What Constitutes a "Low Ball" Offer?

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  • Bapak2ja

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    A respected moderator recently made this comment on a thread.

    "Some folks are just compelled to get that extra $10 knocked off the price. It is a win for them.
    If I see something I want and agree with the posted price I will respond I will take it and then work out the details.
    A few times I have made offers but never ridiculous low balls."

    The good gentleman referred to "ridiculous low balls." My question: What constitutes "ridiculous low balls"?

    Is it a percentage of the asking price? Is it based on what the item sells for new? Does it include the cost of shipping?

    If I ask $300 + shipping and someone replies "I'll give you $150+$40 shipping. You can keep the accessories and sell them separately for additional cash", is that low balling?

    Just curious. How does :ingo: determine at what point one can be insulted over an offer and call it "low ball"?
     

    Mgderf

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    Unpossible to determine.
    Everyone's panties don't bunch up at the same time, or to the same degree.

    "One mans trash is another mans treasure"

    Perception is almost impossible to qualify.
     

    Expat

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    Unpossible to determine.
    Everyone's panties don't bunch up at the same time, or to the same degree.

    "One mans trash is another mans treasure"

    Perception is almost impossible to qualify.

    Agree with Mgderf. Some guys will list a Gen 3 Glock (that sells at the LGS for $495) for $550 and thinks an offer of $500 is lowballing him.
     

    PistolBob

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    Rule of Selling/Buying: If you are selling, the buyer wants to screw you. If you are buying, the seller wants to screw you. If both parties walk away feeling like they screwed the other guy, a successful deal has been made.

    Now that's not everyone, certainly not you or I...but mainly pertains to those other guys. I say this all tongue in cheek but it's a fact of life in too many cases.

    I rarely ever sell anything here, and haven't bought anything here in ages but if I was selling an item I would at least check the other sites and see what it's been selling for and then price accordingly. We all want to get the best deal we can.....whether selling or buying. Some of us are way too sensitive about our pricing and are easily offended when someone asks for a lower price...fact of life. If the offer is not to your liking, just say thanks but no thanks and move on. That goes both ways.
     

    Disposable Heart

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    Apr 18, 2008
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    To me, a low ball offer is one where it's a purely ridiculous discount request. Here's a few examples from my adventures:

    Listed a Glock 19 second generation on a site, two mags, box, normal sights, excellent condition, only 500 rounds fired, no marks. Listed for $380. Fella emails me, "Would you take $300 for it?". Let's look at this: I am selling a used Glock for approximately 15% less than what a gunstore would have for some clapped out, worn to crap model, a highly desirable model to boot. Given our market in Indy, $380 was a great price (I got it for less than that in trade from a friend, but that's for me to worry about).

    Listed a Rock Island 1911, GI model, .45, all factory, but no box. About 300 rounds fired, came with two magazines and a leather Tagua OWB holster. I wanted $350. "Would you take $280 for it?" Sorry no. Again, a store has them new for $450, used probably would hover around $380. I countered with that one, "I would take $320..." as it had no real bites. Guy told me I was too high. I sold the gun for my asking price an hour after his tirade.

    Some folks want a win and they think that haggling works in metro areas, where it doesn't. The price is there and if its a good price, why risk possibly making the owner disregard your chance at a good deal? Some people just want to haggle so they feel like they have command of the situation. I'm in industrial sales and there is a psychology to selling and buying. On a microeconomic scale, a personality can affect how someone acts during a sale.

    Lowball offers, in my mind, are typically ones where someone is trying to haggle, but doesn't do it right, hoping that going VERY low to meet in a really weird median is good business acumen. Offer what you are actually willing to pay. Many people sell firearms as a method to get out of a quick debt situation (medical bills, car repair, divorce...) and there are enough deal seekers that have encountered these folks. Throws them out of their ooda loop when you stick to your price... lol
     

    42769vette

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    Everyone is different. Im like the mod in the respect I either buy it, or I dont., but I don't have time for negation either. When I sell, I ask a fair price, when I buy its either a fair price, or I dont contact the seller.

    For me Lowball is anything over 10% of the asking price.
     

    223 Gunner

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    Ahhh....... The art of doing a deal. To me Low Balling is if you have a $300 dollar item listed, and the price is fair. Then someone offers you $200, that to me is a low ball offer.
    I think it is different for everyone. It seems like everyone prices stuff a little bit differently. Sometimes I sell stuff, to buy other stuff. Sometimes I sell just to clear out some items for better storage and to raise a little cash, to buy other stuff.

    This was the case when I listed and sold this: https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/parts-accessories/428882-fde-pmag-troy-sling-ftf-indy.html
    I don't have anything in FDE, I know it's popular, so I bundled those two items, the sling alone was worth the $40 dollars, and someone on here realized it.
    I do think there are several people on here that want something for nothing. That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.
     

    gregkl

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    I also agree with what has been said so far. Though to me a successful deal is one in which BOTH parties are happy. I want my buyers to be happy with the purchase but maybe that is because I am in sales as a profession and I want either another sale to that buyer or a good referral.

    As far as what constitutes a low ball offer for me it is an offer that is significantly below the actual value of the item. If I have a pistol that is selling everywhere for north of $950 and someone offers me $600, I will consider that a lowball offer.

    For the record I don't counter low ball offers either. I counter offers that are reasonable based on the true market value of the item. You probably will be able to buy it from me for under market value, but not so much that you could flip it the next day and make 30% on it.

    I am not a wholesaler.:)

    I don't get butt hurt. I better not after 30+ years being in sales.:D
     

    HoughMade

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    There is no inherent morality in offering a low price, or listing something high. Maybe a little annoying, but everyone is free to reject an offer or ignore a listing. I don't feel the need to view every listing or offer as a competition between the potential seller and buyer.
     

    Squirt239

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    I listed a few guns recently for fair market value. One in particular was $400 for a $600 package. Guy messaged me and said he could buy it at RK for 299, so he'd give me 225. Uh, no.

    That's why I hate HATE selling firearms. People want to buy your stuff for next to nothing.
     

    gregkl

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    I listed a few guns recently for fair market value. One in particular was $400 for a $600 package. Guy messaged me and said he could buy it at RK for 299, so he'd give me 225. Uh, no.

    That's why I hate HATE selling firearms. People want to buy your stuff for next to nothing.

    I am fortunate that I have never been in a position that I had to sell a firearm. If I can't get a reasonable price, I am happy as a clam to put it in my safe. I don't own many firearms anyway and I have a good sized safe.:)

    Firearms have been for me about the only items that have consistently appreciated over time.
     

    223 Gunner

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    I listed a few guns recently for fair market value. One in particular was $400 for a $600 package. Guy messaged me and said he could buy it at RK for 299, so he'd give me 225. Uh, no.

    That's why I hate HATE selling firearms. People want to buy your stuff for next to nothing.

    Yes read the last sentence of my post, there are some people on here that want something for nothing. Like gregkl, I don't mind giving someone a deal, but there won't be much meat on the bone for the new owner to flip, unless he wants to go through the selling "hassle" to make $50 bucks.
    I know I don't.
     

    clfergus

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    I don't take offense to low ball offers myself. It is fairly quick and painless to reply and say no thank you, I am firm at my price. At least when you get an offer it gives you the opportunity to negotiate and come back with your bottom dollar if you have some room to wiggle.

    I list my items for sale at what I know are really good deals already based on the condition, new prices and the sales tax savings for the buyer. Unless the item is rare or extremely in demand I know I have no prayer at getting that price on INGO. My hope is that there is a buyer on the site who is looking to buy the same gun new already who recognizes the deal they are getting and is willing to buy at my listed price.

    Most times I want the money to fund another project so I am willing to shave off some money after a few days. Perfect example. I had a Ruger American .308 I paid 369.00 for. Had maybe 50 rounds down the barrel and looked new. I wanted a Howa so I listed the gun for 300.00 with 40 rounds of its preferred ammo. The gun never sells less than 349.00 on sale unless you find a special edition with a weird camo stock on a site like cdnn.

    So in my opinion I had it listed fairly at 50 bucks less than the lowest sale price. That would also save someone 25.00 in sales tax plus your getting 40.00 in plinking ammo to start out with.

    I field numerous 200 dollar offers, ammo trades, .22lr trades. I finally got a 250.00 offer and I took it because I wanted the Howa and didn't need to have a second .308 sitting around for another 6 months. The guy turned out to be a retired veteran who had no need for the rifle aside from it was a good deal and he could fix it up for his boy. These are the kind of guys I want my guns to go to.

    INGO is a place for low ball offers but it takes a minute to reply no. I actually like it because it weeds out the people I never want to meet and do business with and shows me who are stand up guys who are serious buyers and gun lovers.
     

    spec4

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    To me, a lowball offer is OK. I am free to take it or leave it. Years ago I was trying to sell an RV. After many months of advertising nationwide a guy came out to look at it. I wanted $26K, he said he would go $23K. I could have played games but really wanted to get rid of it and he was my first nibble. I let him have it. It helped that he was a likable guy.
     

    GGF

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    If the seller & I are far apart between the stated price and what i'll give, I just don't bite.
    But if I'm interested in a gun I'll strike up a conversation to see if the gentleman IS a gentleman and make what I think is a fair offer.
    If he says no and I don't counter, I'll just say, "well a bad offer is better than a hundred lookers!"

    I try to part on good terms because we may try to deal again.

    GGF
     

    Vigilant

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    Unless it states OBO in the thread, I won't make a counter. It is either in my price range, or it isn't. I'm tired of the first one to zero wins mentality, and refuse to play into it. Right now in the classies, there is a pistol I really, really want, and with the extras that come with it, it was a decent deal. The seller has even dropped the price, I just can't decide if I want to spend the money going into my slow time of year!
     

    jgressley2003

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    I posted a couple guns for sale on my fb page a few years ago, a Gen 3 Glock 31 plus ammo (250 rds) for $600 and a Sig Mosquito two tone for $300. 2 friends lowballed me on the Glock, one offered $300 and said he could buy it new for that and the other offered $350 and had the nerve to say "I hope you don't think I'm low balling you." The mosquito a friend offered $100. I sold the Glock for $600 and the Mosquito for $250 shortly after their offers.
     

    Bapak2ja

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    Thanks for your input. it helps to know the general thinking of :ingo:.

    For the record, I have no complaints and do not have anyone in mind. I just wanted to increase my understanding of the system here.

    Again, thanks.
     

    Indysioux

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    This is an interesting thread. I believe that you are seeing a response to two aspects of the sale, monetary value and emotional attachment.

    Guns aren't cheap. I have only sold three firearms in my lifetime (none here). In all three instances I was keenly aware of the money I had invested, and I haggled aggressively with the buyer. When I have sold items on Craigslist (such as old exercise equipment), I have been much more open to any and all offers, mainly because I just wanted the item gone.

    As for emotional attachment, I would venture that almost everyone on this board has a love of and deep respect for firearms, even if its one just passing through their hands. As such, its tougher to be cavalier about the sale price.

    There are some great comments so far.

    Thanks for the question.
     

    BFR50-110

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    Personally I'm not offended if someone offers less than I'm asking as long as it is reasonable. If someone asks more than double what you can pay. Don't waste their time and yours with an offer. I had a Bond Arms Backup for sale with a holster and ammo and was asking around $375-400 for it, a guy offered $150. I said no. He said he couldn't see paying more than $200 for a two shot gun, I told him he needed to look elsewhere.
     
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