crickets chirping because its hard to argue with logic.
evry opinion in your post hits the nail on the head. great post
Low ball offers on the for sale thread
- Thread starter bobforest
- Start date
crickets chirping because its hard to argue with logic.
evry opinion in your post hits the nail on the head. great post
Great advice. If you respond in a rude and negative way, you'll lose that potential customer forever. A low bid is just an opening ploy. As far as the true value of an item - it's what the buyer is willing to pay for it and what the seller is willing to sell it for. If the initial asking price is $500 and you get an initial offer of $200 then you counter offer, etc, etc. and finally agree on a selling price of $375, then that's the true value.
I wanted to buy a cue from the F/S section a couple years ago. I had a limited budget.
The whole process frustrated me beyond words. I bought a production cue and haven't gone back in there since.
Its a place for flippers, not for customers.
It's a shame you had that experience. Too many wannabe dealers hiding out in there.
To be fair, I do not like the process of haggling, for anything.
Show me your product, tell me the price, I will decide if I wish to purchase it.
The process of having to click on every thread to see if the cue was even close to my budget was the first thing to set me off. Each thread should list the cue, and the asking price. Then list the details in the thread.
No big deal, the F/S thread hasn't lost much money by my not being there. I just wonder how many others feel the same way, thus losing a potential customer base.
Totally agree with this one. I'm also not one to haggle and for the money I am going to spend I don't want to spend hours looking through each post. A price and a short description in the subject line would go a long way.
*EDIT*
Sorry, I meant to quote JustADub on this post.
*EDIT*
Sorry, I meant to quote JustADub on this post.
i hate cheap !!!!!
i make custom jewelry, and build pool cues as a sideline. lady comes into my store, looks at some of my custom made rings set with 1 carat diamonds, she says o this is beautiful. but, my thats expensive, she looks at 4 -5 rings with same results. finally she ask do you have anything cheap, i tell her yes i do " for $2.00 i will sell you a map to walmart "
i had to stop in the middle of this to wait on a customer, he wanted to look at some of my collectible knives, i get out the knife roll and he looks at everyone and ask for a price on one of the knives. its a case barlow, 25 year old new stock. list is about $65.00, i tell him that and say i will sell it for $40.00 he says would you take $30.00.
i just put it back in the case and put it away, ------ i am so tired of cheap
i make custom jewelry, and build pool cues as a sideline. lady comes into my store, looks at some of my custom made rings set with 1 carat diamonds, she says o this is beautiful. but, my thats expensive, she looks at 4 -5 rings with same results. finally she ask do you have anything cheap, i tell her yes i do " for $2.00 i will sell you a map to walmart "
i had to stop in the middle of this to wait on a customer, he wanted to look at some of my collectible knives, i get out the knife roll and he looks at everyone and ask for a price on one of the knives. its a case barlow, 25 year old new stock. list is about $65.00, i tell him that and say i will sell it for $40.00 he says would you take $30.00.
i just put it back in the case and put it away, ------ i am so tired of cheap
I've always been very pleased at the auction prices I've received for ebay items, mostly musical instruments and recording gear. I've often gotten more than I paid for the item (they weren't "collectibles" that you'd expect to increase in value).
Great pictures and a good, brief write-up are the keys.
And yes, the last few bids are from people who have become emotionally involved in "having" the item. To them it's worth an extra 10-15% to not have to go through the auction-emotion rollercoaster again.
Great pictures and a good, brief write-up are the keys.
And yes, the last few bids are from people who have become emotionally involved in "having" the item. To them it's worth an extra 10-15% to not have to go through the auction-emotion rollercoaster again.
If the list price is $65, why did you even offer to sell for $40? By doing so, you opened the door for a lower offer. JMO
I've been looking around the wanted/for sale forum for a long time, looking for a deal on certain production cues, but there are none to be had. People expect 80% off retail on their predator and McDermott cues, even the ones that are beaten up. Obviously it's me that has a problem since these adds go away, so it seems someone is buying these cues. In the end I bought my cue and shaft from a retailer, with a discount close to what I would had to have paid for a used one. And no, I didn't lowball anyone, the seller offered the discount. It's not that I am cheap, I just don't see how a 10 year old production cue with blueing and knicks (a common model) can be worth the same as a brand new one.
Its like going to buy a used toyota and the dealer telling you that this model is collectible because it isn't beeing made anymore. Get real, its a freakin' Toyota, there are thousands of them about. The same goes for common production cues.
About low ball offers: I think it is rude to lowball someone like a cuemaker or casemaker. You are in a way insulting their design and skills. But, if you go about it the right way i suppose there is a way to make a low offer without insulting anyone.
Edit: The pm for offer thing is really starting to pxxs me off! Seriously, post some pictures and name your price. I'm not going pm you just to see pictures of the cue. There are so many adds with pictures and prices to choose from.
Its like going to buy a used toyota and the dealer telling you that this model is collectible because it isn't beeing made anymore. Get real, its a freakin' Toyota, there are thousands of them about. The same goes for common production cues.
About low ball offers: I think it is rude to lowball someone like a cuemaker or casemaker. You are in a way insulting their design and skills. But, if you go about it the right way i suppose there is a way to make a low offer without insulting anyone.
Edit: The pm for offer thing is really starting to pxxs me off! Seriously, post some pictures and name your price. I'm not going pm you just to see pictures of the cue. There are so many adds with pictures and prices to choose from.
Last edited:
Not all low offers should be considered low ball. Once there was a cue advertised for $4,800. It didn't sell. The price was lowered a few times until it got down to $4,200. It still didn't sell. The seller asked for offers. I offered him $3,000. He acted insulted.
My thinking was that the cue was obviously worth less than $4,200 because it didn't sell for that. I have no clue as to how much less. In reality the cue was worth $3,000 to ME, and that's what I offered. After that I stopped making offers for cues... it's a waste of time.
My thinking was that the cue was obviously worth less than $4,200 because it didn't sell for that. I have no clue as to how much less. In reality the cue was worth $3,000 to ME, and that's what I offered. After that I stopped making offers for cues... it's a waste of time.
Last edited:
What something is worth has different meaning to different people.
Does it mean will I get my money back if I try to sell it?
Does it mean I love the way it looks and I have to have it?
Does it mean I'm filthy rich and the amount it costs means absolutely nothing to me?
Does it mean I'm broke but if I spend a lot for this people will envy me?
Does it mean I'm an idiot and never understood the value of a dollar?
One man's treasure is another man's junk as viewed from any number of perspectives.
I used to own an auto repair shop many years ago. When a newer car came in with a problem I wasn't familiar with, I recall feeling guilty charging the customer for diagnosis time because I felt the dealer probability had a service bulletin on this and they didn't have to spend a lot of time diagnosing.
I would let the job go because it wasn't fair to the customer.
A custom cue builder puts in many more hours than a production cue maker does. Does that mean the cue is better? Or do they HAVE to charge more for time and material that they probability pay more for?
My thing is I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred dollars for two pieces of wood. You may view it differently. It's your money to spend.
That's how I see this topic of custom cues. No right or wrong when viewed from an individuals perspective.
Does it mean will I get my money back if I try to sell it?
Does it mean I love the way it looks and I have to have it?
Does it mean I'm filthy rich and the amount it costs means absolutely nothing to me?
Does it mean I'm broke but if I spend a lot for this people will envy me?
Does it mean I'm an idiot and never understood the value of a dollar?
One man's treasure is another man's junk as viewed from any number of perspectives.
I used to own an auto repair shop many years ago. When a newer car came in with a problem I wasn't familiar with, I recall feeling guilty charging the customer for diagnosis time because I felt the dealer probability had a service bulletin on this and they didn't have to spend a lot of time diagnosing.
I would let the job go because it wasn't fair to the customer.
A custom cue builder puts in many more hours than a production cue maker does. Does that mean the cue is better? Or do they HAVE to charge more for time and material that they probability pay more for?
My thing is I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred dollars for two pieces of wood. You may view it differently. It's your money to spend.
That's how I see this topic of custom cues. No right or wrong when viewed from an individuals perspective.
lowballers
when you are in a group of people, and its time to pay for a round of drinks or dinner, its excuse me, i have to go to the men's room, or damn i left my wallet home, or crap my credit card just expired, or, or , or ,or ,or they have a million excuses for being cheap.
i build cues and sell at a very reasonable price, i know cost of materials, most customers do NOT, i know what it cost to set up a shop most customers do NOT, when someone wants to lowball one of my cues, i feel like its them sticking their hand in my pocket and stealing money.
when someone gets in touch with a stupid offer, i don't even go to the trouble to tell them no, i just ignore them..
when you are in a group of people, and its time to pay for a round of drinks or dinner, its excuse me, i have to go to the men's room, or damn i left my wallet home, or crap my credit card just expired, or, or , or ,or ,or they have a million excuses for being cheap.
i build cues and sell at a very reasonable price, i know cost of materials, most customers do NOT, i know what it cost to set up a shop most customers do NOT, when someone wants to lowball one of my cues, i feel like its them sticking their hand in my pocket and stealing money.
when someone gets in touch with a stupid offer, i don't even go to the trouble to tell them no, i just ignore them..
You opened up the can of worms
As a sales trainer, you opened up the can of worms. Next time tell the customer the real price $65 then he might make you the reasonable offer of $40 you wanted. You opened up negotiation. You never lower your price without giving a reason for lowering it, and if he offers you $30 simply ask why he feels the knife is only worth $30, or bring out a $30 knife and tell him this is what you are really looking for, aren't you. If you are going to do it like you did you need to the guy, "Sir I am going to make this the easiest purchase decision for you, a simple yes or no, it is priced at $65 but a I will sell it for $40, do you need the knife gift wrapped?
Just like putting or best offer, you opened up a can of worms, and by the way if you only had one offer for a $1000 cue and the offer was $250 would you sell it?
As a sales trainer, you opened up the can of worms. Next time tell the customer the real price $65 then he might make you the reasonable offer of $40 you wanted. You opened up negotiation. You never lower your price without giving a reason for lowering it, and if he offers you $30 simply ask why he feels the knife is only worth $30, or bring out a $30 knife and tell him this is what you are really looking for, aren't you. If you are going to do it like you did you need to the guy, "Sir I am going to make this the easiest purchase decision for you, a simple yes or no, it is priced at $65 but a I will sell it for $40, do you need the knife gift wrapped?
Just like putting or best offer, you opened up a can of worms, and by the way if you only had one offer for a $1000 cue and the offer was $250 would you sell it?
Buy Low, Sell high
In between low and high is a lot of room to negotiate. If you produced the item then I think a low ball is more insulting. If you are a reseller, then I always assume you may have gotten it cheap.
For Desi2690...if you pull out a bunch of 25 yr. old knives, I will guess that you acquired them in a trade and the possibilities may hit 53% off asking price. Now if you roll out your inventory of new Boker's I know better than to ask more than 20% below list. Not trying to change your methods or anything. That's just where I am on it.
Anyway I know a lot of people who live by "Never pay asking price" and it has served them well over the years. I fluctuate in that sometimes I will happily hand over the asking price and never think twice and at other times I feel like working to make a purchase and that's when the fun begins.
In between low and high is a lot of room to negotiate. If you produced the item then I think a low ball is more insulting. If you are a reseller, then I always assume you may have gotten it cheap.
For Desi2690...if you pull out a bunch of 25 yr. old knives, I will guess that you acquired them in a trade and the possibilities may hit 53% off asking price. Now if you roll out your inventory of new Boker's I know better than to ask more than 20% below list. Not trying to change your methods or anything. That's just where I am on it.
Anyway I know a lot of people who live by "Never pay asking price" and it has served them well over the years. I fluctuate in that sometimes I will happily hand over the asking price and never think twice and at other times I feel like working to make a purchase and that's when the fun begins.
I gave up on trying to sell stuff...on here...market is too bad to try to get a fair price...
I might as well just give it away...for less than half the actual cost...
I usually tell them to call the cue builder and ask them to build the cue for their offer, and that the custom cue builder will laugh at them...
(though, I did get several very fair offers on some of the cues that I stated were not for sale) so no complaints to the respectable members.
I think most people usually know what a cue is worth...based on a little bit of research and experience, or they simply have no conscience and throw out a low-ball offer, hoping to steal it from you, like you're the village idiot...
I guess, there's no shame in begging anymore...
And then, the whiners step up...but most people don't have 50+ cues...and all day to mess with searching for just one...that they made a low ball offer on...and want specs...
(all of you know who you are)
And, I'll not count myself out...when I see a cue that's got a price that's a bit high in my perspective, then I don't mind trying to barter a bit...but seldom, am I going to hit you with a number that will insult your intelligence or the quality of the cue.
I might as well just give it away...for less than half the actual cost...
I usually tell them to call the cue builder and ask them to build the cue for their offer, and that the custom cue builder will laugh at them...
(though, I did get several very fair offers on some of the cues that I stated were not for sale) so no complaints to the respectable members.
I think most people usually know what a cue is worth...based on a little bit of research and experience, or they simply have no conscience and throw out a low-ball offer, hoping to steal it from you, like you're the village idiot...
I guess, there's no shame in begging anymore...
And then, the whiners step up...but most people don't have 50+ cues...and all day to mess with searching for just one...that they made a low ball offer on...and want specs...
(all of you know who you are)
And, I'll not count myself out...when I see a cue that's got a price that's a bit high in my perspective, then I don't mind trying to barter a bit...but seldom, am I going to hit you with a number that will insult your intelligence or the quality of the cue.
Last edited: