How (and why) to Ramble on your goat sideways
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,046
Total Cats: 6,607
Sometimes, the value of keeping promises in a business relationship exceeds what is written at the bottom of the order sheet.
I love the people that respond to For Sale ads with "What's your lowest price?" or "What's the least you'll take?"
I am very tempted to start replying with, "Not sure, what's the most you'll pay?"
I am very tempted to start replying with, "Not sure, what's the most you'll pay?"
I often do that, they're usually quite stunned and don't know what to do. I also reply a lot with "If you're asking that question, you don't want to buy this" or "If you want to make an offer, at least come look at it. For all you know I'm selling broken stuff".
About half a year ago i was selling my Ipad 2.. my asking price was 200 which is very good since at the time they were selling for 250-300. Got many many offers for 100 bucks to which i replied to with: Used ipad 1s sell for 125 and you want me to sell you a 250 dollar Ipad for 100? I had one person answer with "Yes."
Elite Member
iTrader: (9)
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chesterfield, NJ
Posts: 6,898
Total Cats: 399
After watching shows like Pawn Stars, I'm sure there's plenty of people who would sell their ~$250 valued item for $100 or less.
I'm sure there's people who spend all day lowballing sellers in an attempt to flip it.
I'm sure there's people who spend all day lowballing sellers in an attempt to flip it.
So the end of the tale is that after the lowballer spent all afternoon finally working his offers up to within $25 of my asking price (which I accepted), he responded two hours later and said, "I thought I'd be good but the wife shut me down. Damn woman."
I find this response highly irritating. I shall enumerate my irritation:
1. I am NOT irritated that he had to get "permission" or whatever. My wife and I are both free to make significant purchases on our own, but because we want to be on the same page, we almost always discuss it first and agree on a plan, unless circumstances prevent us from doing so.
2. I AM irritated that he KNEW he would need to clear it with his wife first and still felt free to waste my time and attention all afternoon without knowing her position on the matter.
3. I am ALSO irritated that, having been "shut down" by his wife, he apparently felt either ashamed or sheepish enough about this state of affairs to attempt some kind of gender war camaraderie with me with his "Damn woman" comment. My wife has never "shut me down" but she has sometimes presented a different or more cautious perspective about potential purchases I wish to make, and many if not most of those times I take her advice and postpone the purchase.
4. And, if my wife and I really disagreed over a matter like this, enough so that our disagreement remained unresolved for a period of time, I would not complain to strangers about my wife's decision as if I were a petulant child who has been grounded for misbehaving.
I really did not like the guy.
If he showed up with cash, though, I was going to sell him a gun.
I find this response highly irritating. I shall enumerate my irritation:
1. I am NOT irritated that he had to get "permission" or whatever. My wife and I are both free to make significant purchases on our own, but because we want to be on the same page, we almost always discuss it first and agree on a plan, unless circumstances prevent us from doing so.
2. I AM irritated that he KNEW he would need to clear it with his wife first and still felt free to waste my time and attention all afternoon without knowing her position on the matter.
3. I am ALSO irritated that, having been "shut down" by his wife, he apparently felt either ashamed or sheepish enough about this state of affairs to attempt some kind of gender war camaraderie with me with his "Damn woman" comment. My wife has never "shut me down" but she has sometimes presented a different or more cautious perspective about potential purchases I wish to make, and many if not most of those times I take her advice and postpone the purchase.
4. And, if my wife and I really disagreed over a matter like this, enough so that our disagreement remained unresolved for a period of time, I would not complain to strangers about my wife's decision as if I were a petulant child who has been grounded for misbehaving.
I really did not like the guy.
If he showed up with cash, though, I was going to sell him a gun.