Sunday morning Reverb Rant

[Brent Hahn]

The ones I chafe at are the ones that couple a lowball offer with a list of reasons why my item is worthless.

At one point quite a while ago I got on the Chat and asked, "If someone I don't care to do business with buys at full price, do I have to go through with the deal?" Their answer at the time was basically yes. Just recently I asked the same question again, and the answer was, "When the person buys and pays, simply issue a full refund."

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by Methos1979

The Sad-Story Person. This is a person that wants to buy your item and always has this over-the-top story about why they want you to sell them your guitar for a pittance.....

I don't respond to them but if I did it would be, "Given your dire circumstances, the last thing you need to be wasting money on is an expensive guitar".

Several of my guitars are on CL right now, but not listed at giveaway prices. I have some price flexibility for a serious buyer, but not for tire-kickers and opportunists. So far I have resisted going with Reverb (or the AGF classifieds) because that would involve shipping. My ads clearly state CALL - don't text, and cash-only, no trades, no shipping. Still there have been three texted offers for trades or requests for shipping just this past week. I'm sorry but if you can text me you can also call, and if you don't you are not really serious.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Actually, this is more a rant about people ON Reverb.

I don’t do a a lot of horse trading. Every listing I’ve ever put up is researched and fairly priced, including the 3 guitars I currently have up. Every listing says “respectful offers considered”.

So why do some folks seem compelled to ridiculously lowball prices? I mean seriously offering 40-50% less than my asking price is an insult (from a stranger-I get it).

Secondly, if I respond with a counter have the stones to reject if you’re not interested instead of just letting it hang for 24 hours.

Now, before I get totally flamed, I know that a) this is pretty minor in the scheme of things, b) typical and natural human behavior c) that everybody wants to get lucky and d) pretty minor in the scheme of things.

I needs another cup of coffee. Rant over.

Understand not flaming or criticizing .

There is I suppose an evolving process and path of choice of personal perspective. Of which we are all in different locations along that path.

With that in mind consider :

Being insulted by a lowball offer is a totally self induced feeling/perspective
and in reality has absolutely nothing to do with anyone else's behavior.

"respectful" ( like "reasonable") offers considered, is not only a totally subjective notion , but is likely also rooted in, or has elements of
a subconscious and likely unrealized attempt to either control the behavior of the buyers OR simply a self motivated desire to not have to waste time with offers you personally are not willing to accept. In either case it is completely self inflicted and futile.

( as you are no doubt aware of ) We have no control over the behavior others, But more to the point , why should we expect the buyer to have any interest in considering our listed conditions for negotiation?

Why would we expect the buyer to have anything but self interest in the process ? But far more importantly (in our own self interest ) Why choose to be insulted by it ?

Just some sunday morning philosophical musings

[Beakybird]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Very true!

Years ago I listed a house and had an offer for a full 50 thousand less than the listing price. It made me extremely angry at the time and I told the listing agent to throw it in the garbage. She (wisely) advised me to step back and consider they were new to the real estate market and counter to them.
They accepted my counter-offer of $500 less than the listing price.

This is a great story, and shows the wisdom of not reacting. Who knows how many sales I lost on Craigslist because I didn't respond to a lowball offer out of a sense of indignity.
Opting to automatically reject lowball offers via the Reverb interface is the way to go. I do this on Ebay.

[jpmist]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

So why do some folks seem compelled to ridiculously lowball prices? I mean seriously offering 40-50% less than my asking price is an insult (from a stranger-I get it).

Secondly, if I respond with a counter have the stones to reject if you’re not interested instead of just letting it hang for 24 hours.

My take is people low-ball because 1) once in a while it works and 2) it costs them nothing but 20 seconds to compose and send the offer 3) they can be shameless because they're anonymous

So they let you hang because of #2, they have nothing invested and have no sincere interest in paying a fair price

Imagine an alternate universe were all Reverb buyers and sellers had to use their real names, post pictures and have an honest feedback system of past transactions - that would reduce low balls a bit I'm guessing . . .

[stephenT]

If you don’t have a well developed sense of humor, maybe you shouldn’t wade into the deep pool of buyers and sellers on Reverb.com.

Respond (or not) with the price you’re comfortable with and let it go with that. We don’t have to power to will folks to behave as we think they should.

[DenverSteve]

People are going to be people. If they offer what is laughable, I counter with double. If they have a "story", I suggest they sell a couple of their guitars and come back when they have the money. If they text on Craigslist when my ads clearly state that no texts will be responded to, I ignore them. I put a couple on Craigslist this morning and immediately received 6 texts on the Larrivee I have for sale. All were ignored because the listing clearly states:

IF THIS GUITAR IS HERE - IT IS AVAILABLE. If you have a question CALL, don't text. No texts will be answered. Local sale, cash/PayPal & Credit Card (Mon.-Sat.), local pick up ONLY. Located in LoDo Denver.

[ChrisN]

Regardless of the asking price or the seller's expectations, my offer for anything anticipates that I may want to sell it down the road with minimal/no loss, so I avoid paying more than is reasonable on the way in. So, not a sob story, but I can do what I can do, and no more.

I always explain that mentality to sellers, and provide links to sold Reverb and ebay listings for his/her item to support my offer. This approach seems acceptable to most sellers, even if they don't accept the offer.

[SpruceTop]

I've never had a bad experience selling several guitars and various PA gear on my local Craig's List. I always stipulate in my ads "in-person, cash sales only" as this gives the potential buyer a chance to inspect and try the equipment while in front of me. I always post a reasonable price and I'm willing to deal down some on it. I have gotten some of the usual stupid inquiries from who knows where but these are easy to spot and ignore. Local sales mean no shipping costs and the potential danger of damage to the gear.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

...if I respond with a counter have the stones to reject if you’re not interested instead of just letting it hang for 24 hours....

Yeah, I got one of those lowballers. No sense giving a counteroffer, which ties up your listing for (a maximum of) 24 hours. I just reject 'em ASAP. Then they can make a more reasonable offer if they're serious....

[Osage]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Yeah, I got one of those lowballers. No sense giving a counteroffer, which ties up your listing for (a maximum of) 24 hours. I just reject 'em ASAP. Then they can make a more reasonable offer if they're serious....

It doesn't tie up your listing at all. The listing is still live and anyone else can buy it or make an offer on it.

[maxtheaxe]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

Actually, this is more a rant about people ON Reverb.

I don’t do a a lot of horse trading. Every listing I’ve ever put up is researched and fairly priced, including the 3 guitars I currently have up. Every listing says “respectful offers considered”.

So why do some folks seem compelled to ridiculously lowball prices? I mean seriously offering 40-50% less than my asking price is an insult (from a stranger-I get it).

Secondly, if I respond with a counter have the stones to reject if you’re not interested instead of just letting it hang for 24 hours.

Now, before I get totally flamed, I know that a) this is pretty minor in the scheme of things, b) typical and natural human behavior c) that everybody wants to get lucky and d) pretty minor in the scheme of things.

I needs another cup of coffee. Rant over.

Reverb has an option to automatically reject offers below a set percentage of your asking price (I have mine set at anything below 60%). Tends to clear out the "flippers" who are just trying to make money off of you. I don't even have to respond to ridiculous offers, but if it's reasonable enough I will at least counter it and engage in a conversation about it. Otherwise, no sense in wasting my time.

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by Osage

It doesn't tie up your listing at all. The listing is still live and anyone else can buy it or make an offer on it.

Thanks for the info. I guess what you're saying is, for example, if a guitar is for sale at $1000, and a guy offers $800, you counteroffer at $900, then before the counteroffer is accepted someone else offers $950, you can shine on the $900 counteroffer and take the $950....

[lowrider]

Slothead, post a link to your listing. Then we can tell if you are being insulted or if you are just asking way too much.

[Osage]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Thanks for the info. I guess what you're saying is, for example, if a guitar is for sale at $1000, and a guy offers $800, you counteroffer at $900, then before the counteroffer is accepted someone else offers $950, you can shine on the $900 counteroffer and take the $950....

Yes, you could take the $950.