How do you answer lowballers?

[XCool]

As per the title. 

 

How do you all usually answer lowballers? I put up some in local classifieds, mostly new sets, and have gotten queries where they tried offering less than half what is available on retail. Heck, the most recent one was one lady who told me that she could get this for half the price on Amazon (she failed maths when it comes to postage). 

 

So, what do u usually do? I try to be nice most of the time, but I've also ignored a couple of queries. Also, any specific sarcastic lines that you have used and cared to share so that we can have some LOLs?

 

(Mods, I don't seem to be able to find a thread about this, but if there is one, please feel free to merge this). 

[Guest brickcrazyhouse]

simply decline and move on. I save being sarcastic for real life inter actions

[@rtisan]

If it`s slightly low I`d probably say something along the lines of "Thanks for the offer, but looking to get a bit more out of the (item)". You could perhaps provide a counter offer, up to you. If it`s really low, like insanely low, I wouldn`t bother replying. They aren`t at all likely to increase an offer to anywhere near where you would like it, so don`t waste your time. 

[stephen_rockefeller]

Yeah super low ballers get no response from me.

[seapotato]

I usually ignore them

[wesman888]

Do nothing...

[justafrog]

"Thank you for the offer, but this is our best price at this time."

[remy1492]

it pays to be nice, that person may realize the value of what you have and come back later to buy it eagerly-

[legoman12323123]

it pays to be nice, that person may realize the value of what you have and come back later to buy it eagerly-

Not likely .. lol in over 20k transactions on ebay never seen a lowballer actually buy my item because he realize the real value ever. Its best just to ignore them

[jharrison]

You might be able to minimize the number of incoming low-ball offers by putting on your ad that

1. you will not reply to unreasonable offers and

2. serious offers need to include a phone number

 

Then the incoming emails with low offers and no phone numbers can be ignored and your conscience remains clear 

[stephen_rockefeller]

I have had someone tell me that X website or seller has this item for way cheaper than you do

My response........Thanks for the heads up! Don't bother trying to buy it because I already did. Next time I suggest you buy it instead of wasting time emailing me.

[Anakinisvader]

It's probably some stupid Brickpicker trying to get a deal.  Just ignore them.

[Ciglione]

Really low offers I ignore. Less low offers I will reply like: "Thanks for your shown interest. Unfortunately your bid is to low". Sometimes, really sometimes, people come back and pay close to my asking price.

[iahawks550]

If there is a price in mind that you will sell the item for. Come back with that price and say, "the lowest I'm willing to take is xxx"

[biniou]

If someone contacts me and says "I can have it for X $ on amazon, so what do you say ?" I gently reply "it's a very good deal and amazon is a good website, you should go for amazon's offer, bye" or something like that.

 

Note that it's sometimes hard to be polite because some people are quite rude.

A guy mailed me on craig's list, and said nor "hello", nor "please", nor "is it possible...", nor "bye".

 

Only "what's your bottom price".

 

Not even a "?" at the end of the sentence so I felt like a gangsta was talking to me.

 

I replied my last price was a trophy for the best air guitar show, senior category.

 

(in french "price" ("prix") also means "trophy")

 

He got upset, of course... lol

As an afterthought I should have replied that my bottom price was the current one (it already was a very good deal).

[Ciglione]

That is the problem with dealing online. People are rude because they feel anonymous. In real life they are mostly not in that way. I hope. That is why I prefer to deal in person. I have made way better deals that way. You can judge your counterpart better by looking at his/her bodylanguage. Also when buying something it is better in person. If you put the money you want to offer cash on the table right away mostly people will sell it to you for cheap.

[ufema]

I don't like to ignore anyone.  You never know when they may come back and offer full price.  I just say, "Sorry.  The item will eventually sell for the price I'm offering.  Thank you for looking."

[Noodlenut]

If the dude has low feedback (which most low-ballers do,) then I just decline without a message.  I do not want to sell the item to someone who would create a mess out of the transaction.

[Achilles]

Also, a big problem with dealing with online classifieds (buying and selling) is that you're dealing MOSTLY with other resellers/rebuyers. You aren't getting the casual "Oh I want that market". So most people who are looking at your ads are doing so through the lens of trying to make money, not pay a fair price for an item.

Similarly, I find a lot of people selling on Craigslist and such (the regulars) are trying to get MORE than value for an item. I constantly see a guy in my area selling Death Stars for $450. It makes me want to punch a goat.

[biniou]

(private message will be better sorry)

[Ciglione]

 

Also, a big problem with dealing with online classifieds (buying and selling) is that you're dealing MOSTLY with other resellers/rebuyers. You aren't getting the casual "Oh I want that market". So most people who are looking at your ads are doing so through the lens of trying to make money, not pay a fair price for an item.

Similarly, I find a lot of people selling on Craigslist and such (the regulars) are trying to get MORE than value for an item. I constantly see a guy in my area selling Death Stars for $450. It makes me want to punch a goat.

 

The question should be: Does he sell them for that price?

[Ciglione]

 

Also, a big problem with dealing with online classifieds (buying and selling) is that you're dealing MOSTLY with other resellers/rebuyers. You aren't getting the casual "Oh I want that market". So most people who are looking at your ads are doing so through the lens of trying to make money, not pay a fair price for an item.

Similarly, I find a lot of people selling on Craigslist and such (the regulars) are trying to get MORE than value for an item. I constantly see a guy in my area selling Death Stars for $450. It makes me want to punch a goat.

 

The question should be: Is he selling these for that price?

[Alpinemaps]

I had this happen to me twice over the last week, regarding the Simpsons minifigures.  Both were low ball figures.  The first wasn't too far out of whack, so I responded with the "I'm willing to go down to $X".  That was met with hostility.  That person then came back with "I could get those for 30% off at Legoland, because I have a friend that works there.  I'm going to buy some and severely undercut you."

 

I wrote back a little mean, telling him, "If you really could get that, you wouldn't be contacting me.  And if you want to sell them and make $5 on it, then go for it.  In the meantime, my offer of $X stands."

 

Never heard back from him.

 

The other person was a bit nicer.  They asked if they could get a box for "$X - $100".  I figured they weren't making a mistake, but treated it as such.  I told them if they were offering +$100, then yes, but if it was -$100, then no.  They wrote back, and said, they were offering -$100, because they were a reseller, and wondered how I got them early.  We engaged in a conversation, and I shared some "secrets" (not really secrets - just get a Legoland Annual Pass), and they were thankful.  They had no idea that Legoland had them on sale, nor that they could get a discount there.

 

Best bet is to ignore, but sometimes, you're just feeling like you've got to engage.

[biniou]

I had this happen to me twice over the last week, regarding the Simpsons minifigures.  Both were low ball figures.  The first wasn't too far out of whack, so I responded with the "I'm willing to go down to $X".  That was met with hostility.  That person then came back with "I could get those for 30% off at Legoland, because I have a friend that works there.  I'm going to buy some and severely undercut you."

 

I wrote back a little mean, telling him, "If you really could get that, you wouldn't be contacting me.  And if you want to sell them and make $5 on it, then go for it.  In the meantime, my offer of $X stands."

 

Never heard back from him.

I would refuse to sell anything to him... such rude guys can be so... lunatic, I would fear they stab me as a payment !

[tonysbricks]

Ignore and move on, it's a waste of energy and time.