What does OBO mean to YOU?

[MrNiceGuy]

I don't think some folks are grasping the OBO concept.

Namely you.
I dont like to haggle, that's why I list items as OBO.
If I wanted to negotiate, I would say that i'm willing to negotiate.

I've taken offers on many things that i've sold. I put up my ideal price and I take peoples offers over the course of a weekend or so. Whoever is closest to my desired price gets the item if they're still interested. If someone wants to offer me full price, it's theirs.

"Or Best Offer" is quite literal. I will sell for my asking price or the best offer I receive.

 

[coop44]

OBO- one letter short of a reed instrument used by orchestras

or

The sign of an optimist who knows that they are asking more than something is worth, but, is holding hope that out there, somewhere, there is some one with lots of money and few research skills who will pay as much as they are asking.

or

Some one who can do no more than ape what they already see advertised by some one else who is as ignorant as they are.

or


some one has no sales skills


or


a combination of all of these and other factors



EVERYTHING is a negotiation

 

[coop44]

I have a friend that does a lot of buying and selling. He keeps two editions of the book, one several years old that he uses when buying and one current that he uses when selling. He's even nice enough to show the book to the customer.

this has been common for years, put your "friends" name out here so we will all know who the scum is.

 

[mjbskwim]

this has been common for years, put your "friends" name out here so we will all know who the scum is.

Why is his friend scum? The buyer can do the exact same thing right?
They can go get both books .
Heck I had a store owner get some super low prices on Gun Broker for the gun I was selling. I have a droid and can access all that stuff too. But I knew what he was doing and just walked out.

At one show I was selling a Kimber that I maybe didn't want to sell. $900
A guy asked if I would take offers
I said Yes I'll take $950
He laughed and we parted ways.Still says 'hi' every time I see him......like an adult

 

[SteelyDan]

Namely you.
I dont like to haggle, that's why I list items as OBO.
If I wanted to negotiate, I would say that i'm willing to negotiate.

I've taken offers on many things that i've sold. I put up my ideal price and I take peoples offers over the course of a weekend or so. Whoever is closest to my desired price gets the item if they're still interested. If someone wants to offer me full price, it's theirs.

"Or Best Offer" is quite literal. I will sell for my asking price or the best offer I receive.

If you don't like to haggle why wouldn't you post price as firm????

 

[RVTECH]

I see the words 'insult' and 'lowball' often in the same sentence. If you consider a lowball offer an insult then you still don't get it. If YOU are selling something you will get lowballed - don't sweat it - just say no thanks and move on. Low balling is part of the game and should be an accepted consequence of selling. Some experienced 'horsetraders' use lowballing as a technique as it does have a powerful psychological effect on the seller - it get him/her to thinking. Heck it worked on me recently when I was lowballed by $2500 on something I am selling. Instead of taking it as an insult try using it to your advantage. Ever thought of following up the lowball offer with something like. "Well I'll consider it but what do you have to throw in the deal just so I feel better about it" Just think - you may get a 'throw in' that exceeds the value of the price drop. Always stay open minded.

 

[Spitpatch]

I respect a seller who tags on "firm" to his price. He has communicated that his price (for WHATEVER reason) is the only figure he will consider. I also respect the seller who tags on "OBO" to his asking price, as he has communicated he is open to negotiation. With neither tag, I assume the seller is aware that private party sales by their very nature are negotiable. This is why I am perturbed somewhat when a gun on a table at a gunshow entices me to make a fair offer, and the table holder says something like, "read the price tag". For this reason, I almost always ask beforehand, "are you open to offers?".

I have used both tags. When employing the "OBO" tag, I never am insulted by what might be termed a "lowball" offer. On the contrary, I take as a compliment any interest in my item, and even an (initially) inadequate offer is an opportunity to discuss what might be done to close the deal.

Reasons for a potential buyer to "lowball" may not always be nefarious: perhaps his cash-on-hand situation is not ideal, and so he is putting forward what is within his ability. From than point we might discuss trade items he may have that interest me (and perhaps he had not even considered as a resource). We might also discuss my withholding of certain accessories (scope, sight, ammo, etc.) On the other hand, his "lowball" offer might be supported by knowledge or research he has done that I have failed at, and he can share that information with me to understand why his "lowball" offer is actually a very reasonable offer.

If one desires the sales process to be done "in real time", the very best avenue to achieve that is to pay the asking price.

 

[deen_ad]

If I list something as "OBO" it means I'm willing to wait a few days and see if the offers are high enough to accept. If they are then I can accept the one I want, might not even be the highest, just cash in hand speaks louder than "waiting to sell another gun first". If none are high enough I can relist.

 

[CHLChris]

If none are high enough I can relist.

Yep, you're not obligated to take the "highest offer."

 

[Outrider]

From the numerous responses here, one can see that O.B.O. means different things to different people. From my point of view, the classifieds operate as an online gun show. Sellers put out their wares and potential buyers look at them. While there are many of examples where sellers price things way too high, usually their prices are within the ballpark of what is fair. Still, even this is a range and it has a high side, a low side, and a middle.

When an individual puts O.B.O. in his listing, it serves to let interested parties know that reasonable offers will be considered by the seller. Sometimes being close in price is good enough. Sometimes cash plus trade works for the seller. -One of the problems with O.B.O. is that some people look at it as permission or even an invitation to lowball and that makes selling an item a bit of a pain.

That said, when a person submits an offer the seller should either accept it, reject it, or make a counteroffer fairly quickly. The idea of the seller collecting offers and choosing the best one is more akin to an auction and that is contrary to what the classifieds are.

 

[mattdomes]

OBO = or best offer = some people will "low ball" your asking price, don't get mad, you as a seller invited the offers.

Reality: what you think its worth (does not =) what its really worth because something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

When asking for offers, as a seller please be prepared for low ball offers and don't get butt hurt over them. You can just not respond. For buyers if you don't get a response, your offer was too low.