Experience with Users/Buyers on Here Ghosting

[franky694]

Look, ima low ball you. If you’re asking $1000, ima shoot over a $600 offer. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. At this point, it’s for the love of the game.

 

[CaptainLevi]

Look, ima low ball you. If you’re asking $1000, ima shoot over a $600 offer. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. At this point, it’s for the love of the game.

What happens if the seller declines your offer or sticks to their asking price?

 

[weaverftw]

A lower offer yeah, but lowballs are more like 25%+ or higher off listing price. I've gotten many of them.

I feel like this really depends on the item though and how fair the asking price is. If someone buys a $1000 Msrp rifle, shoots it a bunch (so it’s clearly used), dumps like $1k of aftermarket parts into it, then lists it for $2000, it’s not crazy or insulting to offer $1500. Some sellers are delusional and their listings will never sell for the initial asking price. After months of no offers maybe they’ll realize $1500 is actually what it’s worth but that “lowball” offer is now off the table because the buyer moved on…

 

[2muchsoysauce4allthisrice]

Recently there seems to be a high number of low ballers & tire kickers going around throughout the classifieds. Hopefully it’s just a temporary occurrence.
Word has gone around already. My LGS who is presently striving to be the largest single store operator in CA is reporting shared opinions of similar nature.

LGS experiencing lowballers too?

 

[tedster]

I feel like this really depends on the item though and how fair the asking price is. If someone buys a $1000 Msrp rifle, shoots it a bunch (so it’s clearly used), dumps like $1k of aftermarket parts into it, then lists it for $2000, it’s not crazy or insulting to offer $1500. Some sellers are delusional and their listings will never sell for the initial asking price. After months of no offers maybe they’ll realize $1500 is actually what it’s worth but that “lowball” offer is now off the table because the buyer moved on…

Aftermarket parts, installed/used are a different matter. Those could as well come as a bonus with the firearm. Personally, I’m not interested in tricked out highly modified firearms. I avoid those entirely.

 

[tedster]

Everyone is taking lowballers way too seriously. Just reply "sorry I can't go that low". If it's close you can counter. I've had some people super low ball me but eventually come close to my asking. Don't blow off a potential buyer just because you didn't like their approach. You'll be surprised how many times it eventually works out if you treat others with respect.

I always respond without negative attitude. Unfortunately, it almost never leads to anything.
Too often it turns out they’re not even in my county, then comes the question “can you meet me … (anywhere else than the locations I listed)”
I don’t travel anymore for firearm deals. Those days are over.

Besides, with a 25% percent price reduction, I can give the gun in consignment. Depending on what it is, it will sell reliably quick. I don’t have to do anything except picking up the check.

 

[tedster]

I’ve come across people like this

LGS experiencing lowballers too?
[/QUOTE]
They hear about the market place practices of this forum. Word goes around.
But yes, they also have to deal with low ballers.

 

[Colt Collector]

What do you guys think of my price for my mp5 wide body handguard price?
Is my price too high?

No. It's that garage sale mentality. You could be selling a nice coffee cup for a dollar and someone is going to offer you 25 cents. They want to feel like they got a deal. It's fine with me. At least I got rid of something I didn't want anymore.

 

[GoldensRule]

I could take it or leave it really. Lowballing is fine if done respectfully, but most lowballlers aren't all that respectful, which is why they use this hackneyed approach.

Lowballing implies an insultingly low offer, in ny view.

Let's say you are selling a CMP M1 Garand, an expert version in excellent condition and you list it for $1,700. Now, I look at that and say to myself, nice rifle, I don't really need it but I would like to have it but for no more than $1,000. So, I contact you and tell you it's a nice rifle and that it looks great, I might ask a question or two and then I tell you that, I will give you $900 cash tomorrow.

You come back and thank me for the offer, lower your asking to $1,500, I respond that I really don't want to going higher than $1,000. So far, no one's nose is out of joint and you respond that you just don't want to go lower than $1,450. My final response is: I get it, my offer stands in case you change your mind.

We negotiated in good faith and didn't make a deal. Maybe in a month you change your mind and maybe you turn around and get your asking price.

Is there anything disrespectful about that exchange?

 

[tedster]

Apparently, the boundaries of respect vary from person to person. I don't go in with less than 90% of what the seller is asking. Provided everything else is in order. Usually, I don't even haggle at all. I want something, I pay for it.
As a matter of fact, I first approach the circumstances. Clarify PPT location and availability of the other person. If the person is willing to come my way for PPT, I will honor his asking price. As a seller, I knock some bucks off the asking price if the buyer is coming from a distance.
I like friendly, smooth transactions.

 

[Charles0413]

Let's say you are selling a CMP M1 Garand, an expert version in excellent condition and you list it for $1,700. Now, I look at that and say to myself, nice rifle, I don't really need it but I would like to have it but for no more than $1,000. So, I contact you and tell you it's a nice rifle and that it looks great, I might ask a question or two and then I tell you that, I will give you $900 cash tomorrow.

You come back and thank me for the offer, lower your asking to $1,500, I respond that I really don't want to going higher than $1,000. So far, no one's nose is out of joint and you respond that you just don't want to go lower than $1,450. My final response is: I get it, my offer stands in case you change your mind.

We negotiated in good faith and didn't make a deal. Maybe in a month you change your mind and maybe you turn around and get your asking price.

Is there anything disrespectful about that exchange?

LOL, after your long essay, so you mean you want $900 take a CMP expert grade M1 Garand ?
It looks like insulting to the M1 Garand and the seller.

 

[Wolkenflieger]

Let's say you are selling a CMP M1 Garand, an expert version in excellent condition and you list it for $1,700. Now, I look at that and say to myself, nice rifle, I don't really need it but I would like to have it but for no more than $1,000. So, I contact you and tell you it's a nice rifle and that it looks great, I might ask a question or two and then I tell you that, I will give you $900 cash tomorrow.

You come back and thank me for the offer, lower your asking to $1,500, I respond that I really don't want to going higher than $1,000. So far, no one's nose is out of joint and you respond that you just don't want to go lower than $1,450. My final response is: I get it, my offer stands in case you change your mind.

We negotiated in good faith and didn't make a deal. Maybe in a month you change your mind and maybe you turn around and get your asking price.

Is there anything disrespectful about that exchange?

You seem to think that I came up with this idea myself. Here is my comment in the context of the ongoing conversation in this thread:

"ikeo1 said:
What do you guys think of a “rate this message” in the DM? Is it a bit much? Lol

Wolkenflieger:
Bit much. Maybe a special "report lowballer" button? Even that could have unexpected knock-on effects."

I was simply spitballing in response to a query and I don't think we need to deviate from regular conversation or negotiation as humans have done since there have been humans negotiating.

I hadn't put much thought into it, and I do see a way it could be gamed for abuse even if the person is definitely not a lowballer.

Anyone can respectfully offer me a lower amount like you described and I see nothing wrong with that. I don't even consider that lowballing.

Lowballing is somewhat subjective. Generally I consider it to be an offer which is aggressively and insultingly low compared to reasonable market value...but some people are desperate and want speed over top dollar. That rent or mortgage isn't going to pay itself, right?

If a person approaches with respect and the offer is too low or simply not competitive I'll politely decline. I may have several potential buyers I'm talking to, but I will note the mature tone and good attitude. As a seller, I always choose my buyer.

 

[ikeo1]

I’m actually considering on our road map a button in the DM message that you can press to say Low Baller | Not a low baller.

If you get 5+ people in DM’s that report you as a low baller, you’ll get a little emoji or . To get it off, someone in then DM has to press the not a low baller.

This way you guys police yourselves just like the listings, where people can leave $ on the sellers. The difference is you would be able to leave this anonymously.

You’d have to piss off 5+ people would it make sense to show the rating is a question, or keep it silent and just pops up.

 

[-BTM-]

I’m actually considering on our road map a button in the DM message that you can press to say Low Baller | Not a low baller.

If you get 5+ people in DM’s that report you as a low baller, you’ll get a little emoji or . To get it off, someone in then DM has to press the not a low baller.

This way you guys police yourselves just like the listings, where people can leave $ on the sellers. The difference is you would be able to leave this anonymously.

You’d have to piss off 5+ people would it make sense to show the rating is a question, or keep it silent and just pops up.

How about a for ghosts and flakes

 

[millenialshooter83]

I’m actually considering on our road map a button in the DM message that you can press to say Low Baller | Not a low baller.

If you get 5+ people in DM’s that report you as a low baller, you’ll get a little emoji or . To get it off, someone in then DM has to press the not a low baller.

This way you guys police yourselves just like the listings, where people can leave $ on the sellers. The difference is you would be able to leave this anonymously.

You’d have to piss off 5+ people would it make sense to show the rating is a question, or keep it silent and just pops up.

5+ is too generous lol.

2-3 sounds like fair number.

 

[ikeo1]

How about a for ghosts and flakes

Sure why not, once we have the code in place it’s not hard to extend. Problem is people might want to collect them

 

[Wolkenflieger]

I’m actually considering on our road map a button in the DM message that you can press to say Low Baller | Not a low baller.

If you get 5+ people in DM’s that report you as a low baller, you’ll get a little emoji or . To get it off, someone in then DM has to press the not a low baller.

This way you guys police yourselves just like the listings, where people can leave $ on the sellers. The difference is you would be able to leave this anonymously.

You’d have to piss off 5+ people would it make sense to show the rating is a question, or keep it silent and just pops up.

Not a fan really.

First, nobody should be expected to have to indicate that someone is not a lowballer, which is subjective. A lot of people won't bother, and motivated bad actors may just want to cause someone to have the poo emoji for reasons that go way beyond any offer for any product...like political disagreement or any ongoing argument on the forum.

Second, how do you account for tone? Someone who makes a respectful offer which is too low isn't necessarily a lowballer. Someone who makes reckless and insulting offers might just get ignored by some. Then again, some people have that garage sale mentality and are just seeing what sticks. I may not like the low offers but I don't an icon warning me about this based on the subjective and unvetted judgment of others.

I don't like iconic reactions generally without actual reasoning along with it. I want to see why people think X or Y, not some icon voted on (anonymously?) by people whose reasoning i can't see or question. This could get ugly fast.

I know i suggested it earlier while we were brainstorming, but a button like this could be abused for reasons beyond subjective lowballing.

My vote is a strong no.

 

[ikeo1]

I know i suggested it earlier while we were brainstorming, but a button like this could be abused for reasons beyond subjective lowballing.

That’s why you have to have 5+ people and only available in DM’s. It forces people not to talk in DM’s because it counts against them if they do. One member one vote per person, multiple convos doesn’t matter unless the original person changes it then it goes back to neutral and/or removes -

If you have 5+ different people telling you the same things from your DM anonymously, you deserve it IMO.

The whole point it to encourage awareness. If you don’t know your tone is coming off a certain way, now you have a marker. You can get 5 different people to help you lower it

 

[Wolkenflieger]

That’s why you have to have 5+ people and only available in DM’s. It forces people not to talk in DM’s because it counts against them if they do. One member one vote per person, multiple convos doesn’t matter unless the original person changes it then it goes back to neutral and/or removes -

If you have 5+ different people telling you the same things from your DM anonymously, you deserve it IMO.

The icon only shows in DMs? That's better but ultimately unnecessary.

Why do I need the votes of others represented as an emoji to understand what is can see in English?

Why taint the communication with that emoji even if 5+ people voted it in? What someone labels lowballng may not be, just like so many people don't understand what "gouging" means.

 

[BobGBA]

Is this really a big enough problem that it needs a solution?
It doesn't seem so to me.