Am I being fickle here?

Dan_Halen

bertie said:

NCo said:

Here's the key point - "within reasonable parameters and expectations". The clear expectation is that you haggle as much as you want before coming to someone's house to try a guitar. I

that's your view,  and others disagree.   I'd never haggle anything until I got my hands on it and tried it.

Haggling without seeing/touching is a worthless and pointless exercise

Really??

See thing for sale, check photos, ask questions, decide if price is right or make offer, go meet seller, if all in order and as expected then pay the price you agreed. That's how almost every purchase/sale of guitars or similar I've done has gone on here, Facebook, gumtree or wherever. I think your idea of turning up first to start kicking the tyres just isn't usual nor does it make much sense.

If you like doing it then great, but for some people haggling is such tedious nonsense more to do with bravado and the need to be some sort of Del Boy geezer who always gets the best deal. You could put £100 in tenners up for sale in the classifieds here for £80 and some knob will tell you why it's only worth the £60 they're prepared to pay.

I'm fine with a straight up 'would you take x?' on something I've got for sale but to go to a guys house for 2 hours then try and knock him down is just grubby behaviour. It's not the making an offer part (which it seems to have been simplified to in order to make a point) that was the problem, it's the way it was done.

Tall_martin

I had someone come round a look at some bike forks once.

Took him 30 min to decide no

Lewy

NCo said:

bertie said:

NCo said:

Here's the key point - "within reasonable parameters and expectations". The clear expectation is that you haggle as much as you want before coming to someone's house to try a guitar. I

that's your view,  and others disagree.   I'd never haggle anything until I got my hands on it and tried it.

Haggling without seeing/touching is a worthless and pointless exercise

My house, my rules, so you might want to check on those expectations before coming in.

I hate haggling (doing it and having it done to me) but I accept that the societal norm for private in-person buying and selling is that neither party has committed to the deal until they are both there at the point of exchanging cash for item. So if as a seller you're not open to receiving a pound less for your item, and you don't want to have to decline offers from buyers, then I think the onus is on the seller to make that clear up front. On the flip side, hagglers have no right to get insistent or pissy if a seller declines to accept anything less than their asking price.

bobacco

Christ, two hours is about an 1hr 45m too many for me. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve had people come to collect guitars and hang about for as long as that - but that’s for bought-and-paid-for guitars and we just jammed about a bit and chatted guitars like nerds. If I had some dude essentially tyre-kicking for that long, and then to offer a fair chunk less…definitely would be a bit pissed off. 

That said, though - it’s a significant outlay (perhaps not for some) and he’s entitled not to rush into a decision to accommodate societal norms. Pricing-wise though, I think it’s a bit shitty to not discuss any perceived ‘optimism’ ahead of taking up the buyer’s time for that long. Get a reasonable market value together, with examples that match condition, model etc. and if it’s wildly different, then discuss ahead of time. Turning up and making yourself at home to that degree…and then angling for a discount / challenging the asking price in a Columbo-style is dickish. 

Also, I don’t think it’s ‘fickle’ to ostracise him as much as it’s ‘petty’. And I would (and have been) petty about such things before - probably cut my nose off to spite my face, but sometimes people rub you up the wrong way. 

goldtop

^ What he said. 

If you really don't expect to negotiate on price at all, then say so in your advert. Then you don't waste your time or a potential buyer's. 

Yes, it's a PITA when you've done proper price research, priced your stuff accordingly and someone still gives you a low-ball offer, but it's 100% fair. Just consider it, say no and wish him good luck.

bertie

Lewy said:

NCo said:

bertie said:

NCo said:

Here's the key point - "within reasonable parameters and expectations". The clear expectation is that you haggle as much as you want before coming to someone's house to try a guitar. I

that's your view,  and others disagree.   I'd never haggle anything until I got my hands on it and tried it.

Haggling without seeing/touching is a worthless and pointless exercise

My house, my rules, so you might want to check on those expectations before coming in.

I hate haggling (doing it and having it done to me) but I accept that the societal norm for private in-person buying and selling is that neither party has committed to the deal until they are both there at the point of exchanging cash for item. So if as a seller you're not open to receiving a pound less for your item, and you don't want to have to decline offers from buyers, then I think the onus is on the seller to make that clear up front. On the flip side, hagglers have no right to get insistent or pissy if a seller declines to accept anything less than their asking price.

OK - point of clarification,   for me "haggle" is make an offer, if its declined, may be one more.  Not accepted, leave and not stand there for 2 hours "arguing the toss" 

If Im buying Id never travel very far either - 20 miles tops.  Up to the buyer to agree before coming to my house, no sob stories accepted either.

Oh Id absolutely with @goldtop ; - re the use "no offers"   -  tho that seems to be largely ignored on FB Marketplace for anything !!

thems my views and Im happy with them,   toot toot

TheModiesel

I don't even play my own guitars for 2 hours straight, would be well pissed if someone came and then did that - you have more patience than me!

ditchboy

I would have skittled him long before 2 hours. You sir are a very patient man. I’ve had someone from the forum come and offer me trades at my house despite me telling him in advance that I wasn’t considering any which was slightly awkward. 

steveh

A few years ago I was flogging a big ticket acoustic (Traugott). 
Similarly, I had a guy turn up who played it for 2-hours before saying he couldn't afford it, and left.
The following day he asked if he could come back again - I told him to f*c* off.

bobacco

steveh said:

A few years ago I was flogging a big ticket acoustic (Traugott). 
Similarly, I had a guy turn up who played it for 2-hours before saying he couldn't afford it, and left.
The following day he asked if he could come back again - I told him to f*c* off.

That’s unbelievable! I’d love to know what his thinking was, having already told you that it’s out of reach for him. 

Funkfingers

I live a long way out into The Sticks. If I am going to put the question, "is that your best price?", I do so before I travel.

goldtop

Funkfingers said:

I live a long way out into The Sticks. If I am going to put the question, "is that your best price?", I do so before I travel.

And when he says "yes"?

bertie

Dan_Halen said:

bertie said:

NCo said:

Here's the key point - "within reasonable parameters and expectations". The clear expectation is that you haggle as much as you want before coming to someone's house to try a guitar. I

that's your view,  and others disagree.   I'd never haggle anything until I got my hands on it and tried it.

Haggling without seeing/touching is a worthless and pointless exercise

Really??

See thing for sale, check photos, ask questions, decide if price is right or make offer, go meet seller, if all in order and as expected then pay the price you agreed. That's how almost every purchase/sale of guitars or similar I've done has gone on here, Facebook, gumtree or wherever. I think your idea of turning up first to start kicking the tyres just isn't usual nor does it make much sense.

its not "tyre kicking"   -  you're not buying a new item,  no guarantee.  You're relying on pictures, only pictures from someone you dont know, and never met

When I comes to shelling out a thousand or three - sorry but I dont trust anyone I havent met

How many times have you bought something "from ebay"  - the item arrives and its nothing like the condition it looks ?  So I never take that chance any more.  I want to see and touch it -   

I'll only go and see something I really want, within a ball park figure,  I'll always ask for a few quid off.  Human nature.  I'd do the same in a shop.  

Never bought a guitar on/off of here, and very likely never will -  so that doesnt apply. 

anyway enough of this nonsense.............. Ive a dog who's glands need expressing.

chrisj1602

If he gets back to you, let him come round, raise the action and the price.

Dan_Halen

bertie said:

Dan_Halen said:

bertie said:

NCo said:

Here's the key point - "within reasonable parameters and expectations". The clear expectation is that you haggle as much as you want before coming to someone's house to try a guitar. I

that's your view,  and others disagree.   I'd never haggle anything until I got my hands on it and tried it.

Haggling without seeing/touching is a worthless and pointless exercise

Really??

See thing for sale, check photos, ask questions, decide if price is right or make offer, go meet seller, if all in order and as expected then pay the price you agreed. That's how almost every purchase/sale of guitars or similar I've done has gone on here, Facebook, gumtree or wherever. I think your idea of turning up first to start kicking the tyres just isn't usual nor does it make much sense.

its not "tyre kicking"   -  you're not buying a new item,  no guarantee.  You're relying on pictures, only pictures from someone you dont know, and never met

When I comes to shelling out a thousand or three - sorry but I dont trust anyone I havent met

How many times have you bought something "from ebay"  - the item arrives and its nothing like the condition it looks ?  So I never take that chance any more.  I want to see and touch it -   I'll only go and see something I really want, within a ball park figure,  I'll always ask for a few quid off.  Human nature.  I'd do the same in a shop.  

Never bought anything on here so that doesnt apply. 

Eh? Where did I say anything about relying on pictures and trusting people you haven't met? Or buying stuff you haven't seen in person? Think you're going off on a bit of a tangent.

Seems fairly straightforward to me. Look at photos - how does it look? Any glaring issues? Query anything that doesn't look right or ask for more photos and details if needed. Then when you actually go meet them to make the purchase you check it's all in order. You seem to have gone straight from 'look at advert' to 'hand over cash' skipping the bit in the middle where you get to, you know, inspect the thing before you pay for it. At that point if you find problems that weren't disclosed then walk or way or it's absolutely fair game to discuss adjusting the price accordingly.

bertie

Dan_Halen said:

Eh? Where did I say anything about relying on pictures and trusting people you haven't met? Or buying stuff you haven't seen in person? Think you're going off on a bit of a tangent.

 

you didnt,  and I wasnt inferring you did   !!!     I was merely qualifying MY statement/reasons/preferences 

"calm down calm down"

TeleMaster

It's fairly normal for people to haggle if they're coming round to check it out. A lot of the time the price isn't agreed prior to this because people often want to look at it first, if it had been then it would be a different story unless something was noticed or I'd forgot to add something. 

Dan_Halen

bertie said:

Dan_Halen said:

Eh? Where did I say anything about relying on pictures and trusting people you haven't met? Or buying stuff you haven't seen in person? Think you're going off on a bit of a tangent.

 

you didnt,  and I wasnt inferring you did   !!!     I was merely qualifying MY statement/reasons/preferences 

"calm down calm down"

Haha, ok, fair enough 

hollywoodrox

It’s your item to sell so no if he’s hit a nerve with you and you're not desperate for the money don’t sell it to him . I get a feeling for what you mean  he’s been there two hours playing it  flipping well adjusted the setup even cheeky sod . It’s up to you but if you’re not needing the cash  forget him. On the other hand if you could use the money and have seen a desirable item you want to buy with it  best to sell with a begrudging smile 

Dan_Halen

goldtop said:

Funkfingers said:

I live a long way out into The Sticks. If I am going to put the question, "is that your best price?", I do so before I travel.

And when he says "yes"?

Then you both know where you stand and how much it will cost you if you want it. Is that a difficult thing to grasp?