The Classifieds are horrible right now (is the economy really that bad???)

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yenniedn

yenniedn

Member
Aug 9, 2015
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Northern CA, United States
Hello AGN:

The Fall is when I leave the golf course and pick up my PCPs again. Part of that annual ritual involves buying a bunch of new items that I "need" to start up shooting again (the fun part) and selling off all the extras that I no longer need (the not so fun part). Selling on forum classifieds are always an adventure but I've noticed that it's been particularly brutal this year and am wondering what's behind it...

Lowball offers have always been and will always be an issue so I'm not even talking about those (although I did get a super nice half price offer on a $1,200 rifle that AT WORST would need a $100 replacement part if not a free fix altogether with the right tools/know how). What I've found interesting are repeated offers that are $5 (five dollars) off of my $50 or $60 items . . . and they're hard limits too - meaning that the buyer states that they don't have the budget to spend the extra $5 to make the purchase!

I'm in Sales by profession so I deal with negotiations on a daily basis and am not necessarily put off by them. I'm fine with haggling over discounts of 5 or 6 figures because it makes sense to negotiate in those instances . . . but not for FIVE DOLLARS!!! So while it wouldn't kill me to knock off $5 on an item, the Sales guy in me doesn't want to do it just out of principle because it's kind of ridiculous IMO. My pricing policy is the same as it has always been: I price my well cared for, like new items at 10-20% off from what it would cost to buy new - and you don't have to pay taxes or shipping. In years past, that would lead to most items selling pretty quickly at the asking price. That's not the case this year; people want their $5 off! [Yeah, I get it...everyone wants to feel like they're getting a good deal but $5???]

So is it the economy and the looming recession or what other reason(s) are driving these $5 negotiations?
 
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Martin3528 said:
Personally, unless it is at least 25% or more off retail, I don't bother looking at buying something. 10% off is not even a deal. I can find that by looking at Amazon, Dvor, or something like that.
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Sqwirlfugger57 said:
Personally, for 10-20% off I would rather have new. At least I know I'm not getting someone else's lemon and I get a full warranty (that I'll likely immediately void lol). I don’t haggle though. If the price is set and I don't like it, I just move on. No big deal.
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Understood - but I'm not talking about a $2,000 rifle. I'm talking about an $80 item that I've priced at $60 or a $120 item now priced at $100. That's 10-20% before factoring in tax and shipping - after which the savings would be 25-40%. And these are specialized airgun items that you won't find on Amazon or DVOR and not have warranty issues.

I totally appreciate the move-on if you don't like my price policy - I'm trying to understand the $5 negotiations.
 
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Some people look at the current economy, and assume that some sellers are in desperate need of cash; so they shoot out low-ball offers. I have no issue with honest negotiation, but I don't appreciate people trying to take advantage of others.
When I list something for sale I try to price it fairly. I don't have to sell, so I don't even respond to low-ball offers.
 
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beerthief said:
Personally , for anything less than 40 percent off new price i just buy new, Unless i know the person and know it is less than a year old .
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Your minimum expectation is to get at least 40% off items, even if they're less than a year old? I guess you don't buy many used items off of these Classifieds then?
 
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boscoebrea said:
Sometimes physiological, also don't need it,but for this price, I will buy it. So not always the economy.
Also one can put the ball in the other court and say to you,"what is $5.00 less.
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As stated in the OP, $5 is nothing except for the principle. I've priced the item fairly compared to new IMO and if you don't like my price, just move on. It's just more aggravation on both sides to take the time to go to DM's to ask for $5 off...
 
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davecole said:
I’m in sales by profession too. The economy has nothing to do with it. Our hobby is made possible by discretionary income.
It’s the satisfaction someone gets in buying at a lower price because they believe there is a built in bargaining value.
The answer is no until you ask..
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Exactly this. I'm pathologically incapable of just hitting an ask unless it's something genuinely scarce and I like the price anyways.

For the OP:

If people haggling bugs you, just put "bids under ask will be ignored" or something similar.

Personally, I'd always prefer to have at least some bid when I'm selling something. I can always say no :)
 
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10-20 % lower than new pricing? You should be amazed they are only asking for 5 more dollars off. Lol.
Also, the buyer probably thinks the exact but opposite way you do about the five bucks. People like not paying the asking price and feel better no matter how small the savings are.
 
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swNCsw said:
yim I believe the people are broken nowadays more so than any other outside influences that have effects on us . I truly feel it is just that simple. You are fine in your prices and you have the ability to polish a terd and I would stare at it and think it was awesome haha. Just be you and enjoy it as you always have. ;)
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Can someone please translate this for me?

davecole said:
I’m in sales by profession too. The economy has nothing to do with it. Our hobby is made possible by discretionary income.
It’s the satisfaction someone gets in buying at a lower price because they believe there is a built in bargaining value.
The answer is no until you ask..
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How can you say that the economy has nothing to do with it when it's the economy that is likely that cause of some people having less discretionary income to fund this hobby? The economy has at least a little to do with it.

Trucker3573 said:
10-20 % lower than new pricing? You should be amazed they are only asking for 5 more dollars off. Lol.
Also, the buyer probably thinks the exact but opposite way you do about the five bucks. People like not paying the asking price and feel better no matter how small the savings are.
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I'm not talking about commoditized items that you can easily find on Amazon; we are talking about specialized airgun items that you can either only buy from a select few retailers new or used through the secondary market. If I need/want a $100 item that would cost me $120 after tax/shipping from a retailer and I can get it for $80 delivered from another forum member, you bet I'm buying it at the $80 price every single time...and I'm not going to PM the seller asking for it at $75. If I can't readily find it slightly used at a discount then I'll pay the new price.


elh0102 said:
I don't know what's behind the $5 negotiations, maybe just coincidental with your listings. If I state that a price is firm, I usually don't respond to lower offers. Otherwise, I think you just have to assume that most folks will make a lower offer. And yes, $5 seems a bit extreme, but silence is usually a clear response.
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I often state that my price is firm but have somewhat given up on even saying that because it really doesn't mean anything to some people. All it really does is set you up for a message saying: "I know you said your price is firm, BUT would you take (insert lowball offer here)?"
 
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yenniedn said:
I often state that my price is firm but have somewhat given up on even saying that because it really doesn't mean anything to some people. All it really does is set you up for a message saying: "I know you said your price is firm, BUT would you take (insert lowball offer here)?"
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Yes, but ignoring those messages has been my best policy.
 
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The reason why we dont like selling at "Used" prices is because these are our babies that we Horde. Selling for less than we bought it for (even if we bought it 3+ years ago), is a mental challenge. After awhile, I put it in perspective and realized that at the end of the day my "Loss" on the sale is insignificant in the bigger picture. Why stuggle to pinch the remaining $10, $25, $50, $100 on the deal. Life is too short.

Right now I will be selling off 12 rifles at a $700 "loss." in order to buy a FX Mav that someone is selling for at a "loss". The circle of life!:D
 
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