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  3. 119626-70577

What's up with the ridiculous offers?!?

Is it just me or are the high volume of low-ball offers surprising anyone else?

Example: I list an item at 60% off what a current, desirable  component sold for new, and I get an offer for half (or less) of what I am asking! I've have been buying and selling high end audio & video gear for over 40 years and I know the value of gear, but I have never experienced such an destructive trend. I expect it from Craigslst or at a garage sale, but not from Audiogon.

I understand an occasional low offer, and it's usually accompanied with an explanation or apology for the balz it takes to make such an offer, but I am getting absolutely offensive offers for more than 75% of what I list.  

Are there any other sellers that would like to commiserate with me? Am I missing something? Is it just me?

- REV
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zavato's avatar
zavato
1,403 posts
 
"What's your bottom line?" Is that a problem? I guess it's a different world. If I ask for a best price and I'm happy with it, I will buy it. If not, well, the seller's bottom line and my top dollar are out of synch.

And who is to say who's being fairer? The presumption of the OP is that the asking price was fair and reasonable. It's not always the case. I get the impression that sometimes sellers overestimate the value of what they are trying to sell. case in point- I recently saw an ad, not here on AG, where I thought the seller was in fantasyland with the asking price. In that instance, an offer of 25% asking would be ballpark. That is not a lowball. 
zavato's avatar
zavato
1,403 posts
 
I also agree that discerning between a current product vs a discontinued product is critical. Even if you own the original, and you believe the SE or the MK2 isn't as good, you're most likely out of luck. And yeah, manufacturers, not all, do rework their product line with distressing frequency. I am convinced that some companies plan this deliberately- they have 3 things to improve on a preamp, for instance, and those 3 improvements may be dragged out over a course of 3 years. You don't want to show the same old stuff at every CES or Audio show- right? 
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nab2
61 posts
 
While I think many of the observations are correct, I also think part of the problem is that there are more uninformed folks frequenting Audiogon.

These folks are familiar with Craiglist etc., don't subscribe to the Bluebook, don't educate themselves, and figure "what the hey." As an aside I've made some offers that were turned down rudely even though they were quite reasonable offers given the recent prices of that equipment (not anything like what you describe).

Maybe it's our times, "But as we arrive at the house of the water sign. We're living in strange times."
phd
1,320 posts
 
We are living in dangerous and uncertain times and that is putting it mildly. People that have disposable income are now thinking twice before parting with it and the ones that don't are making unreasonable offers. I have only purchased from sellers that have priced their gear reasonably. If it offers no synergy or I get bored with it  I could pass it on to the next buyer for a sensible price. If the seller has something I want real bad I will offer their asking price.
inna
7,296 posts
 
Well, it's bazaar economy not patrician house of culture, so any offer and counter-offer is legitimate. I don't like it and almost never bargain, however I rarely buy and never sell here - I put things on ebay auction and let the auction run.
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