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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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dragunski
113 posts
 
The only purchase I've made on Audiogon, the guy had a reasonable price and I paid what he asked. But on Ebay and Craigslist, you will get lots of lowball offers, and sellers have increased their asking prices correspondingly. In some cases, the price is more than what the current retail price is and more than than the manufacturer's price. It's a game. 

I will give as an example this Oliver Nelson box set, available from the manufacturer at $102.00 

http://www.mosaicrecords.com/prodinfo.asp?number=233-MD-CD

Now check Ebay and Amazon to see what some sellers are asking. It's pretty funny.
diofan56
58 posts
 
Hi All!

I have a question.  What is considered a lowball offer?  One dollar less than asking price?  Ten percent less than asking price?  Something else?

zavato's avatar
zavato
1,403 posts
 
That's a great question - I think different people have different ideas of what a lowball offer is. 

In in my world, there are 2 types of offers- accepted offers and unaccepted offers- and that's whether I am a buyer or a seller. 



tomlist
1 posts
 
Just had the same thing happen. I have a "9" component listed for roughly 55% of it's new price, and get an offer 25% below that. I respond with a counter in-between. Response: Declined. I think you're right. These are dealers just wanting to get an absolute bargain, so they can resell it for more elsewhere. Hey, it's America. I've got no problem with that. I just wonder if that's what Audiogon had in mind. One problem w/ the interface is that once a counter offer is declined, Audiogon closes out the offer completely, so you don't have a chance to make a counter-counter.
jl35
4,007 posts
 
what is lowball to me is also different for an item that has been listed for under one hour vs an item that is unsold after 25 days...
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