Stupid things buyers/sellers do

[87National]

So I try to not be “that guy” who tries to negotiate over text/phone etc. I believe that if I want you to discuss any change in price I should take the time to come by and check out the item/car in person.
So I find a car I’m interested in for the sum of its parts, but not at the $2k asking price. So I hook up trailer, drive 2 hours and look at the car. It was as advertised but it was a $1500 car not $2,000. I asked him about a lower price and he said “the price is firm, you should have asked me on the phone”.

Ad didn’t say firm so I assumed there was some room to talk. Oh well.....guess I’ll just have to be “that guy” and ask before I waste my time.

And if someone asks me my “bottom dollar” without even seeing what I have for sale I always raise the price. And I always will. Just try to treat people how I want to be treated but you never know I guess.

^ This is the exact reason why I will try to figure out the seller's bottom dollar before making the drive. Once you've taken the time to hook up the trailer and drive a couple of hours....guess who now has all of the leverage in the negotiation?

If done tactfully, I see nothing wrong with this approach.....I'll usually ask in a hypothetical way "If the item is as described and I show up with $*** cash, would you sell it?

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

I have acura rims with the pressure sensors for sale. I had them listed for $150 and they were listed for too long so I got notice the ad was going to be removed. I reposted with a $200 price the same day. I got some guy asking if I would take $150. I said sure and set up a time for him to pick them up. He was coming from Toronto and he had the address to meet me. He called an hour after the meeting time saying his gps screwed up. So after wasting my time I told him if he could find the place I could meet him at 10 this morning. He asked to change that to 9 and he was bringing his wife so he would not get lost again. Yesterday he ended up in the wrong city. He shows up and says he need to measure the bolt pattern, all of that was described in the ad. Then he pulls out $125 saying that was the agreed price. He tried to tell me that was the price I told him and he can show me the message. I told him if he wants to check for the message and it's not there the price goes up to the $200. He hesitated so I gave him back the $125 and started to put the wheel back in my Jeep. His wife got out of his vehicle and told him he was an idiot and to give me the $150 and asked very nicely if I would let them go for the $150...he's lucky he brought his wife cause he would have been driving for a few hours for nothing...

I had almost the same story with a set of Ford truck rims. Never seen someone so sure of themselves that the price in my ad was 50% of what it really was. I was only asking $100 for mint, and I mean like brand new blue steelies. That isn't even worth the argument.

Just pay me and go away.

 

[Pc3]

Had a guy from down south 900 miles away. Spent three weeks asking questions and requesting photos. I answered every single question and provided every photo that was requested.
I spent the time of raising and lowering the car off the lift at least a dozen times to provide him with photos. Gave him a list and parts that where on car..( saved receipts) he concluded that He wasn't sure about parting with the money.
After all that! Another week goes by I get a call saying he has money and is coming to pick up the car.
He shows up with trailer and truck looks at car and decides it to much.
Gets back in truck dragging trailer

 

[spidereyes455]

Seems the new thing I'm getting from "buyers" is an email reply to ads on CL saying "I'm interested in such and such part call or text me at this number." Since when is a seller supposed to chase down potential buyers? I've been replying by email to their email saying if you are interested please call or message me and we can set something up. And of course I never hear form them again. Now if there's one thing I've learned from selling stuff on CL it's that anyone that contacts me via email about parts for sale is not actually serious about buying said parts and is just looking to waste time as i have NEVER had an email inquiry about anything actually result in a sale.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

Lately I've had a lot of "Hi, is (insert ad title verbatim here) still available?"

Pretty sure it's bots, not sure what they're getting out of this.

 

[Dayzedandkonfuzed]

I'll usually ask in a hypothetical way "If the item is as described and I show up with $*** cash, would you sell it?

I don't mind this scenario, but if you ask me my bottom dollar with little to no other information exchanged, you'll either get a smart *ss response, or no response.

I'm selling a 99 F250 right now. 5.4, extended cab, white.... A hundred of these trucks for sale within a stones throw from anyone. So if someone is trying to get my bottom dollar just because they're far away, I want to tell them to just find one local. If you're interested because my price is better than any local ones, just come look. My cutlass on the other hand, obviously a one off kind of car, so I don't mind discussing price first.

 

[jiho]

"Ran when parked 7 years ago." Saw this one the other day.

"Needs [ your part here ] to run right, simple/quick/easy fix, have the part, included with sale." See this with stunning regularity.

 

[Doug Chahoy]

If the parts so easy, why isn’t it installed to increase the value? I’d try and make it a deal with them that I’d come and install the part. If it runs as stated then haggle. If it doesn’t, ( if still interested) offer half the asking price, or less for they’re lie and your time

 

[Gonzo1970]

Selling a motorcycle.
Get message: "Whats the lowest you'll go?"
Answer: "About 2 miles an hour.. any lower than that, she wants to tip over"

-Gonz

 

[ck80]

Whenever I get a "lowest price" or "least you'll take" I always respond with "whats your best offer" or "highest offer" to rephrase whatever they wrote.

No better reason for me to drop to the bottom of my range than for them to offer their absolute best.