Warning/ Reaction to Lowballers.

[danielteng]

Recently, in the B&S section, I have personally noticed the increased occurrences of sellers warning lowballers to "stay away", "don't bother to offer" or something to the tune of 'if-you-offer-below-my-start-price, I-will-hire-vampire-assassins-to-murder-you-and-your extended-family." :devil:

I've had my fair share of 'interesting' buyers in the B&S section but kinda wonder if it necessary to sound 'combative' by issuing 'warnings' because:

1. Everyone wants a good deal.
2. One man's meat is another man's poison. ie: maybe what is low to someone is reasonable to another?
3. Nothing is REALLY going to stop someone from sending you an offer. ie: do lowballers read the ad and go "Oh man, this guy seems fierce, maybe I won't lowball him..."
4. Do you have to warn people that they will be ignored? Isn't the overwhelming sense of rejection from an unanswered text msg/email/pm good enough to deter said lowballers?

Lowballers, I frankly don't mind, at least you know where they're coming from, but those "I'm-REALLY-REALLY-sincere/interested-but-then-fly-aeroplane" people I cannot stand. :nono:

My most interesting experience happened when I actually ACCEPTED a lowball offer and then have the guy reply and say that he couldn't follow through his offer because he "FELT BAD" for lowballing! Almost laughed out loud over the phone. Haiz... :sweat:

Wanna hear from other disgruntled sellers, if you please.

 

[mattlock]

you know what's reasonable?
the amount that I state in my own post. If I want to lower the price I'll lower the price in a separate quote
I just treat it the same way I would treat other people when I require to buy something.
I respect their price and don't randomly quote low prices just to test my luck

If you can take it unemotionally that's great for you, but I guess I find lowballing disgusting.
I can understand asking a slightly lower price but I've gotten people asking for 50% of the asking price. *rolls eyeballs*

 

[ominblue]

you know what's reasonable?
the amount that I state in my own post. If I want to lower the price I'll lower the price in a separate quote
I just treat it the same way I would treat other people when I require to buy something.
I respect their price and don't randomly quote low prices just to test my luck

If you can take it unemotionally that's great for you, but I guess I find lowballing disgusting.
I can understand asking a slightly lower price but I've gotten people asking for 50% of the asking price. *rolls eyeballs*

I second this!
:bsmilie::bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[danielteng]

50%??? haven't been so 'lucky' yet so maybe that's why I can take it better...
Can understand how it can be quite 'disrespectful' in that sense. Thanks for sharing Mattlock.

 

[night86mare]

someone tried to buy my k100d a while back, it was going for damn cheap already at $450 for a dslr with kit lens.

they asked, i am student, can i buy for $250? i didn't even bother to reply.

easy for the people who haven't encountered to say; some people are just trying their luck to be ridiculous.

 

[night86mare]

i think most lowballers are just traders, i.e. buy low sell high.

 

[iMac08]

i hate this kind of student s**t...usually i will reply no money then don't buy.Go study hard,be a gd student.earn the money then come back anD buy. For the real retarded ones..i will tell them FO.

someone tried to buy my k100d a while back, it was going for damn cheap already at $450 for a dslr with kit lens.

they asked, i am student, can i buy for $250? i didn't even bother to reply.

easy for the people who haven't encountered to say; some people are just trying their luck to be ridiculous.

 

[hongkie]

How bout meeting a buyer giving lowball offer when you listed Price : XXX (FIXED) ? Meet one before, champion sia that kind.

 

[Joshua0718]

How bout meeting a buyer giving lowball offer when you listed Price : XXX (FIXED) ? Meet one before, champion sia that kind.

No by all means, he can't do anything. Else, he will be wasting his time as well.

 

[madmacs]

that's why now i will list a price as fixed. seems to work since i hardly get lowballers disturbing. interested parties will contact me to negotiate.

 

[Rangefinder_fan]

I normally reply with a post filled with laughter.
Sometimes they get the message, but one time this guy replied to ask if his offer was okay.. Wth..

Agree with Mattlock, its disrespectful to offer something significantly lower then what the seller is asking for. But I guess the fact that most first contacts are faceless gives low ballers the gall to ask for those crazy prices.
Seriously, if the asking price is beyond the budget, well, tough luck. This isnt a charity.

 

[La Fontaine]

When we get these pain-in-the-a** lowballers, we get agitated, pissed off, angry etc.

This is becos we are not those who sell things in a shop, seeing walk in customers day in, day out.

Yes, it is a good idea to say that the price is fixed. Lowballers will find it a waste of time to respond. Just like some stores would hang a big sign saying "Fixed Price".

To me, if someone offers me 10% less than what I posted, I would consider it and contact the person to start to negotiate. If it is like 20% less, then, I could consider it a lowballer. Well, that is how I feel about it. In any case, I do not have much experience in BnS.

 

[agentxq49]

Normally, when i buy in BnS, i just ask if i can get something say at $180 instead of $200. If they say cannot, ill just get it at $200 if i really want it.

I do that all the time Thus i find that 'lowballing' at say 5+-% is ok, but if lowball until like from $200 to $150 i just say nicely cannot offer so low.

 

[mattlock]

Normally, when i buy in BnS, i just ask if i can get something say at $180 instead of $200. If they say cannot, ill just get it at $200 if i really want it.

I do that all the time Thus i find that 'lowballing' at say 5+-% is ok, but if lowball until like from $200 to $150 i just say nicely cannot offer so low.

So if someone offers a camera that's market value of $200 you'll offer $180 anyway?just for fun?
So if another someone offers the same camera for $250, you'll offer $225?
So it's better for sellers to just put a price that's 10% higher for people such as yourself?

 

[night86mare]

Normally, when i buy in BnS, i just ask if i can get something say at $180 instead of $200. If they say cannot, ill just get it at $200 if i really want it.

I do that all the time Thus i find that 'lowballing' at say 5+-% is ok, but if lowball until like from $200 to $150 i just say nicely cannot offer so low.

it irritates the hell out of me.

if my camera is already slightly below market price because i do not care for haggling, and i don't expect any haggling because it is a bloody good price, and you lower it some more, then that says something about you - either you are damn boh liao, or that you think you can push it.

 

[seanlim]

I second the notion that > 5% lowballers are a waste of time.

However, (playing the devil's advocate here), I dont get all the animosity against 'i am a student'.. I mean c'mon, we all start somewhere. Didn't we all want to get a good deal when we just started out? Isn't there this thing inside all photographers, mainly teenagers, hoping some really generous 'old bird' would see the enthusiasm in us and in kind let go one of his cameras?? It's not as if all sellers are there to make the most profit some are there to see their equipment go to the best of hands.

 

[CS TAN]

The problem with that is not everyone claimed they are a poor student is actually a poor student. Some might not even be a student and some might be a not so poor student with a rich daddy. How can you tell?

 

[Cartman2000]

I second the notion that > 5% lowballers are a waste of time.

However, (playing the devil's advocate here), I dont get all the animosity against 'i am a student'.. I mean c'mon, we all start somewhere. Didn't we all want to get a good deal when we just started out? Isn't there this thing inside all photographers, mainly teenagers, hoping some really generous 'old bird' would see the enthusiasm in us and in kind let go one of his cameras?? It's not as if all sellers are there to make the most profit some are there to see their equipment go to the best of hands.

I'll be blunt.

I don't care if someone is a student or not. To me, it's merely something said in parenthesis to make lowballing acceptable. I'm going to sell my item at a price that I'm comfortable with regardless of whether your budget agrees with my stated price or not.

I'm a student myself and I know not to bargain when the seller states his price to be FIXED

 

[mattlock]

I second the notion that > 5% lowballers are a waste of time.

However, (playing the devil's advocate here), I dont get all the animosity against 'i am a student'.. I mean c'mon, we all start somewhere. Didn't we all want to get a good deal when we just started out? Isn't there this thing inside all photographers, mainly teenagers, hoping some really generous 'old bird' would see the enthusiasm in us and in kind let go one of his cameras?? It's not as if all sellers are there to make the most profit some are there to see their equipment go to the best of hands.

the enthusiasm to lowball?
Sure I'll entertain "students"
just be prepared to show me a kickass portfolio and blow me away with your work and maybe I'll think about it

 

[zaren]

lowballers will eventually self pwn.....

they will even try to lowball a super cheap sale item, only to see it sold off in the next 5 mins to another buyer. classic. :bsmilie: