Buy/Sell/Trade Etiquette

**SkepticDEuser** · 09-13-2007, 05:20 PM

Seems that B&B members seem to want to get cheaper prices by making posts of high outrageously high some razor prices are.

I know this is a old theme, but it just seems to me that Western culture has lost the art of negotiation. They see it as rude to haggle over a price.

I know that the razors I sell are described perfectly, and I do not sell poor razors to B&b members unless I tell them whats wrong with them. It's the sort of thing I also expect back when I purchase from B&B mebers.

I don't want to rip people off, but it just seems that western countries, and especially American, English and here in Australia have lost the art of negotiation. Why do people feel it is rude to make a lower offer to what is asked.

When purchasing a house, do you only offer

Instead of making a post about how expensive an item is, make an offer on what you think it's worth.

Some items are sold with poor fotos, and so a price might seem expensive, but the only way to get a true condition description is to ask!

So the bottom line is, make an offer!

Cheers

**Austin** · 09-13-2007, 06:39 PM

Personally I prefer not to haggle. The price I post is a fair price. I feel most of the items offered on this forum are fair. This is not an auction site and should be used as such. Most members will reduce their prices if their product is not selling.

**Taz** · 09-13-2007, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Personally I prefer not to haggle. The price I post is a fair price. I feel most of the items offered on this forum are fair. This is not an auction site and should be used as such. Most members will reduce their prices if their product is not selling.

I agree really if you feel it is to high you do not need to buy

**Kyle** · 09-13-2007, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Personally I prefer not to haggle. The price I post is a fair price. I feel most of the items offered on this forum are fair. This is not an auction site and should be used as such. Most members will reduce their prices if their product is not selling.

+1

The BST forum wasn't designed to serve as a personal revenue generator. It is simply a convenient way to exchange goods between friends.

**SkepticDEuser** · 09-13-2007, 07:54 PM

I totaly agree with your comments, but my question to you all is "What is a fair price".

If it sells for an above market price..................is that still fair?

Food for thought. Everyone has an opinion, and a right to it.

Enjoy the shave!

**Austin** · 09-13-2007, 07:55 PM

Fair price is determined by supply and demand.

**AACJ** · 09-13-2007, 07:55 PM

A fair price is what ever the market will bear. If you sell it at a higher than previously sold price, that is the going price. If it's offered too high, it won't sell and the seller should consider lowering his price.

Just my .02 cents.

**SkepticDEuser** · 09-13-2007, 08:10 PM

Well said Art!

So instead of B&B member whinging and whining about razors being too expensive, why not politely and in a well meaning email, indicate the fair selling price for a razor of similar condition and style!

(Some people would call that haggling, others would call that constructive comment).

Which takes me back to the art of negotiation! Some people just don't get it!

Enjoy the shave!

**AACJ** · 09-13-2007, 08:23 PM

Well, if you are from the US, it's not something you would normally be used to. When I go overseas or to the Carribean, I can and would expect it as some would be offended if I didn't. It seems in some countries it's customary to haggle, in others, it isn't.

And that's okay.

**htownmmm** · 09-13-2007, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by Austin

Fair price is determined by supply and demand.

Originally Posted by AACJ

A fair price is what ever the market will bear. If you sell it at a higher than previously sold price, that is the going price. If it's offered too high, it won't sell and the seller should consider lowering his price.

Just my .02 cents.

+!

Marty

**jnich67** · 09-13-2007, 08:47 PM

Agree with the replies here. What is wrong with not wanting to haggle? That is generally how things work here. If the price is too high to sell, it will come down - if the seller will let the item go for that much. Some cultures haggle over some things and not others. Some things are expected to be negotiated and some not- houses for example usually are. Although that depends on the market.

I have a couple of razors that I would sell and I'll tell you straight up what I want for them. If you're not willing to pay that much, I'll keep them or find someone who is. Jeez...

Jordan

**SkepticDEuser** · 09-13-2007, 09:30 PM

I agree totally with your point totally, but I think you miss the point.
The issue is not about negotiating or haggling, it's about etiquette and manners.

If a buyer is not interested in negotiating, that's fine. I have no issue with that.

The point of contention is the etiquette around posting messages about the asking price being too high, and suggesting that the seller should drop their price by 50%. That reflects poor manners and etiquette, and in fact may lead potential buyers to reconsider their purchase.

Those concerns should be made one on one as a private message.
In fact, those messages are a form of "haggling", only in a public forum!

Enjoy the shave.

**Kyle** · 09-13-2007, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by SkepticDEuser

I agree totally with your point totally, but I think you miss the point.
The issue is not about negotiating or haggling, it's about etiquette and manners.

If a buyer is not interested in negotiating, that's fine. I have no issue with that.

The point of contention is the etiquette around posting messages about the asking price being too high, and suggesting that the seller should drop their price by 50%. That reflects poor manners and etiquette, and in fact may lead potential buyers to reconsider their purchase.

Those concerns should be made one on one as a private message.
In fact, those messages are a form of "haggling", only in a public forum!

Enjoy the shave.

I'm not sure what your gripe is in regards to this matter. The fellow who made the suggestion followed up with a very gentlemanly apology.

For what its worth, I think you'll find that many members here will quickly call out anyone who has priced their wares unfairly as the BST forum is frequented by many gents who are new to wet shaving who may unknowingly pay a foolish price for a product. This falls very much in line with spirit of helpfulness that permeates B&B.

Understand, I am not calling your intentions into question, nor am I making any judgments on the fairness/unfairness of your chosen pricing.

**AACJ** · 09-14-2007, 01:02 AM

I think I understand your point now. It's not the actual negotiatin or haggleing but rather the way it is approached.

As my right honorable friend Kyle said though, if someone sees an obsurd price, they will usually call them out on it, sometimes not the right way, but it happens. However if something is priced too high but with no hits, the seller should realize it's overpriced and should lower it to a price that it will sell. This happened to me recently, I sold a Super Speed in excellent condition. I really didn't know what to sell it for, so I put a price out there. No hits. After lowering the price and bumping the thread, it sold within a few hours.

I don't know what spurred this original posting on, when I'm through with this post, I'll do a little research.

Thanks

Originally Posted by SkepticDEuser

I agree totally with your point totally, but I think you miss the point.
The issue is not about negotiating or haggling, it's about etiquette and manners.

If a buyer is not interested in negotiating, that's fine. I have no issue with that.

The point of contention is the etiquette around posting messages about the asking price being too high, and suggesting that the seller should drop their price by 50%. That reflects poor manners and etiquette, and in fact may lead potential buyers to reconsider their purchase.

Those concerns should be made one on one as a private message.
In fact, those messages are a form of "haggling", only in a public forum!

Enjoy the shave.

**ouch** · 09-14-2007, 05:58 AM

How much for the little girl?

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIipASEM1zU[/YOUTUBE]

**scorpion** · 09-14-2007, 09:31 AM

I don't think there's a one size fits all solution here. There's some cultural/regional/ethnic/generational things as well, some people don't want to deal with haggling - others routinely expect to haggle every time they buy a used product. I've sold a couple things on here and bought a few as well. As long as we all resolve to be polite in every interaction (and I haven't experienced otherwise in any of my limited dealings) everything will be fine. If you feel you've priced something fairly and someone asks for a few bucks off just say 'thanks for your interest but I feel the price is fair'... and if you're the buyer, don't push beyond that initial request if you're rebuffed... nothing wrong with asking - nothing wrong with saying no. For what it's worth, I've never been asked to cut a price (I think I only sold two items though) and I never asked anyone to cut theirs. I've seen a few folks bristle from time to time, but by and large my experience both buying and selling here has been overwhelmingly positive.

**Prince** · 09-14-2007, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by ouch

How much for the little girl?

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIipASEM1zU[/YOUTUBE]

That is still one of the funniest clips.

**Doc4** · 09-14-2007, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by Prince

That is still one of the funniest clips.

Sir?

Sir?

Sir??

Sir!!!

**TstebinsB** · 09-15-2007, 05:42 AM

I'm constantly buying and selling the same things over and over again because as my skills improve, things that didn't work now work. Also, as a law school student, my money situation changes periodically. I don't try to make a profit but I don't want to lose too much money either. I've had people make offers that were fair but some were just ridiculous. If something doesn't sell, I either lower the price or just go to eBay. Personally, I don't make offers. But if as a seller you'd like people to make an offer all you have to do is include that along with your FS/FT preference. Problem solved.