Listing an item for sale with a note that offers would be considered. Then getting a request for my best price. If you want it make an offer.

To me obo is inviting negotiations, I never use obo

"My best price is the one listed. Do we have a deal then?"

I'll give you $2 for it.

Do I hear $3 ?

OBO, indicates you will take less than asking price. Some people don't want to dick around with the back and forth, offer, counter, new offer, etc. So they'll simply ask. If you're asking $900, but will take $860......they're asking what you're willing to take and will either accept it and buy it in one swoop.....or walk away......they don't want to waste their time with the haggling.

quote:

they don't want to waste their time with the haggling.

Or mine. Everybody approaches these things differently. Some of us just don't love the haggling process and would rather pay a premium over what we could have driven you down to over 45 exchanges and 2 weeks. Don't miss out on those people by not giving a reasonable but not outrageous "best price" if asked.

Of course if someone counters to that, they deserve to be told what a clueless, illiterate, unreasonable fuck they are and sent packing.

Lots of people will make you an offer, even if you don’t put OBO in your ad, so I really don’t see any advantage to using that term. I state a price that I think is fair and if somebody wants to offer less, that’s ok.

I wouldn't mind negotiating but to me this asks me to do all the negotiating . Kind of bidding against myself.

I've always thought it was kind of silly.

I list my pistol for $700. Maybe I'm willing to take $600. If one person makes contact and offers $100, am I really going to sell it to them? After all, that's the "best offer".

My peeve is "asking $XXX firm". Asking is negotiable in my vernacular. Firm is not.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Lots of people will make you an offer, even if you don’t put OBO in your ad, so I really don’t see any advantage to using that term. I state a price that I think is fair and if somebody wants to offer less, that’s ok.

This. I tend to do the same thing. Folks seem to make offers no matter what you tell them, so why advertise that you are willing to come down on price? I still try to state if I am unwilling to move at all on the price, but it is very common for folks to ignore that and make offers anyway.

The only folks who really annoy me (other than the scammers of course) are people who ignore ‘no trades’. No, I don’t want your fucking AK-47 parts kit or your puke-yellow cerakoted glock slide...although I did once accept three boxes of nitrile gloves as part of a deal.

- Bret

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
My peeve is "asking $XXX firm". Asking is negotiable in my vernacular. Firm is not.

If I am not negotiable, I include "firm" in the price. If I might lower the price, "asking" is the term used. If I list it with "firm," and you still shoot me an offer, it'd better include a better-than-square trade offer or a bar of gold bullion if you expect so much as a response.

I never use OBO. I set the prices, and will adjust them, if necessary. That way, a lot of unnecessary communications never materialize.

That said, I've been guilty of making offers myself, even when they didn't say "OBO". But, that's only because I knew the seller's prices were a little more than the high end. And, the strategy worked half of the time.

"One more time then it goes back in the safe <or off to Gunbroker>"


Ooooooh, so fracking scary - put your overpriced chit in the safe man, IDGAF!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
OBO, indicates you will take less than asking price.

To some it also means "I'm listing it $100, and you may say you want it, but if someone else offers me $125 before you send the money, I'm taking it."

A dick move, but it happens.

Ok see yalls point. Let me rephrase wo the obo. I offer something for sale.. at $100. The next 5 responses will be "what is your best price ? " I do not respond to this any more. My original rant point was if you dont like the price make an offer.

If you are the seller, with a listed price, you should not respond to "what's your best price?" it is the buyer's turn to make an offer. Never bid against yourself. This is fundamental negotiation strategy.

I look at the 'firm' thing as a challenge.

What drives me up the wall is when I have listed something at, for example, $100.

I get a message, call or even face to face where the potential buyer says, "Would you take $80 for it?"

I think about a moment, the say, "Yeah, I'll take $80 for it."

And then guy says, "Well, let me think about it."

I've learned always to say, "Is that an offer of $80?" If he doesn't say,"Yes," then I'm done with him as he's just a tire kicker IMO.

Bob