classified ads

How do you like the price listed? Do you always think there is more room to negotiate and the listed price is just a starting point? Do you like the ads with the bottom acceptable price?

Personally I just float right over an ad if I think the price is higher then I want to spend. Also pictures of the item are a must for me. When placing an ad if i’m at the bottom of what i’ll accept I just put “firm” behind the price and ignore any offers. It seems “or offer” gets a bunch of low-ball offers.

How do you guys place your ads?

BTW, thank you James for providing FREE classifieds.

I’m with you Dutchy, I’m not a fan of the back & forth game either. However, some guys just HAVE to get a buck off the firm price listed, so when I get a low-ball offer, rather than ignore it, I simply reply no thank you. At that point, they can either engage me in a conversation, or go away.

HRG

I generally list things at a fair price to begin with and sometimes at a deal price if I really want to move it. If it’s a deal price I will always add “price is firm don’t even ask” but guess what people will still always low ball you’re best deal price. I usually will only list on FB marketplace or CL or any internet site after word of mouth sales have not produced interest.

When buying I have generally researched well enough in advance to know what things are worth. If I see a fair price on something I’m looking for I will buy it without trying to beat the guy up for a few extra bucks because i know how it pi$$es me off when someone does it to me.

I was selling a large steel smoker a few years back had it on CL. Ad said price is fair and firm. Guy from 150 miles away called and tried to knock a couple hundred more off it. Told him no I’m not moving. End of conversation. Called back a few days later and tried again and again I said no. Finally he said he’d take it and that he’d be there the next day for pick up. I told him right then to save his gas if he was going to try to chew me down again when he got here and he promised he wouldn’t.

Shows up the next day and guess what. Yep, some people just can’t help themselves. As soon as he asked I said thanks for wasting my time a$$hole! Told him I had things to do and jumped in my truck and drove away. Came home a few hours later and he was gone. He showed up on my door step a half hour later handed me cash for the asking price and apologized. Hooked up to the smoker and drove away.

When I get people wanting to talk me down in price I just tell them that if I was going to sell at the price they are offering it would have been listed at that price.

I usually set a price that is knowing to both parties what I’m looking for…example, if I want $50, I’ll place it for $55. If it’s in the hundreds, I’ll put an extra $50 on it. I sold a boat once and wanted $2k, places it for $2150…like stated, most people want a deal, so I give them one!

That said, pics are an absolute must. I also price to sell. I’ll sell it for just over trade in prices. Both parties are happy.

I will use Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist if I’m looking to move something rapidly.

I list a price that is fair, or essentially what the item is worth based on other comparable items. I’ll generally entertain offers depending how bad I want to move it or what the item is. If I know it’s something that’s a relatively hot commodity or seasonal item (boat in Spring, mower in Spring, snowblower in Fall, etc) then I ignore most offers that are less than the asking price. If you don’t want to engage in haggling over price, I simply ignore the people.

If you are putting an advertisement online at a free, high traffic website… you’re opening yourself up to all sorts of crap. I laugh when someone complains to me that they posted something on Craigslist or Facebook and people want to argue over price, scams come up, etc. What did you expect?!?

I guess I’m in the minority here. I always ask for more than I want to get for something cause you never know. And I never pay asking price unless I know its a good deal already. You just never know how bad someone wants what you have or how bad they want to get rid of something.

MOST of the time when folks list something with “FIRM” after the price they are at their bottom (or very close) and the asking price is pretty realistic. If I don’t see FIRM and the asking price is just silly vs what the same item new would cost, then I’ll drop them an offer that’s back to reality if it’s something i’m interested in and buying new online isn’t an option for some reason. My idea of a realistic price is about 30-40% off the buying new price based on condition, most sellers just don’t want to accept that reality…

The guys that crack me up are those who try to sell only 10-15% off the new price and are either missing parts or obviously didn’t take good care of it…

BUT those are the issues you deal with when buying/selling on free sites, if you don’t want to deal with the hassle, then buy new or click “Buy Now” on ebay.

It depends on a variety of factors, but if something is listed in good condition at a fair price I won’t haggle. If there’s some blemishes or other issues but I still want it I’ll try and knock off some $. By FAR my biggest pet peeve is listing things without a price, a lot of dealers do this for boats, and I just won’t buy from them. I’m shopping to buy, if you aren’t willing to fulfill your end of saying how much you want for it, I’m not visiting your website or calling your store.

Tom Sawvell wrote:

When I get people wanting to talk me down in price I just tell them that if I was going to sell at the price they are offering it would have been listed at that price.

I always try to respectfully haggle with some one. Most people price a little high so they can get talked down to their actual asking price. But different sales sights have different types of people selling. I play the game depending on what field I’m in

I see you fixed the “Little Girl” comment before anyone could jump on board

Mike West wrote:

I see you fixed the “Little Girl” comment before anyone could jump on board

Dang spell check. Luckily I reread it

I generally give myself about $2-300 of room on bigger items so they feel like they got somewhat of a deal.
Cheaper stuff I price it cheap and firm. I won’t take money off without the person coming and looking first. It seems like there is a lot
Of putzs who like to sit on their couch and text or email low ball offers.

My stuff is generally in great shape and I ask around 50% of new. Most buyers of my fishing related items don’t haggle.

Dutchboy wrote:

BTW, thank you James for providing FREE classifieds.

You’re welcome.

When I am the seller I normally (not true for all items) put stuff up for around 50% of what it would be new. Most people relies it is a good deal and don’t haggle too much. As a buyer I ask “is that the best price you can do?” in person after seeing the item. If they go down great, if not I am already there because I was willing to pay their asking price. But I still have to ask.

X2 thank you for allowing us to sell stuff here.

Rule #1 of successful negotiation: Always leave room to negotiate.

Every transaction in life is a negotiation. It doesn’t matter if you as one party choose not to see it that way or to deny it. It is what it is.

It always surprises me how many people lose all emotional control when it comes to negotiating.
They become bitter, angry, or frustrated when someone attempts to negotiate with them.

Either smile and say yes or smile and say no, but… And present a counter offer. There. That was easy, wasn’t it?

On every classifieds item I sell I expect negotiation. Therefore I price accordingly.

Then I used the most valuable phrase in the human history of negotiation: I’m sorry I can’t do that but here’s what I can do…

I never feel the need for anger, bitterness, tears of frustration etc. We either make a deal or we don’t.

Grouse

I have never priced things high,so that somebody would feel good about talking me down. I try to be fair and reasonable in my pricing, and will not move much as I usually sell things too cheap, at least that is what my wife says. If somebody trys to low ball me, thats fine, but I will not negotiate with them after that. I can afford to sit on it. The longest of our last 4 house sales, was two days. Everyone says I should ask more, but I was content with the price, and have no regrets if I sell things too low.

it depends what it is.

i’ve sold a bunch of boats and am always willing to listen to offers. some i’ve turned down flat, some i’ve countered, and some i’ve accepted. on a big item like that i expect negotiation. i think the “firm” and “or best offer” notes on price listings are a foolish thing to do – just list your price and see what comes. i never need to sell my boat, and i never need to buy yours, i always try to keep this in mind so i can walk away if needed.

if i’m selling something smaller like fishing gear i just list it at a price that will sell it quickly and don’t negotiate because i know i’m already low enough to move it. on those things i’m motivated by quickness, not by an amount of money and trying to squeeze 5 or 10 bucks on either side of the deal is a waste of time.

definitely list the price. i’m not calling someone if it isn’t listed. and the more pictures the better.

Bearcat stated it pretty well for me too.

Never hurts to throw out a low ball number imo, have wound up with some really nice stuff bc of it. Don’t know what the seller’s situation is, they just might want it gone.

I see Michael W, said it better than I did, as I also agree if no price listed, I will not call, also when buying, I will never negotiate back and forth, if I don’t buy at price listed, I’ll make one, what I consider to be a fair offer, and if not accepted, I’ll move on. Case in point, when we purchased a winter house in Texas, looked at 31 houses, liked and would have been happy with any of five that we looked at and liked the most. Went home to decide and called realtor at 9 on Monday to start making offers. By 10 we had a cash offer in on the one my wife liked most, let realtor know that if offer wasn’t accepted by 3,I was going to drop that offer, and put an offer on the house that I liked the most. We made a fair offer, and it was accepted by noon. Loved that house, but would have moved on to the next one, if they countered.

I picked up the 2017,24V 80# BT Terrova a few weeks back for $1000.00. Found out the transducer was bad but still no problem with the price. I planned on networking it in anyway so transducer was not going to be used. I never even bothered asking for less just took it as fast as I could. LOL

“OBO” in my opinion is coming out of the gate a tad weak.

Kory, I agree. Include prices, its not as necessary to harvest calls as it once.

My grandpa said a good deal is when both sides are happy.