Whither the Art of Negotiation?

[sechs]

Why doesn't anyone seem to know how to negotiate anymore?

I listed up a bunch of stuff on Craiglist that I don't need, and I'm getting a lot of "what's your lowest price on this?" responses. At least the low-ballers have a position from which to haggle. I even state in some of the listings, that I will consider offers; but people don't make them.

Do people not understand how this works, or am I missing something?

 

[Fushigi]

I don't think Internet buyers want to haggle. They want to look for the lowest possible price & do the deal. If that isn't you they move along. They don't care about the seller or the process as there's little chance for repeat business.

 

[Mercutio]

I thought the only reason to look at Craigslist was to find the skeeviest "casual encounters" postings before the admins modsmack them. Which, granted, is pretty much the same thing as what sechs is describing, only with different merchandise.

The only things I've ever listed on Craigslist have been free.

 

[Handruin]

For me it depends on the initial price of the object. If you're listing something for $20-$50, I'm not going to put much effort into negotiating a person down from there (depending on what the item is).

I agree with Fushigi, I will look around for the same thing for less money before bothering to haggle with someone. In most cases I don't buy things that are so exclusive that I can't find other people selling them. If the item is exclusive, the possibilities for a lower price are reduced just because of availability.

 

[sechs]

So basically, people are lazy? If that's the case, why do these people bother to contact me? They should see the asking price, see it's not what they want, and move on. I could deal with that.

Instead I get exchanges like this:
Them: How low will you go on this?
Me: I'm asking $x. Do you have an offer?
Them: Is this your lowest price?
Me: This is the price that I'm asking. Would you like to make an offer?
Them: If that's your lowest price, then forget it.
Me: I'll entertain any offer that you make.

How much wasted effort was there on that, when they just could have made a low-ball offer?

Then again, I've had low-ballers attempt to argue that they're making a great offer when I have proof to the contrary....

 

[Howell]

So basically, people are lazy?

This surprises you? I'm not sure people are completely lazy but certainly intellectually lazy. BTW, I had the same thing happen to me last week though the listing was a couple of weeks old.

 

[Chewy509]

After my wife and I were selling an unneeded Queen size bed in the local paper, I've come to the same conclusion.

The normal scenario is, they call with interest, we talk about the details, I send them a few pics on the mobile phone (via SMS/MMS), and if interested they come out to see the bed in person. Not 1 person that has come to see the bed in person has tried to negotiate at all, all asking what the lowest price is... I tell them the lowest price, and without attempting to negotiate a lower price, they leave. Also the number of people that ask if we deliver (even though the ad says we don't), is unbelievable. (As a side note, 1 person did ask, and I did quote $250 to deliver, they were astonished. I explained that I would need to hire a trailer, and that my time is worth $100 per hour to my normal paying clients, so that works out to be around $250. If they didn't like it, well they could simple pick up the item themselves).

While I can understand when dealing with eBay, etc, because as far as I'm concern, the amount of effect to negotiate is proportional to the time it takes to find/inspect the desired in question, but when dealing direct 1 to 1, I would take the time to at least bargain the price.

 

[Howell]

Its all about tolerance man. People don't think they have the right to tell you what the item is worth.

Negotiation has roots in disagreement. Nobody wants to be seen as disagreeable these days.

 

[sechs]

This surprises you? I'm not sure people are completely lazy but certainly intellectually lazy.

You can't lazy and actually bother to ask for a lower price. That just doesn't work.

 

[sechs]

The normal scenario is, they call with interest, we talk about the details, I send them a few pics on the mobile phone (via SMS/MMS), and if interested they come out to see the bed in person. Not 1 person that has come to see the bed in person has tried to negotiate at all, all asking what the lowest price is... I tell them the lowest price, and without attempting to negotiate a lower price, they leave. Also the number of people that ask if we deliver (even though the ad says we don't), is unbelievable. (As a side note, 1 person did ask, and I did quote $250 to deliver, they were astonished. I explained that I would need to hire a trailer, and that my time is worth $100 per hour to my normal paying clients, so that works out to be around $250. If they didn't like it, well they could simple pick up the item themselves).

I'm selling a lot of relatively small and inexpensive items. Some jackass from Berkeley insists that we meet there. Yes, he wants me to spend at least $4 in bridge tolls to make $7. I let him know that I'm not running a delivery service, but would happily ship it to him at cost. The guy was smart enough to simply subtract off the bridge toll and make an offer for $3 -- except that he wants to meet in Oakland, which is still a bridge too far.

 

[sechs]

Negotiation has roots in disagreement. Nobody wants to be seen as disagreeable these days.

That's why lawyers are doing so well?

 

[LOST6200]

Bleh. I just set a pirce on the lwo side and that is it. If poepl don;t; want to pay, then too bad for thjem. It is not worht my time to argue with the all so many cheapsketes and losers.

Yesm, I knwo this in the Americano perspectivo. In other cultures prices start high and they all bargain for every damn little thting. I dont; play that game, even in teh foregn countries.