a buyer rant.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

A few years ago, I was selling a car, a moderately rusty 1998 Park Ave with 200Kmi. I was asking $1300. I had an experience similar to what the OP has mentioned with a couple that came over to look at the car, one of them couldn't speak English, the other one was interpreting.

They asked, "what's your bottom dollar?"
I said, "make an offer".
They asked again, "what's your bottom dollar?"
I repeated, "make an offer"

This went on and on and on, for some time, they never made an offer.

I only let it continue, because I was entertained by the fact they were interested, but not enough to make an offer...and I wondered how long they would keep asking for my bottom dollar...well, I got my answer...about half an hour...then they left.

[Thin Man]

One time I saw two older fellows at a gun show try to make a sale transaction. Their conversation went something like this...
Buyer: What's the least you'll take?
Seller: What's the most you'll give?
Buyer: (again) What's the least you'll take?
Seller: (again) What's the most you'll give?
This same language went on for 4 or 5 exchanges, then went silent. Both guys stood very still and looked at each other but didn't speak a word. Then, at the same time, both of them slowly turned to their right and slowly walked straight away from each other. There was no sale transaction. I guess they had the same father, but different mothers.

[smokeywolf]

Whether or not I'll dicker depends on how much I want the item and what kind of mood I'm in.

[NoAngel]

I don't haggle. Ever. If you can't tell me what you want for it, you can stick it where the sun don't shine. If it's priced, I want it and I am willing to pay said price, I pay it. If not I walk.
Bickering over price is a stupid waste of time and I adamantly refuse to play that game. Gun shows around here are the worst. It ain't a Turkish bazaar, price it for what you want for it or lose my business.

[jcwit]

Years ago a fellow, who BTW turned into a good friend, started up a used car lot. Hehas been very successful at it, has been there now for over 35 years.

Anyway, the first time I bought a car from him he had $XXX dollars on the price tag, I asked him for his bottom dollar, one time, one chance to sell the car, he said, "No dickering?", I replied "Nope.".

He shot me a price, I'm guessing it was as low as he would cause it was a he11 of a drop. I took it.

I've bought 3 or 4 cars from him over the years and it's always been the same, one price, one shot at selling, he's never missed with me yet and I've always left happy.

My daughter bought her first ever by herself purchase, I was present, I told him treat her like you treat me! He sold her the car in just a few minutes.

BTW he also has just told me to take a car for the week and come back and we'll finalise the transction.

He let my daughter have the car for 5 days till she took care of the payment and paper work.

Good man to "deal?" with.

They also have a auto repair business there, all ASA Certified, not sure about what kind of scanner they use but they are honest mechanics and have been known to treat poor folks well.

[Harter66]

I bought a gun last weekend . I picked it looked it over and noted that it was marked down on the tag $60 from it's starting price which was about $100 under private sales and $200-300 under dealer prices .
He says is that what you came for ?
Nope .
How's about i knock a little more off ?
Well what are you thinking ?
He says $*** and I'll cover the BG check , but I'm in it that much .
Being $250 under market and thinking I was shopping for a single shot at $100 more I bought the lever gun for $100 less than I'd hoped to spend after the seller haggled me down .
Weird right ?

[mozeppa]

I bought a gun last weekend . I picked it looked it over and noted that it was marked down on the tag $60 from it's starting price which was about $100 under private sales and $200-300 under dealer prices .
He says is that what you came for ?
Nope .
How's about i knock a little more off ?
Well what are you thinking ?
He says $*** and I'll cover the BG check , but I'm in it that much .
Being $250 under market and thinking I was shopping for a single shot at $100 more I bought the lever gun for $100 less than I'd hoped to spend after the seller haggled me down .
Weird right ?

i did have a deal once sorta like this.

found a early 75 to 80's fender precision bass guitar at a pawn shop.in pristine condition.
so i sighted the neck ....no warps.
check the neck mount ...no cracks.

found the tag................$100

so i naturally i thought the bass should sell $400 to $600 bucks!

i take it to the manager and said "is this tag right?"

he said "well ...i suppose i could knock off the sales tax if that helps"

i got 20 dollar bill burns on my fingers because i paid him so fast!

kept it for 6 years and sold it for $500

[15meter]

Went into a rat hole gun shop, on the counter was a Redding die box for a set of standard 220 Swift dies, marked $20.00. Opened the box, standard set of dies, shell holder AND a Redding competition micrometer bullet seater. Held it up to the woman behind the counter and asked if the price was right. Her response was what the **** that's on the box is what the **** the price is. Handed her the twenty plus the tax. They didn't last long, she looked like a biker babe with a bad attitude.

[fatelk]

I understand that haggling is a big thing for a lot of people, and necessary to the process in some cultures, but it's not really my thing. I tend to walk right by the tables without prices. It seems that a lot of times people that don't price their items are often waiting for a sucker.

A long time ago, late '80s or early '90s, I was young and stupid (older now). I had gotten my first SKS, and someone had told me that there was a "mag conversion" you could get so they would take AK magazines. I was at a gun show and saw a guy who had one of those junky 30rnd SKS mags, the ones with the tail that sticks out to hook in where the original does. There was no price on it and I was all excited to finally see what I thought I was looking for.

I excitedly asked "How much?!" He saw me coming, a born sucker. I paid $50 for that piece of junk. Fifty bucks then is probably closer to a hundred now. As I was walking away with it I was realizing that it wasn't really what I thought it was. Some people try to read how gullible you are before giving you a price.

Here's a pet peeve of mine, regarding buying and selling. I can't stand hard-sell guys who try their dangdest to tear you down in price when you have something for sale. Fortunately I've rarely in my life had to sell anything out of financial necessity. My worst personal example, though, was selling an old Colt 1903 38 acp. I had bought it from an old timer for $200 sometime in the early '90s. It had a broken spring and I thought I could fix it. I went to a gunsmith looking for a spring or something to make one out of. He didn't have anything but took my phone number.

A little later I get a phone call from a buddy of his asking if I wanted to sell it. I liked it and wanted to keep it, but said I'd sell it for $250. He came out to look at it and proceeded to use every sleazy salesman trick to beat me up on price. I was young and nieve and let it go way too cheap. He even insisted on getting the box of vintage ammo that came with it.

I saw him at a gun show a month or two later with my gun in a glass case, with a price of $600 on it. I have about as much respect for people like that as I do for a stinking thief. Yeah I'm still a little ticked off about it. That was a neat old gun.

[nvbirdman]

At a flea market one time I offered a guy ten bucks for something. He told me they cost twenty at K Mart. I told him "You're not K Mart", turned around and walked away.

[beechbum444]

The last LGS that I went into, I found something that was priced right and I was not even going to haggle. The plan was to pay the price and leave. While I was filling out paper work, I asked the guy if this price was out the door....He disappeared for a minute, came back and said that he'd knock off $50.00. Honestly, I just thought it was carma tipping its hat at me....As far as haggling, the not priced issue gets me, I start low or start with a good ice breaker. At one point I offered to bring a birthday cake to the item because if it sat there a few more months it would be celebrating its 2nd birthday in the store. It went home with me. The antique malls get me too.