic price. I did my best to "educate" the fellow which ended up quite heated with the aforementioned threat. In this case I actually did know what I was taking about, and was willing to pay a price that was more than fair. What he thought was fair was 1000% of its actual value. It all worked out because I eventually found one in better condition for less than what I was willing to pay him for his.

Sometimes its still not apple to apples though. There where online ads for full size M&P pistols with night sights and three mags for $399. Problem is you had to be LE to buy one for that. For the rest of us mortals you get $529 for 2 mags and plain Jane sights plus another $50 spot for sales tax. We would all have $650 in that pistol by the time we bought night sights, and extra mag and paid the sales tax.

The guy linking the ad to the LE deal and offering you $350 because a NEW one is ONLY $399 is still technically not lying. However its not the whole story.