"What's Your Best Price?"

Here,s a question back to some of those sellers ( no disrespect meant either!!! ) who are offended by the words what,s your best price . When you have researched ,listened to and read the reveiws which always state the "suggested retail price" and descided on your purchase when you bought it new , did you walk into the dealer and pay the "suggested" retail price without asking for his best price? Both sides here have valid points from there respective positions . Stating price is firm resolves sellers aggravation of emails for "best price" . I also read a valid point here that if the buyer states a dollar amount in his response to the add he would be taken more seriously, I agree . The best answer is always a polite one rather than the opposite or none at all . With so many options that this site offers for the same product at differant prices and the shipping costs due to greater or lesser distances to conscider, buyers do have options . Please don,t think I,m knocking any of the sellers on here for expressing their discord as without you we would not be able to access and purchase the great audio products you offer ! Buyers should be reminded that most of us have jobs and families and because the sellers are sometimes overwrought with best offer replies it,s easy to see that that would get annoying . Maybe if the site had 2 boxes to check when items are listed , one for price is firm the other for best offer would help . S.

I've only been a buyer, and I never ask that question, but of course it's always in the back of my mind. If I'm going to make what I consider a low offer, I explain my rationale, usually in terms of utility to me. Every purchase experience I've had with AudiogoN has been exemplary: Knowledgable honest sellers who have delivered items just as posted, and at prices far below MSRP.

db

An old story: A couple decides to sell their home for "$120,000.00". A potential buyer comes along. He's sensitive to others feelings. So he tries breaking the ice by replying " whats your best price?" The seller then accepts a 50,000.00 cash offer. Who is the fool here? Neither! The prospective purchaser was smart enough to at least ask the opening question and therefore winds up with a killer deal. The purchaser ends up with the funds he needs in an emergency situation. It's a win, win situation. This was an actual real estate transaction while I was selling real estate.

Another story: A friend of mine had heard about a guy in trouble with a corvette for sale. He figured what the heck and took the time to go look at it. His wife said "they were asking $7500.00 for it". Turns out the owner needed the funds very soon so at to avoid going to jail. So my friend asked "what was the best he could do on it". The guys wife said " I could take $6,000.00 today". My friend offered $3500.00 and the guys wife accepted to offer with out hesitation. My friend then sold the vehicle only weeks later for $5,500.00

Moral to the story is you don't know if you don't ask. We all see ads stating "we buy homes" "we buy furniture" "we buy autos". You can bet your bottom dollar these ads would not keep reappearing if they were'nt making money.
I myself have purchased many homes at 30% discount to retail not by placing these ads though.

Everyone likes a good deal but not everyone treats their equity the same. To some equity in things like homes, autos, furniture, audio etc... is not treated the same as cash in their hand. I just don't think we should get overly excited when someone is looking for a deal, after all we don't have to take it. For what ever reason some of us are more frugal than others and some not frugal at all. Actually this can be proven.

Just look at the sales history on some of the equipment sold here on Audiogon. Some are selling for less than actual value and some for more. I'll also bet there is a lot of reselling going on here at Audiogon which they could not afford to do this if they were'nt getting a deal some where.

Happy Holidays!

Did you ever see those commercials for the dollar store, where the customer keeps asking 'how much does this cost?' and the clerk keeps responding 'for you, one dollar'?

That's a great reply.

"What's your best price?"

"For you, one dollar."

LOL.

Onhwy61,

You nailed it for me. I put up a number so now it is time for the buyer to put up a number. "What's your best price" especially irritates me when it comes five minutes after my ad has been posted.

As someone else pointed out, I have never sold an item to a "what's your best price" buyer. But I have had very successful negotiations with serious buyers who were willing to make a reasonable opening offer.

I pretty much ignore "WYBP" buyers unless my ad is about to expire. I also never list an item as "OBO". I almost always get other offers regardless of how the ad is posted.