Thread: Lost a Lathe Today

Originally Posted by reggie_obe

All the cash you have? How about, we check in all your other pockets?

The problem is, the fuckwits aren't even embarrassed about trying to scam you out of $20 or $50 or so.

Best thing is to just say 'Sorry, wasted trip. Bye'. And walk off. Fuck them for trying that trick, I'm not going to sell to someone trying to scam me.

PDW

In the 70s,me and a friend did trips to UK to buy old bikes ,which were very cheap there .We posed as Scots,the Scots being notorious for never paying the asking price...worked too ,we saved heaps.One time a real Scot said "Och aye...yer no bloody Scot...yer bloody Australian....be off wi ye."...That was the era of strikes ,Harold Wilson,winter of discontent ,garbage piled first floor high in some parts of Birmingham ,where we had a "lockup"....what the poms call a shed.

Originally Posted by PDW

Tell you to fuck off

thats how you'd respond to someone making a polite proposal? Whatever, if that happened, I'd glad to have avoided meeting such a person.

In practice, that hasn't happened. I'm 3 for 3, but as I said its only worth trying when its must have super deal. As every economist will tell you, its pretty reliable to expect people to act in their own interests.

Do you guys always pay asking price?

If I know it's not worth asking price I'll tell them my max and see if it's still worth coming out. I often offer less once I see it because it's not as nice as described. Never had any issues.

Smoking dope has that effect, don’t worry you’ll find it tomorrow!

There is a common practice by dickheads on gumtree (Craig's list equivalent) of people agreeing to a price online and then turning up with less and saying "sorry that's all the cash I have, can I have it for this"

It's fine to ask about a lower price during negotiation, but turning up with less money than agreed price is not.

'' Lost a Lathe Today

Well you'd better go and find it, hadn't you!

(with thanks to my late Mum )

Originally Posted by pippin88

There is a common practice by dickheads on gumtree (Craig's list equivalent) of people agreeing to a price online and then turning up with less and saying "sorry that's all the cash I have, can I have it for this"

It's fine to ask about a lower price during negotiation, but turning up with less money than agreed price is not.

My response in those circumstances is - " Is buying this lathe/mill etc going to take every spare penny you've got ? In that case don't bother because you definitely won't be able to pay for the transportation, installation, tooling etc. Don't take it too badly, I've just done you a favour matey ".

Regards Tyrone.

I dont see that...people advertise stuff because they want rid of it,or because they need the money......in either case they are willing to negotiate a price......maybe a very few advertise something that they dont want to sell,or maybe are so sure there will be a lot of buyers,the price is right.....Out here its general theory that anything advertised on gumtree is twice the price the seller expects to get for it,to allow for negotiation........must be all the Indians and Pakis living here.

Originally Posted by Strostkovy

Do you guys always pay asking price?

If I know it's not worth asking price I'll tell them my max and see if it's still worth coming out. I often offer less once I see it because it's not as nice as described. Never had any issues.

Actually, yes. I have made it a point of pride or honor. More so as I have gotten older, I guess. Or have more money. Or with the rising increase of private party sales thanks to the internet.

I look at it very simply I guess: 1) Seller has what I want. 2) I have what he wants. So why are we still standing here? Lets do business. Straight deals are good deals.

Further, a deal with a satisfied seller and a satisfied buyer furthers the interests of all future prospective buy / sell sites for everyone. Whatsmore, if the price wasn't right I wouldn't have answered the ad anyway.

Having said that, perhaps I am more open to negotiation on a larger, more expensive deal or item of undetermined market value. Value then, extending to and including terms and conditions of sale. Whatever determines a good deal for everyone.

I get somewhat annoyed by newbie self-determined hawks who think they are hot wheeler dealers. Especially shitheads who offer lowball money right off the bat.

.

Originally Posted by Mcgyver

if you are selling it for 100 and #3 in line says i'll give you 300 and can be there in an hour....what do you do?

i've done it I think 3 times when I really really wanted the item. Its outside of the box so to speak and aggressive, but hey, in the wild west of used tools classifieds, its every hombre for himself .

Fact is, if you're the seller, it should be a good indication you've screwed up and aren't asking enough. However most people don't think and put little effort into valuation and i'm ok not taking responsibility for a seller screwing up (provided I'm not taking advantage of someone vulnerable/handicapped which I'm not ok with)

This is a good tactic, especially if the add says $100 OBO. Best offer does not have to be cheaper.

Agree it is bad form to try and negociate a cheaper price on the phone before seeing the item. Sometimes I will ask if they are open to offers or firm on the price while on the phone with them but that is it. Save the haggling for in person, after inspecting the item, especially if you find they are trying to "hide" problems or have mis represented it, but then it might be best to walk.

About a week ago ,someone had a gunsight advertised on facebook ,priced $1,they didnt know what it was....a female.....it was right across town,and making a coupla hundred doesnt interest me anymore.....So ,I told the seller what it was ,and what it was worth($200)......meantime someone else had spotted it ,and wanted it for the $1....she upped the price,he wasnt happy ,and made all sorts of threats.

Originally Posted by john.k

About a week ago ,someone had a gunsight advertised on facebook ,priced $1,they didnt know what it was....a female.....it was right across town,and making a coupla hundred doesnt interest me anymore.....So ,I told the seller what it was ,and what it was worth($200)......meantime someone else had spotted it ,and wanted it for the $1....she upped the price,he wasnt happy ,and made all sorts of threats.

….Until she pointed the gunsite at him ????

Bargaining is also an art form. Took me a few years in Vermont to learn to appreciate it, so I'm mildly disappointed when someone shows up and pays asking price.

I'd much rather someone show up, spend a bit of time admiring the shop, talk about themselves, the view, old trucks, whatever, have a gossip about mutual acquaintances while negotiating a slightly lower price. The last guy through here was a master.

I'd bought a Greenlee wire tugger at a clothing thrift shop for beer money, fixed a protruding bolt that interfered with the chain drive and put it on CL for $900. He (master electrician) showed up, expressed surprise at seeing one for sale in my town, admired it, showed me in what good condition it was compared to other machines he'd owned/used and why, asked about its provenance and offered me $800 in green folding. I dallied a bit, asked him about what he was working on, he told me, offered a bit more and I took it, and his card.

That's how I like to do business. The pool of competent people around here is small - best to make friends of them, or at least get along well and have fun doing it.

Then there's my neighbor who had a kick vise I'd admired for years. He got older, didn't need it anymore, so called me over. Asked $20, which would have been a sweetheart deal, but I offered $15 because, ya know, it was all the money I had on me. He laughed and countered with $25, I protested that my reputation as an astute bargainer was at stake and couldn't possibly. The price increased to $30 (more than fair) and I paid it .

Standing joke between us for the rest of his life. Priceless.

Originally Posted by Mcgyver

thats how you'd respond to someone making a polite proposal? Whatever, if that happened, I'd glad to have avoided meeting such a person.

In practice, that hasn't happened. I'm 3 for 3, but as I said its only worth trying when its must have super deal. As every economist will tell you, its pretty reliable to expect people to act in their own interests.

Why on earth would I break my word for a lousy $100 extra?

You might value your integrity that cheaply but I don't. I'd take that attempt to get me to break my word as an insult and a cheap one at that.

It's really that simple.

And no I hate haggling. If I think the price is too high I don't bother ringing. If, on viewing, I don't think the condition is sufficient to be value for money, I walk away.

Don't care what other people do, I don't price things high to be haggled down, and I don't plan on changing how I do things.

PDW

Its a quite interesting situation where you have a combination of buyers ,offers ,holds ,etc.........There is a branch of mathematics dealing with it called "Games Theory".

How about the dude that shows up and has no real intention of buying at all? This one guy just wanted to tell me about the one HE had back in the day, in great detail of course. And to take the time to snoop around the shop a bit too. That was really great. I dont really like selling stuff because of BS like that.

Originally Posted by Biolog

How about the dude that shows up and has no real intention of buying at all? This one guy just wanted to tell me about the one HE had back in the day, in great detail of course. And to take the time to snoop around the shop a bit too. That was really great. I dont really like selling stuff because of BS like that.

I think some people are just starved for social interaction. Either they don't know how to make friends or are unbearable to be around.

The good salesman sells them something else,that way no one goes home disappointed.

Originally Posted by john.k

Its a quite interesting situation where you have a combination of buyers ,offers ,holds ,etc.........There is a branch of mathematics dealing with it called "Games Theory".

Yeah studied that as a module in one of my postgrad degrees. Quite interesting.

What McGuyver wants people to do is 'defect' for his benefit. He wants people to break their word and is good with that as long as it's to his gain. I have no time for that sort of behaviour because sure as eggs, if someone will attempt to suborn you to break your word, it's a guarantee that you cannot ever trust theirs. It's quite revealing.

PDW