CL etiquette with overpriced items

[pipsters]

Can I get some negotiating tips from the pros here?

I want to try my hand at simple welding, so I've been wanting to pick up an el cheapo HF 90 amp flux wire welder. Coupons are for $90, which is cheap enough, but the cheap bone in me wants to do better. So I look on CL. Find one for $100 listed.

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/tls/3478953426.html

Email is as follows, after the first exchange confirming it's still available (it is 4 weeks old).

You guys want more than new. I have a coupon for $89.99 (see link below). How bout $50?

http://shopping.sltrib.com/listings/ind/HARBOR+FREIGHT+TOOLS/14765

Response came back "Its already sold". Which I don't believe for a second, considering 12 hours prior it was still available, and they were excited to even hear from me.

Was I too forward? $50 too little as a first round figure? I figure they'd counter at $75 or something.

 

[4x4renotaco]

If they say it's sold, what are you gonna do? I got an offer today on my CL ad, 2 iphones for 200 each - guy offered me 100$ for both. I countered with 350. What can ya do?

Sometimes CL is a pain. I'd move on and keep searching. Why not go with a stick welder?

Edit: Point of my story is people either lowball you or they ask way too much. My pricing was pretty fair. All you can do is offer/counter offer.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Watch American Pickers and Pawn Stars. Great training for horse trading.

 

[pipsters]

Well obviously I can't do anything. Which I don't really care about, I mean the $40 I'd save isn't the end of the world. It's just more the attitude I typically get on CL. 2 iPhones for $200, and I don't know much about iPhones but that seems fair, completely different then pricing an item for $10 more than it's sold in store.

Had a recent guy on this site talk **** about a guy who came and looked at his vises. Guy wants $150 for a Columbian 4", WAAAY overpriced, but is pissed when the guy makes a counter. I dunno I don't get it, folks know their stuff is overpriced, but I'm having a hard time gently telling them that while beating them down in price.

Or who knows, maybe they just don't want to sell?

 

[pipsters]

Watch American Pickers and Pawn Stars. Great training for horse trading.

I watch the Pickers show but honestly can't believe it. They start off low, he starts off high, they casually meet in the middle, way too scripted.

I watched my father in law beat down a guy so bad he was practically begging me to just give him the $$ and leave, it was humorous, I don't know how some folks can do it !

 

[03protege]

It looks new in the box, I can't blame him for telling you it's sold.

Would you sell something you bought for $100, and didn't use, for $50?

I wouldn't.

 

[pipsters]

I wouldn't. But if it's up for a month, and someone finally shows interest, I would at least counter, especially when they show me they can go buy it in store for $10 less...that is my point...in store...for LESS...why would I pay more for an nonreturnable item?

 

[jim2664258]

There's no reason to lie about it being sold - I mean, he could just ignore your email or counter with an offer higher than the original asking price, as suggested above

Anyone asking close to retail price for a used item, even if barely used, I just ignore. No way someone like that will take half, they are just delusional. Not worth your time unless you just want to email them to be a smartass

 

[btbsandman]

I wouldn't. But if it's up for a month, and someone finally shows interest, I would at least counter, especially when they show me they can go buy it in store for $10 less...that is my point...in store...for LESS...why would I pay more for an nonreturnable item?

You insulted him. A person's emotion is directly tied to their wallet.

 

[pipsters]

There's no reason to lie about it being sold - I mean, he could just ignore your email or counter with an offer higher than the original asking price, as suggested above

Anyone asking close to retail price for a used item, even if barely used, I just ignore. No way someone like that will take half, they are just delusional. Not worth your time unless you just want to email them to be a smartass

Probably true, although I do not for a second believe it is sold.

 

[03protege]

I mean at least you tried, nothing lost. You may have gotten lucky and got it, or he may have kidnapped you when you showed up to buy it.

 

[pipsters]

You insulted him. A person's emotion is directly tied to their wallet.

How would you respond to get them to see the light? Or is it just not possible with some people?

I see this with the Lincoln 225's in my area as well. Folks are posting POS old ones for $250-$300 all day. In store they are $299 minus 10% movers coupon. $270 for a new one...even $200 is too much for used.

 

[pipsters]

I mean at least you tried, nothing lost. You may have gotten lucky and got it, or he may have kidnapped you when you showed up to buy it.

Exactly that is why CL demands a huge discount...

 

[firebox40dash5]

It looks new in the box, I can't blame him for telling you it's sold.

Would you sell something you bought for $100, and didn't use, for $50?

I wouldn't.

Why would I go buy something from some guy for $100, when I could buy it new from the store for $90?

My best advice is to just be ready to walk away. Some people, probably like this guy, are going to stick by their guns, and DGAF. I'd rather lose a few bucks and get it sold quick, but if he wants to hold out for top dollar, take forever, deal with a bunch of CL idiots, and then eventually probably settle for less than you offered, let him.

I emailed a guy that had a bunch of SO tools listed, and had a couple KRL722s I was interested in in the pics. He tells me he's looking to get about $3k each for them, and has a couple. I ask him if he's got any flexibility, because unless they're seriously like new, that's high as hell, and I'd be interested a lot closer to $2k... he says no, I've got people lined up to buy these at $2500-2700. Um, OK dude, is that why you've got a couple of them?

 

[purplezr2]

I watch the Pickers show but honestly can't believe it. They start off low, he starts off high, they casually meet in the middle, way too scripted.

I watched my father in law beat down a guy so bad he was practically begging me to just give him the $$ and leave, it was humorous, I don't know how some folks can do it !

That is pretty much how it works in the real world as fair as I have seen. Also no point in telling someone they are overpriced as it will just offend them. Mine as well just make your offer.

 

[454ragtop]

Two problems I see here. Personally I go to look at something before making an offer, shows interest and commitment on my part. If I listed something and someone offered me half without even coming to check it out, I'd blow them off too. But in this case, where the price is the same or more than new, best is usually to just move along. But if I thought it was worth pursuing, probably be better off politely saying something like " I was just checking on these welders to see if it would do what I need it to do , and found I can buy a new one for $90. Can you do any better on your price?" This hopefully at least opens up a dialogue to get your foot in the door. I can't help but think you'd be better off saving a few more bucks and buy a more competent welder, but that's up to you.
HTH, Jim

 

[btbsandman]

How would you respond to get them to see the light? Or is it just not possible with some people?

I see this with the Lincoln 225's in my area as well. Folks are posting POS old ones for $250-$300 all day. In store they are $299 minus 10% movers coupon. $270 for a new one...even $200 is too much for used.

You are right some people wont see the light. I would have showed up, offered 75 bucks in cold cash.

I only posted one thing on CL. That was an old car I was trying to sell. I had many replies, from low lifes.

Took the car to a junkyard and got 300 bucks. And the benefit of not dealing with a low life.

 

[pipsters]

Two problems I see here. Personally I go to look at something before making an offer, shows interest and commitment on my part. If I listed something and someone offered me half without even coming to check it out, I'd blow them off too. But in this case, where the price is the same or more than new, best is usually to just move along. But if I thought it was worth pursuing, probably be better off politely saying something like " I was just checking on these welders to see if it would do what I need it to do , and found I can buy a new one for $90. Can you do any better on your price?" This hopefully at least opens up a dialogue to get your foot in the door. I can't help but think you'd be better off saving a few more bucks and buy a more competent welder, but that's up to you.
HTH, Jim

I do that on items that are priced accordingly not dilusional, no sense wasting my time in driving 45 mins round trip on something like this, especially when I drive right past Harbor Freight!!

$$ isn't the problem, I just want to try welding and this is a good way to get into it without having to explain why I bought a $1000 welder to the wife . I need to weld my exhaust and saw the guy using this welder to fix a crack on my car several months ago so figured if it was good enough for a hole in the wall muffler shop it's good enough for me to start out on!

 

[byoungblood]

There is an idiot (seems to be the rule, rather than the exception on my local CL) that was originally asking $500 for a Craftsman 100/150 bench top drill press. I curtly explained to him that it is maybe worth $100 at most, and that I paid $70 for mine about a year ago in slightly dirtier condition.

I guess something got through to him, as it showed up again last week for $300. Still way too much, but a start. Problem is, between the TV shows and eBay, there are too many people running around thinking they are sitting on a gold mine because it is old and has a "patina". After all, eBay has shown us that by putting the words "RARE" and "VINTAGE" in an items description, it instantly raises the value by 200-300%!

If I am interested in something that is priced way too high, I will probably throw a feeler out there price wise just to see if they priced it that way to get what they really want out of it and are willing to negotiate, or if they are just an idiot. Saves me a lot of time driving all the way across town to look at something to find they won't budge on the price.

 

[Lightfoot]

I was looking for a foosball table to put in my gameroom during Christmas when all our company was visiting. So i go on CL, and see this new in box foosball table listed for 150. It's over an hour from me, so i email the guy and ask if 100 cash will buy it. he says 150 cash will buy it and no less, so i forget about it and never did buy one. I began looking again about a week ago, lo and behold-- the same guy, has re-listed the same table now for 75. So i now ask if 50 cash will buy it just for shits and giggles, he writes back and says no-75 is what it takes. I say ok fine, if you change your mind later, let me know. He shoulda took my first offer and he would have 25 bucks more than he's asking now
Some may ask, well if you'd have given 100 for it then, why not give 75 now? Well, i'm stubborn, i'm gett'n older, and i just plain don't want to

 

[firebox40dash5]

I do that on items that are priced accordingly not dilusional, no sense wasting my time in driving 45 mins round trip on something like this, especially when I drive right past Harbor Freight!!

Exactly. I'm polite and won't try to haggle over the phone or by email... if the price is in the ballpark. But if you're asking more than it could possibly be worth, I'm not wasting my time driving over to see if the seller will come down below new price, that's just dumb. If they can't accept "Hey, you're asking more than it's selling for new, can you do better?" before I look at it, oh well.

Some people are just goofy. I was trying to buy a transfer case adapter for my truck off another board's classifieds a while back. Found a guy selling exactly what I needed, but he's asking like $100 more than I can buy it for, plus shipping. So I tell him "Look, I can buy this brand new from the manufacturer for $350, with free shipping, what's with your price?" He comes back with this story of "Well, I bought it for $400, and I paid shipping, plus sales tax because I live in the same state, so that's what I need to get out of it." Well, cool story bro, and good luck with your sale. Hate to break it to you, but when the manufacturer drops the retail price, you probably need to follow suit, and your shipping costs and sales tax are a sunk cost, plain and simple. That's great you live in CA and had to pay tax, but I don't, so I don't... I'm not going to pay you back your CA sales tax.

 

[NC-Fordguy]

Life is all relevant to which side of the counter you're on

 

[machine_punk]

My personal limit is 75% of new. If someone is trying to sell something 'used,' EVEN IF it is brand new, in the box, for 75% or more of the new price, I'm not interested. Why would I pay premium money for your abused junk? I'll save my pennies and go buy new, and have a warranty, and be sure nobody else has used and abused it.

To the OP...you did fine. I won't even make an offer on folks who think their stuff is made of gold (at or over the 'new' price.) My preferred deal is closer to 10-25% of new. I'll rarely even try on something listed over 50% of new. I'm all for trying to make a dollar, but there is no way I am going to pay over 50% of new for something used. There are too many possible problems (took it out of the box, blew it up on the first weld, then put it back in the box). I wouldn't have even called the guy, but your original offer isn't too far off from reality (it just sounds like this guy has an unreal expectation).

There are a lot of people on CL who really aren't trying to sell their stuff (They are trying to convince a spouse they are actually trying to sell it OR they are really not connected with reality). I keep seeing this way-overpriced CNC parts on my local CL EVERY DAY...for WAY more than anyone is EVER going to give him for it. Don't know what his problem is, or why he doesn't creep down the price over time to see if he can get bites...but he is never going to get the money he seems to think it is worth. So, I don't worry about those guys...I just keep watching for the deals I want at the price I want. I'm rarely in a hurry to get stuff I am looking for on CL. I have the time to wait and watch.

Look at the show Wheeler Dealers...that guy is the first one to ask for a deal and the first one to fuss when others ask for a deal. This is the nature of the beast...and running into folks who believe their stuff is made of gold is part of the deal. Make a great deal when you can and move on when you cannot.

You aren't wrong in what you did. He isn't wrong for listing it too high. But you won't ever find the 'middle ground' with folks like that. This world is full of people who don't think like me and don't 'get it.' You cannot lose sleep over that. Let it go. Move one. Keep watching for the next good deal or go out to your garage and build something (then come here and post pics!)

Kev

 

[03protege]

Why would I go buy something from some guy for $100, when I could buy it new from the store for $90?

My best advice is to just be ready to walk away. Some people, probably like this guy, are going to stick by their guns, and DGAF. I'd rather lose a few bucks and get it sold quick, but if he wants to hold out for top dollar, take forever, deal with a bunch of CL idiots, and then eventually probably settle for less than you offered, let him.

I emailed a guy that had a bunch of SO tools listed, and had a couple KRL722s I was interested in in the pics. He tells me he's looking to get about $3k each for them, and has a couple. I ask him if he's got any flexibility, because unless they're seriously like new, that's high as hell, and I'd be interested a lot closer to $2k... he says no, I've got people lined up to buy these at $2500-2700. Um, OK dude, is that why you've got a couple of them?

Next time your looking to sell some tools that are new in box for 50% of what you paid give me a holler.

 

[stratman977]

I have a strict policy of only calling about items I already think are fairly priced and I usually give them what they ask. I find that either its too cheap and probably junk or stolen or it too high and the seller is either trying to rip you off or thinks their garbage is gold and wont deal. I always come out ahead that way.

I think the guy did you a favor in this case. That welder doesn't seem to have the right heat setting no matter what your welding and the wire feeder seems to only adjust properly when it feels like it. You will hate welding and think you **** at it but its just the junk welder. I'd suggest saving the $75 and see if you local community college or vo-tech has an adult night class to learn.

 

[dirtydogintex]

CL etiquette?

Isn't that like internets etiquette - a representation of who ya are wanna be?

 

[NHBandit]

Call me old fashioned but... the time for negotiating is when the buyer and the seller are standing vace to face and the cash is immediately available. I would have blown you off too.

 

[0.511MeV]

I read an article a while back, maybe in Wired Magazine, about the TV economy and Craigslist. If someone buys a TV for $1000 and uses it for a year and thinks about selling it, they'll price it based on the $1000 they paid for it and think it is probably worth $750. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has lowered the price to $750. The end result is you can buy used stuff for the same price as brand new. The article didn't really have a good resolution to that, other than suggesting sellers look at the current brand new price and base their selling price on that.


Personally, I price **** on Craigslist to sell. $20 is my favorite price for anything other than cars. If I can get a $20 out of it, great. If not, Goodwill gets it. If someone tries to negotiate via email or phone, I ignore them. My favorite meeting spot for deals is the parking lot of Goodwill. That way I can donate it if that person decides they don't want it for $20. I have little patience for hassle.

 

[rjwilliams]

To the OP: I would say when dealing with Craigslist it is always good to reply to the person selling it with "I saw that you were selling this item, is it still available?" If they respond back with a yes I counter with what I am willing to pay. Normally I only lowball if I tell them that I am willing to come pick it up right away. I know a lot of these guys on here talk about being polite and negotiating while you are there but I am not wasting my time or gas to argue with an idiot when I can do it from home. I have had a lot of success with Craigslist both buying and selling.

 

[dirtydogintex]

...
I know a lot of these guys on here talk about being polite and negotiating while you are there but I am not wasting my time or gas to argue with an idiot when I can do it from home. I have had a lot of success with Craigslist both buying and selling.

Bingo....
Same's true for ebay 'reserves' - waste of time.
When it comes to this type of buying/selling why not dispense w/the pleasantries and get down to the haggling? or at least determine real fast if both parties are even in the same price universe?

 

[KinzeMech]

some CL ads just have to be ignored...

My rule of thumb (will ignore it on occassion) is that if it's used in good condition, I will go up to 50% of new price. I usually don't haggle.

If the seller has some wrong ideas about what his item is worth, then to buy it at fair price, you'd have to first educate him, and then talk him down. It's not worth the hassle, and it's usually not possible to educate him on the subject, as the typical cause of this problem is closed mindedness to begin with... Don't waste your time, and move on to the next ad.

BTW, the welder you are looking at is a bargain for light duty stuff. Change the wire to good wire, or use it up on welds of lesser importance, it's crappy wire. I've had mine for a year, and managed not to break it yet.

 

[Murphy4570]

How would you respond to get them to see the light? Or is it just not possible with some people?

I see this with the Lincoln 225's in my area as well. Folks are posting POS old ones for $250-$300 all day. In store they are $299 minus 10% movers coupon. $270 for a new one...even $200 is too much for used.

Hah I see this all the time on my local CL too!

The old Lincoln buzz boxes are priced anywhere from $175-300+ dollars! I kept checking religiously, and snagged one for $50 after a month of searching. I've got a better stick welder now, and when I go to sell the old Lincoln, I'll prolly sell it for $100 (comes with a nice cart for the heavy thing to roll around on).

Some sellers are reasonable in their prices, but most are not.

It is what it is.

 

[pipsters]

To the OP: I would say when dealing with Craigslist it is always good to reply to the person selling it with "I saw that you were selling this item, is it still available?" If they respond back with a yes I counter with what I am willing to pay. Normally I only lowball if I tell them that I am willing to come pick it up right away. I know a lot of these guys on here talk about being polite and negotiating while you are there but I am not wasting my time or gas to argue with an idiot when I can do it from home. I have had a lot of success with Craigslist both buying and selling.

That is exactly what I did, first email confirmed it was still there (listing was 4 weeks old). It was. Second email was my offer based upon what I could buy new in store.

 

[kythri]

Next time your looking to sell some tools that are new in box for 50% of what you paid give me a holler.

I get where you're coming from here, but, seriously - do you expect to get full retail for NIB stuff? Or, more appropriately, do you expect to get an 11% markup above full retail for NIB stuff?

Further, the thing has no receipt, so, unless your HF store is going to be nice, you're screwed if the thing is broken.

I don't think the offer was all that unreasonable, considering the provenance of the item in question.

The only place I'm going to pay full retail to is the actual retailer, because there's certain benefits I get for that.

 

[ajchien]

You insulted him. A person's emotion is directly tied to their wallet.

I believe this to be true. Emotion is tied to the wallet.

Some people are too emotionally attached to their item for one reason or another. Either sentimental value-"belonged to dad". Or buyer's remorse "I paid too much".

You just move on to the next seller.

To find a good deal you need to run through enough sellers until you find one who dosent care about it item, or really needs the money. Either "Im getting rid of the old geezer's stuff." or "****, this has been sitting around too long, it's gotta go"

 

[jcbarry]

Craigslist is just a microcosm of society. Some people are reasonable and easy to deal with, but a large portion of them are just unreasonable. You just have to separate the wheat from the chaff.

 

[jacked_72]

There is no etiquette on CL. You did yourself and the guy a favor by sending him your email, whether you insulted him or not. Now you know to move on and maybe he sold it and maybe he just doesn't like you. And you saved yourself a trip.

As for negotiating from home, that's what I do especially since most of the stuff on CL is way over priced. I recently bought a Matco tool cart that didn't have any pictures. The listing price was $90 and I sent a polite text saying that I was interested and asking for some pictures. When the pictures arrived, it was older and more beat up that I thought was reasonable for $90 so I told him pass. Five minutes later he has dropped the price to $60. Deal. Turns out it was a younger guy who was anxious to get some money to go out with friends for the evening. So, the moral of my story is that being polite is good, but its best to deal with a motivated seller and not a professional bullshitter. I see the same ads week after week for the same high priced ****. You have to know to avoid those sellers. And my rule is 50-60 percent of new, tops. Most of what I get off of CL is non-essential stuff and I'm just bargain hunting. If someone's crazy high, eg full retail or retail plus, I don't even bother. You're not going to convince someone like that of anything. Just move along at that point and go to the next ad. And my rule of thumb is if the listing isn't in the first page on the CL postings, its not a bargain. Anything you see a couple of days old has already been rejected by thousands and thousands of other buyers.

 

[Journaler]

Call me old fashioned but... the time for negotiating is when the buyer and the seller are standing vace to face and the cash is immediately available. I would have blown you off too.

That's not the case if the item is "far" away. I would hate to drive 2 hours to find out the guy wouldn't budge on his higher than retail price.
I'm sure I lose many deals because guys have blown me off for negotiating over the phone/email. I just want to set expectations. If I show up, and the item matches what's in the pictures/description, then I'm gonna buy it for the agreed price. If there's some feature/flaw I'm particularly concerned about, I ask for a good picture of it before the negotiations.

Diesel is expensive, bandwidth is already pre-paid.

 

[pendragon1998]

We have a used tool.store in town. Well, really it iw a great neck store with some junked out old power tools for sale, but they call themselves a used tool store. Anyway, guy had a dented HF red toolcart for sale for $200. You can buy those all day for $169 new, although we are 1.5 hrs from the nearest HF. So I go in and respectfully point out the cost for a new one and suggest he save me the gas and time and sell it to me for $150. He just refused to budge below $190. He really ought to know better. I saw the same cart sitting there several months later when I stuck my head in.

Point being, sometimes you are just too far apart on price. If I was going to waaay lowball someone, I would just be very nice, maybe explain a little about my reasoning, or just say that 'I know this is lower than you were thinking, but this is where I am at on price for this item'. Don't imply they are stupid or thieving, even if you believe it. Be respectful and polite, and they might drop their price, or call you back after you leave and counter-offer you.

 

[ckadams00]

I'll add a point about CL that I didn't see mentioned (maybe I missed it): there are a LOT of uninformed buyers (and sellers) out there who simply don't know what items are worth. It works both ways, by the way . . .just check out the multiple "look at this great deal I got off CL!" posts.

I watched the same (I think) "vintage" CMan drill press for $500 (LOL) for a while - there's no point in trying to explain to the sellers that their goods aren't worth close to what they are asking. In the same way, there are probably people who will pay $300 for an item that people on this forum wouldn't touch for more than $75.

At the end of the day items are worth what they sell for.