If your selling stuff openly on the net. Your leverage is just to say. Not willing to do that. This just how it works. You ask a dollar. Someone and several someones are going to offer less. If that is a problem for ya I guess it is off to the
"whats your deal" section in he SF

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Someone and several someones are going to offer less. If that is a problem for ya....

You just told me you didn't actually read the thread.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
Voices were raised, fingers pointed, things got really heated really quickly, and I thought I was going to have to call the cops.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

I've dealt with a few of those clowns back when I worked at the store, but there was one who got bizarrely aggressive about it on a personal deal.

As a (now retired) corporate attorney, I was a "professional" negotiator. I can never understand how people get so emotional about business transactions. As Michael Corleone said "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business." If you're going to lose your temper because the other side isn't meeting your price or other terms, you either find a solution or you move on.

There was a gun board up here in the PNW for a time. A frequent seller had a tag that read something like this: "I know that you say your price on your UZI is firm and you aren't interested in trades but would you accept a Peruvian Blood Python and her eggs. She's worth $2000 and each egg is $200." which was clearly a real email that he received and just used as a tag. I harken back to that every time I see a thread like this.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:

As a (now retired) corporate attorney, I was a "professional" negotiator. I can never understand how people get so emotional about business transactions. As Michael Corleone said "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business." If you're going to lose your temper because the other side isn't meeting your price or other terms, you either find a solution or you move on.

I don't get it either.
Why is negotiating have to be the start of a fight.
I do understand some don't enjoy the process or want to participate- why> my guess is they figure it's insulting if their value and your value of an item don't agree.
But if you don't ask you can never do better.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:
As a (now retired) corporate attorney, I was a "professional" negotiator. I can never understand how people get so emotional about business transactions. As Michael Corleone said "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business." If you're going to lose your temper because the other side isn't meeting your price or other terms, you either find a solution or you move on.

That's how I feel. There is no "insulting offer" to me, because I don't have any ego wrapped up in it. Hell, my problem is people don't even want to make offers, they don't even want to have a conversation about it.

Regarding that anecdote about the guy and my old boss, my boss told me afterward that it was all part of the dance. I don't think anyone actually got angry there in retrospect, I think they both put on one hell of a show. Customer threw down the gauntlet and my boss picked it up and they crossed swords for a minute, but nobody was actually trying to land a blow, they were just probing to see who was going to give ground. When my boss held his, they put their swords away and started talking terms. At the time, it sure didn't look the way to a young, inexperienced guy like myself. I forget what it was the guy said, but my boss said when the guy whatever it was slip, he knew he could land him. I was in awe.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
But if you don't ask you can never do better.

Too true. However, my point is that there is actually a way to ask that can pave the way to doing better. Asking to skip right to the finish line isn't it.

quote:

What's your best price, shipped?

I just did a deal with a SIGforum member, and now realize that we neglected this important step.

I feel so ashamed.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:
I feel so ashamed.

You know, my disappointment is immeasurable, but I'm willing to overlook it just this once.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:

Regarding that anecdote about the guy and my old boss, my boss told me afterward that it was all part of the dance. I don't think anyone actually got angry there in retrospect, I think they both put on one hell of a show.

Yep. That's key for some folks.

I was working one deal (it was a pretty big deal too ($$$)) and we kept getting bogged down on details that should have been quick to resolve. I don't recall how it dawned on me, but I realized the negotiator for the customer was being difficult in order to demonstrate how tough he was; he wasn't about to let some city slicker lawyer for the vendor (me) get the better of him.

The next day, I pulled our VP aside and told him I was going to start a fight (verbally) with the guy over some minor issue, and after things got heated, he was to pull me out of the conference room into the hall and pretend to chew me out. I made sure the blinds were open a little so those in the conference room (particularly the customer negotiator) could get a view if they so chose (and he did ).

I started the fight, got pulled into the hall, got "taken down a few pegs" by our VP, then returned to the conference room and "conceded" the issue. The customer negotiator was beaming at my comeuppance. He was much easier to work with after that, and we got the deal done in short order.

Oh, that's like something straight out of Suits! I love it!

Yeah, when you take ego completely out of it, it's so much easier to close a deal.

quote:

Originally posted by dgshooter:
Reply: What's your best offer?

I replied very much along these lines to the question when recently posed to me. Blessedly, the prospective buyer came back with a very reasonable figure and we concluded a good transaction.

Still, yes, the question bugs me haha. If I’m going to pitch an offer different than a person’s asking price, I’ll name a number and we’ll go from there (or, in some cases, we won’t).

Thanks, P220Smudge.

I am an expert negotiator, having settled hundreds of lawsuits with similar negotiations. Once an offer is out there, from either side, it is up to the other person to make a counter-offer. It would be extremely bad, tactically, to bid against yourself, as we call it.

If I offer $100, and you ask me if that is the best I can do, the answer is; "Yes it is."

If you don't want to haggle, don't enter the haggling arena.

I stopped buying guns online, but when I did, I never haggled. If I could live with the price, I paid it. Now if I'm at a gun show and the item is used, the most I'll say is "Any better price for cash?". I've also done that at gun shops where I'm an established customer. If they say no, I'm aware that it's just business.

My best price is the one in the listing. That's why it's the one in the listing.


Generally I just ignore the "offers", but I've had people attempt to trash me by starting new threads in the open forum to bad mouth me because I did so.
I listed something for sale with a price.. $525, you offered me $200, and you're angry that I didn't reply?

If somebody lowballs me I either ignore them completely or bump the price UP . I'm usually willing to negotiate as long as you don't set the tone by being stupid .

With transactions between businesses ( not private individuals), I always asked for pricing based on FOB destination. That includes everything ( or should). Packing, handling , freight etc. It also means buyer doesn’t take possession until arrival meaning if the freight co. damages or loses the item, it’s the sellers loss, not yours. It’s up to the seller to file the claim. FOB factory or sellers location means it’s yours once the freight co. picks it up from the seller.

It simplified things to negotiate on that basis.

I always price stuff to allow for a little negotiation. That way I know the bottom dollar I'm willing to accept and gives the buyer a little feeling of accomplishment at haggling. Both sides leave happy.
But if they ask my bottom dollar and I tell them, I don't budge. Either buy it go the next seller.

It's simple. If you want a set price put "FIRM" after the price. Otherwise selling something when you're an individual, a price is basically understood to be countered. I don't know why people get so emotional when selling something, or make a big deal out of it, or responding to an offer. As a seller, if people aren't offering less, and just take your price, don't you wonder if you priced it too cheap in the first place? If you don't want to be hassled take the gun to your local gun dealer and give them a 10% commission and do the work.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
It's simple. If you want a set price put "FIRM" after the price. Otherwise selling something when you're an individual, a price is basically understood to be countered. I don't know why people get so emotional when selling something, or make a big deal out of it, or responding to an offer. As a seller, if people aren't offering less, and just take your price, don't you wonder if you priced it too cheap in the first place? If you don't want to be hassled take the gun to your local gun dealer and give them a 10% commission and do the work.

You know, maybe re-read what I've actually posted before you get all spun up. My problem is with people won't actually fucking counter the price.

I wasn't emotional when I posted it, but if enough people won't actually read what my issue is and want to jump to the wrong conclusion, it's going to start to irritate me.

quote:

Originally posted by CoolRich59:

As a (now retired) corporate attorney, I was a "professional" negotiator. I can never understand how people get so emotional about business transactions. As Michael Corleone said "It's not personal, Sonny. It's strictly business." If you're going to lose your temper because the other side isn't meeting your price or other terms, you either find a solution or you move on.

Amen. I negotiate all the time. It isn't an "insult," it is just an offer. Either make a counter offer or don't.

And as for "What is your best price?" - if I already listed a price, i.e., made the first offer, it is now your turn. As we say, I am not bidding against myself. The response to, "What is your best price?" is "Make me an offer."