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Offer etiquette

ebacon said:
I would like to watch that.

I looked at web page for the local small claims court. It seems as though the cases are heard by volunteer attorneys and in rare cases magistrates. I practice patent law so I rarely get close to transaction litigation. Maybe two times in ten years have I even gotten tangentially close.
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It was interesting. I was a litigation attorney for 10 years before dumping that whole crazy world, but it was kind of fun getting back into it, even on such a small basis. Here in Colorado Springs a magistrate hears the cases. From what I saw waiting for my case to be heard people generally try to follow court rules and procedures, but I think the magistrates must have the patience of Job. While I was waiting in the hall for my process server to show I did hear a magistrate in the other small claims court room go ballistic at somebody.
 
similost said:
IF someone asks me if I will take X dollars, and I say yes, then if he says well if you'll take that,then I know you'll go lower... My answer is gonna be **** off....
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Right on the money there, Simi, it indicates "scumbag". I've got to the point that if I have a CL buyer coming to listen to an item I usually tell them if they have no intention of paying the asking price, or close to it, not to waste their time. If I get a reply for an item listed at say, $100, and get a $50 offer, I won't answer. Replies worded such as "it's only worth this, so that's what I'll pay" are told to sit on it and rotate vigorously. And if you come to my home and offer 50% (or less!) of the asking price, you'll be asked to leave. Thats my take on etiquette.
 
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similost said:
Also, if you aren't willing to buy it at the price of the offer you make, then don't make an offer..
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So true. I also like when people buy things at ebay and then come to pick it up at your place. For some it seems totally normal to renegotiate the price, as if the ebay price was just a first level of price negotiation.
 
When a buyer makes an offer and the offer is accepted, the auction is over and the buyer owns the item.

All that's left is to pay for it and receive it.

If the buyer refused to pay the amount that was offered and accepted, then the buyer gets an NPB against him.
 
Pennytobi said:
So true. I also like when people buy things at ebay and then come to pick it up at your place. For some it seems totally normal to renegotiate the price, as if the ebay price was just a first level of price negotiation.
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Wow, I never even thought someone would do that!

I think my conversation like the OP suggested would go like this:

Hey, I'll give you $XX for your stuff
OK, it's yours.
if you'll take $XX for them then you'll probably take even less. I'll change my offer to $XX.
CLICK (not in person of course!!)
 
On the other hand...

... there are sellers who wait till the end to tell you they want the PP payment sent as a "gift" instead of a payment for goods, which means the buyer has to eat the PP fees. IMO that's changing the price and I bail out.
 
jimbofish said:
... there are sellers who wait till the end to tell you they want the PP payment sent as a "gift" instead of a payment for goods, which means the buyer has to eat the PP fees.
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That isn't how it works. There are no fees to the buyer or seller when payment is sent as a gift.
 
The problem with gifting the money is that you will have no coverage should the item arrive smashed or not working, or as advertised.. you might {?} through ebay but not PP
 
Duckzilla said:
Right on the money there, Simi, it indicates "scumbag". I've got to the point that if I have a CL buyer coming to listen to an item I usually tell them if they have no intention of paying the asking price, or close to it, not to waste their time. If I get a reply for an item listed at say, $100, and get a $50 offer, I won't answer. Replies worded such as "it's only worth this, so that's what I'll pay" are told to sit on it and rotate vigorously. And if you come to my home and offer 50% (or less!) of the asking price, you'll be asked to leave. Thats my take on etiquette.
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I'll reply to all offers no matter how low. However I'm not inclined to negotiate in person unless my description is lacking. I recently sold a King size bed where the buyer said on the phone... I'll be right over and we'll talk. I knew that meant negotiate and getting rid of the bed was a priority, so it was ok. But if it was musical gear (I buy and sell a lot of guitar related stuff), I would have told them I don't negotiate in person.

WRT the OP. It's not even a matter of legal or etiquette. It's hard to imagine that this tactic even works. If someone did that to me I would likely raise my price to this person back to the original asking amount... take it or leave it.
 
So when do you negotiate if not in person?

I sell cars frequently and people call and dicuss them, and try to offer me less on the phone. I tell them I don't negotiate over the phone. When you're actually here, and have seen the car, then you can make an offer. Keeps the riffraff out!

Just trying to understand what you're saying.
 
fly135 said:
I'll reply to all offers no matter how low. However I'm not inclined to negotiate in person unless my description is lacking. I recently sold a King size bed where the buyer said on the phone... I'll be right over and we'll talk. I knew that meant negotiate and getting rid of the bed was a priority, so it was ok. But if it was musical gear (I buy and sell a lot of guitar related stuff), I would have told them I don't negotiate in person.

WRT the OP. It's not even a matter of legal or etiquette. It's hard to imagine that this tactic even works. If someone did that to me I would likely raise my price to this person back to the original asking amount... take it or leave it.
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YOu're right, there's always exceptions to the rule.
 
Wow, my limited number of Craigslist transactions have been great........ the people just paid what I asked. I put some worthless (to me anyway) old (not old enough to be vintage) computer stuff on Craigslist once, and got no bites until a month had gone by. The man gave me the $15 I asked for with no problems.
 
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