Buyers offering less

[BakersDozen]

Gal sends a message this morning asking about an item - yes, it's available, see you this afternoon. No problem, right? She's going to be a bit late - no problem. She arrives and says, "I don't have change, will you take $10?"

Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe I'm tired of buyers low-balling and being flaky. Maybe the gal who took stuff w/o leaving the right amount of money when I stupidly did a porch pick up left me grumpy and not willing to work with people. Or maybe my prices are very fair and I know I'm using monies to buy stuff for my kids while someone else is getting a good deal for their kids. But I'm past the point of saying, "OK, sure."

I said, "No, I'm not taking $10," and started to go back inside. And wouldn't you know it? The gal takes out more money from her wallet - exact amount owed.

I refrained from saying to her what was on my mind at that point.

That's all.

[AmandaVT]

Good for you!! I hate stuff like that. 

[Carol in Cal.]

I would be super tempted to say, "I've changed my mind." and shut the door.  Probably wouldn't, but it's tempting.  I don't mind bargaining, but if someone lies to my face that really fries me.  And bargaining should be done in advance of the verbal contract.

[HomeAgain]

I was a kid, early teens, and running a yard sale.  A guy pestered me to give him something for far less than the already low tag, saying he didn't have the money.  I finally relented, only to have him pull out a $100 bill to get change.

After that I was done playing games.  It soured me on the idea of haggling for a long time.

Good for you for not backing down! 

[vonfirmath]

49 minutes ago, BakersDozen said:

Gal sends a message this morning asking about an item - yes, it's available, see you this afternoon. No problem, right? She's going to be a bit late - no problem. She arrives and says, "I don't have change, will you take $10?"

Maybe I'm getting old. Maybe I'm tired of buyers low-balling and being flaky. Maybe the gal who took stuff w/o leaving the right amount of money when I stupidly did a porch pick up left me grumpy and not willing to work with people. Or maybe my prices are very fair and I know I'm using monies to buy stuff for my kids while someone else is getting a good deal for their kids. But I'm past the point of saying, "OK, sure."

I said, "No, I'm not taking $10," and started to go back inside. And wouldn't you know it? The gal takes out more money from her wallet - exact amount owed.

I refrained from saying to her what was on my mind at that point.

That's all.

FYI when I don't have exact change, I offer more, NOT less.\

(so if the item is $15 and I don't have time to get exact change, I'll give them $20)

 

Edited December 27, 2021 by vonfirmath

[JustEm]

1 minute ago, vonfirmath said:

FYI when I don't have exact change, I offer more, NOT less.

Me too

[KungFuPanda]

"Now I have to apply a $5 penalty for lying.  Do you still want it?"

[Grace Hopper]

People are nuts sometimes. 
 

I have learned to include a bunch of caveats in my online postings: cash only, exact change only, you must pickup/transport, no refunds, hours/days/locations for the transaction,  must respond to my communication by X time or I will move on to the next inquiry, etc. And I’ve learned to have change for a $20 in my back pocket when making the sale, just in case it’s needed. I honestly don’t have too many hagglers when I sell online, but I’ll never have another garage sale because ime that’s where I get asked to sell things for next to nothing.  

Good for you for standing your ground. I strive to price things reasonably when selling online, which means I often have a couple to many inquiries and know I have another prospective buyer waiting in the wings if the first one pulls shenanigans. 

 

[alisoncooks]

I don’t have a problem with someone offering less…*before* agreeing to buy it! I have a big problem when someone pulls crap like that, though. 

[gardenmom5]

I've had some who wanted me to deliver it.

One guy - after hassle, I finally said, I will deliver it for $___ (nearly the same as the price I was charging for the item), at this window of time.  I never heard from him again. Which was good - I was done dealing with him.

I have told people - if you want new condition, go to the store and buy a brand new item.  this is good-used.

[gardenmom5]

On 12/27/2021 at 6:23 PM, alisoncooks said:

I don’t have a problem with someone offering less…*before* agreeing to buy it! I have a big problem when someone pulls crap like that, though. 

I'm sick of it - If my ad doesn't say OBO, nope.  Especially if they bothered to look they'd see it had been listed an hour before they responded.

I've auto deleted replies like that.

[gardenmom5]

On 12/27/2021 at 6:14 PM, Grace Hopper said:

People are nuts sometimes. 
I’ll never have another garage sale because ime that’s where I get asked to sell things for next to nothing.  

Good for you for standing your ground. I strive to price things reasonably when selling online, which means I often have a couple to many inquiries and know I have another prospective buyer waiting in the wings if the first one pulls shenanigans. 

 

I went to a garage sale by a couple hoarders.  They had a bunch of crochet magazines with an original cover price of $0.75.  Guess how much she wanted for them?  $2.50 - $3.00 each.   When I asked her "oh, that's how much they're going for now".   Well, then I don't need to buy them from you.  There were A LOT.  The sale was there the next weekend too (it was near my mom's house.).   I didn't stop buy to see if a dent had been made in the hoard.