Haggling on price - is it the done thing?

[Agent_zed]

Hi,

just wondering what others thoughts are on haggling on the price, particularly on FB marketplace.

I sometimes make an offer but I'm never truly comfortable doing it. Never really sure if people expect offers, or you should just accept the price they are asking if you want it.

I guess that most people would put a high price so they can be knocked down to what they actually think they would get, so everyone is happy. Is that generally right?

what do you think?

 

[Stigmorgan]

For me it depends on the item/situation, if it's something I've listed that's 2nd hand I expect people will make offers and try pay less than the list price, my acceptance often depends on whether that offer is insulting or not, if it's for my work/services then the price is the price, feel free to try haggle but it won't budge.

 

[Noel]

Most are posted in the expectation of haggling. Go for it.

 

[Molynoox]

I don't see it as offensive to haggle, it's an offer, and it can be declined. It tells the other person what you have to pay, their response tells you of it meets their minimum expectations or not.

Sometimes when people make ridiculously low offers to me I don't even respond but if they are at least realistic then I politely decline.

 

[Sideways]

If it's a lowish value item or one I think is already a good deal, I'll pay the asking price or not buy.

Among the ordinary sales on the marketplaces, some things are listed by people who are simply clueless / hopelessly optimistic about the value of their stuff / or by out and out chancers.
Some people you deal with are good at the game - they know what they have and are confident that they'll get their price in due course.
A listing alone or a couple of messages pretty soon tells you who you are talking to.

Ordinary sellers - just make an offer. If you don't ask, you won't get.

The clueless and chancers, don't waste your time talking to.

The pro's - if something sits unsold for a few weeks - I'd try a sensible offer "I can't offer your asking price but your XXX is worth YYY to me if that's of interest. It's the best offer I can make you" sort of words.
I'm never offended if they say no, never increase that offer unless they come close to meeting me on price.

Lastly, just sometimes you feel someone is genuinely trying to sell something expensive but don't know what it's really worth. In that case I'd offer a price and explain why.
I've turned a silly price into a fair price this way from time to time and saved hundreds or dropped the price 70%. Not often, but it can happen.

My 10 cents ...
Good luck

 

[guineafowl21]

If I’m selling, I’ll either put “no offers” or “ONO”.

If buying and the listing doesn’t state either, ONO is assumed, and I’ll make an offer. If this annoys the seller, then they should have made the listing clearer.

 

[Richard_C]

Make an offer, don't get cross if they say no. Always be prepared to walk away.

Unless of course its something you really want and need and the price is fair and they have a few potential buyers lined up - in that case you won't want to walk away so just pay the asking price.

From the sellers perspective they have a decision to make: "I wanted £100 for this, and I might sell it at that or it might hang around for months and I end up dropping the price - but right now I have someone standing here offering me £80 immediately, is the certainty of an immediate sale worth £20 to me?" You never know - if they need the cash and/or whatever they have is a nuisance to store they might say yes. A buyer who says 'yes, I will pay now and take it now' usually has more value to the seller than one who says 'yes, I'll come back next week'

 

[Dalboy]

Not just on second hand items. A couple of years ago I kitted out my workshop with an expensive metal lathe and milling machine along with quite a few other items to get me up and running. I did ask is there anything they could do as it was quite expensive (too me anyway).
And yes, I did get over £200 of other items. So yes, sometimes it does pay to ask.
As stated "If you don't ask you don't get"

Mind you I did have to get a larger workshop as well but not from the same company

I would not like to say how much more I have spent buying odd tooling to go with it since.

I am in the process of making a small engine as well as a loco.

 

[TRITON]

I would say when it comes to negotiating a price, first approach with a 'Can we negotiate a price' or 'Can we do anything about the price' rather than coming in with a low ball figure that might be too far below expectation and start things off on a bad footing.
Try not to make it sound demanding. Compromise is the basis for most things.

 

[Sideways]

coming in with a low ball figure that might be too far below expectation and start things off on a bad footing.

This is why you don't waste time on chancers and the clueless.
Their prices are unrealistic through ignorance or greed and they are never going to respond well to a fair price.

If you are paying more than half price for anything used, take a hard look as you are potentially paying too much, even if it is new in the box.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

For used items or private sales :

• If it's a minor purchase (say less than £15) and the price is fair I will just pay - it isn't worth the time, effort or risk of bad feeling to argue about £1-2.
• Moderate value items (£15-100) that I know I want, being sold at a fair price, I will probably just pay. If overpriced I may make an offer (if no others are available). If rejected - so be it.
• Higher value items - always ask - but not silly offers which can only serve to antagonise

For new items or from recognised companies - usually just internet search to find best deal - often but not always about price.

Key messages - be courteous, behave with integrity, it you don't ask you don't get, know what you think represents "fair", don't be offended by rejection, be prepared to walk away from a poor deal.

 

[Yorkieguy]

With private sales, where the person offering the item for sale, though a stranger, is likely to be a fellow hobbyist, if the price looks reasonable. I wouldn't haggle. By 'reasonable', on power tools such as say a router which is still in current production, is little used and in good condition, I'd say 50% of the current price would be about right. If it's out of production, little used and in good condition, maybe 1/3 of what an equivalent item would cost.

So for example, if something in production costs £100, is offered for £50 and looked a good buy, I'd feel a bit shabby saying "would you take £40?" just to try it on. What if he came back and said "I'll split the difference - let's say £45.00". Am I really so tight-fisted that knocking off the price of a pint would seal the deal? ('No', is the answer to that).

Different for car boot sales.

I guess a good benchmark is 'if the item was mine and I was offering it for sale, what price would you expect to sell it for?

Of course if the item isn't local, it becomes less attractive due to either postage costs or travel costs, but that in itself doesn't mean the price is too high - it's simple a matter of geography.

Just my take on this - other may think if they don't haggle, they haven't got a bargain, and the seller can always decline the offer.

Admittedly it's not easy to value some items. With woodturning lathes for example, in our Club in recent years, we've found that second-hand lathes on which to change the speed means moving the belt on a multi-step pulley, rather than with electronic variable speed, attract little interest, and when they do sell, achieve a price much below what they are arguably worth.

 

[JAW911]

Not just on second hand items. A couple of years ago I kitted out my workshop with an expensive metal lathe and milling machine along with quite a few other items to get me up and running. I did ask is there anything they could do as it was quite expensive (too me anyway).
And yes, I did get over £200 of other items. So yes, sometimes it does pay to ask.
As stated "If you don't ask you don't get"

Mind you I did have to get a larger workshop as well but not from the same company

I would not like to say how much more I have spent buying odd tooling to go with it since.

I am in the process of making a small engine as well as a loco.

View attachment 188227View attachment 188228View attachment 188229View attachment 188230

That workmanship deserves a post of its own please

 

[MorrisWoodman12]

Also as a seller if the prospective purchaser comes back with "what's the lowest price you'll accept" I will ask for their best offer rather than giving them a low price. The corollary is if you are the buyer always make a monetary offer.

 

[Fergie 307]

I don't see it as offensive to haggle, it's an offer, and it can be declined. It tells the other person what you have to pay, their response tells you of it meets their minimum expectations or not.

Sometimes when people make ridiculously low offers to me I don't even respond but if they are at least realistic then I politely decline.

It can work the other way too. A number of times I have had a good offer declined by sellers on e bay, only for the auction to run it's course and end up getting it for less than I had offered, substantially so in some cases.

 

[Fergie 307]

Not just on second hand items. A couple of years ago I kitted out my workshop with an expensive metal lathe and milling machine along with quite a few other items to get me up and running. I did ask is there anything they could do as it was quite expensive (too me anyway).
And yes, I did get over £200 of other items. So yes, sometimes it does pay to ask.
As stated "If you don't ask you don't get"

Mind you I did have to get a larger workshop as well but not from the same company

I would not like to say how much more I have spent buying odd tooling to go with it since.

I am in the process of making a small engine as well as a loco.

View attachment 188227View attachment 188228View attachment 188229View attachment 188230

Same here when I bought my milling machine, threw in a few extra bits and pieces that totalled around £100 at list price. No harm in asking.

 

[Fergie 307]

As for haggling in general my missus could give lessons. She can have the average lookie man on his knees begging for mercy, utterly ruthless

 

[Ed Weber]

I absolutely despise haggling but if I have to do it, I will

 

[Chris152]

If it's any distance from me, I'll offer a price I'm happy to pay (assuming the item checks out) before going to view - no good haggling after driving 2 hours to see a £50 item.

 

[Inspector]

I went to look at a combination machine (planer/moulder) a couple years ago. I asked "Is the $350 firm?" He replied "A guy offered $300 but would not be in town for a couple weeks." I said "I have $300 in my wallet." He said "It's yours." I would have paid the full $350 but without asking I would never have known there was some room to negotiate. If I see and add and the price is a lot more than I am willing to pay I don't risk insulting the seller. I might be marked down a few weeks later.

Pete