Interesting cultural differences in classifieds b/w hobbies.

[Ittaku]

I've always haggled in audio purchases and sales. Buying new, selling old, buying old, same routine over and over. Advertise above price, haggle below price you're willing to pay, try to find a middle ground and then finally agree on price.

 

I got into astronomy a couple of years ago and there's a healthy second hand market there as well. First time I sold something second hand there, the person just said they'd take it, and that was the end of the discussion. I considered myself lucky to get full price. Then I bought something second hand after haggling a price from my end. Then I sold something else - again they just said they'd take it. I started scratching my head at how I could be lucky twice in a row. Over the next two years I sold about 8 more things, and never once did anyone haggle on the price. I then started feeling embarrassed about having haggled a price with the second hand purchase I'd made earlier on. Since then I've learned my lesson and just buy whatever is advertised at the price it is, and I must say I find it quite a relief after the usual to and fro in hi-fi. I'm reminded of the scene in Life of Brian where the salesman refuses to sell him the gourd at full price and insists they haggle first.

 

I talked to a few friends about this and the only conclusion we could come to that might cause such a difference in culture is that hi-fi is a very subjective hobby, and thus value we place on hi-fi hardware is also highly subjective. The amount of subjectivity in astronomy hardware is about as close to zero as it gets.

[Tony M]

I dislike haggling, especially if the item is fairly priced to start with. 

 

Finding and purchasing just the right piece of equipment on the secondhand market is a challenge in itself and is so much more important than getting a few dollars off that haggling seems to be an unnecessary distraction from the main game of achieving a mutually satisfactory transaction that both parties are happy with.  There's also the risk of missing out on the purchase for the sake of a few dollars.

 

I will make an exception if it's something I really want, but seems clearly overpriced to some extent.  Under those circumstances a lower, but realistic offer seems reasonable.  If it's grossly overpriced, then I probably wouldn't bother - I wouldn't want to engage in "low-balling".  I have noticed that this seems to cause a lot of angst but it really doesn't bother me and as a seller I wouldn't take it as a personal insult.  Sure, it's time-waster, but how much time does it take to deliver a flat "no"?  I've certainly had some practice in this over the years in refusing trade-in offers from car dealers!

 

Also, a vendor that advertises the price as "negotiable" and prices the item at, say, $5,150 seems to be signalling that they expect/hope to clear $5K and have left some wriggle room for haggling.  I might then feel it's my duty to oblige. 

 

But haggling for the sake of it or as a bit of a game? - naw, life's too short for that IMO.  However, I do know some people who see it almost as a sporting challenge to pay the lowest price possible and will go to great lengths to achieve that.  When their opposition is Harvey Norman or similar, I'm definitely barracking for the buyer over the vendor!  When it's a private seller asking a fair and reasonable price, I move to the opposite allegiance.

 

In the end though, it is a truism that satisfaction/dissatisfaction with the purchased item long outlasts memory of the details of the price paid.

 

 

 

[rocky500]

1 hour ago, Ittaku said:

I've always haggled in audio purchases and sales. Buying new, selling old, buying old, same routine over and over. Advertise above price, haggle below price you're willing to pay, try to find a middle ground and then finally agree on price.

 

 

Now you post this Con! Had I known your procedure before, I should of haggled down the price of the component I bought from you earlier. 

[Ittaku]

Just now, rocky500 said:

 

Now you post this Con! Had I known your procedure before, I should of haggled down the price of the component I bought from you earlier. 

Haha, that was unfair of me to say always indeed. There were a small number of sales here where people paid the price I was asking. I have on occasion said "price firm" as well, only to have people try to haggle anyway.

[muon*]

I have never haggled on an audio purchase.

 

I think I tried to once and didn't like the experience. Edit: actually it wasn't a haggle as such as the seller did not have a price and told me to make him an offer as he just wanted rid of it, so I made an offer and he exploded

 

But I have been on the receiving end of the haggle when selling all sorts of things, in one where I was selling a car I likened the buyer to a Ferengi.

Edited May 8, 2022 by muon*

[sir sanders zingmore]

Interesting observation Con. I wonder whether it carries over from the retail market? If you go into a bricks and mortar hifi store, I think the expectation is that there is always a bit of room to move on the price and perhaps that flows through into the second-hand market.

I might be wrong, but I expect prices are not negotiable if you go into a telescope shop (although the temptation must be enormous to exclaim "that price is astronomical")

[Ittaku]

Just now, sir sanders zingmore said:

Interesting observation Con. I wonder whether it carries over from the retail market? If you go into a bricks and mortar hifi store, I think the expectation is that there is always a bit of room to move on the price and perhaps that flows through into the second-hand market.

I might be wrong, but I expect prices are not negotiable if you go into a telescope shop (although the temptation must be enormous to exclaim "that price is astronomical")

Most likely. It never even occurred to me to consider asking for a discount when buying a telescope or components new.

 

Another thing I've noted is it's a much thriftier hobby, with most people mulling over a $200 purchase for months, but virtually no one is dropping thousands on almost anything on a regular basis in astronomy. Whilst I know many people are relatively thrifty in the hifi hobby as well, there is a serious chunk of people dropping big dollars regularly, and we seem to be 2 orders of magnitude out at the top end. Our market has evolved around enormous budgets and huge profit margins which effectively demand haggling when purchasing new.

[eman]

If something is fairly priced I don't haggle.

It's nice if the courtesy is reciprocated. 

Sometimes I might discuss things a bit if the price is on the high side. Maybe ask for shipping to be included.

 

Why make a big production out of it ?

 

[muon*]

Seems to be dependent on the individual, and comes down to the persons choice on how to behave when purchasing.

[Tweaky]

I think ones occupation might have a bearing on if they are a "Haggler" or not.

Some occupations require a bit of haggling as part of the purchasing process, like Fruit & Veg, Meat, Fish etc for a restaurant as a example, or a Car purchase.

 

If a person is used to that process, it tends to carry over to them purchasing other goods as well without a second thought.

 

You also have the "Price Matching" phenomenon you see advertised at all major retailers, which in itself can also lead to a haggle of sorts by means of people asking, well what else can you throw in to make me buy it from you, rather from the other store ?

 

I remember there used to be a lot more haggling RE HiFi in the 70's and 80's, as there were so many other stores you could buy the same equipment from.

 

Now days the only wriggle room you might find regarding any particular piece of HiFi equipment's price is if you are also buying several other pieces from the store at the same time.

And since HiFi stores generally are now thin on the ground, its often hard to find more than two HiFi retailers that carry the same stock, so bundling several pieces of equipment together in one purchase gets even more problematic.

 

The distributors are setting the prices anyway, you see pretty much anything online priced within $50 of another store.

 

Add the current supply situation due to Covid related manufacturing and shipping problems, you are pretty much stuck paying the asking price now days, no matter if you are a "Haggler" or not.

[Niktech]

My main hobby is cycling - bikes and equipment. On the bicycle forums and the Facebook bicycle sales pages the haggling and significant price reductions for near new gear is not dissimilar to the classified’s here - to be expected. This along with the general banter and disagreements

[Ittaku]

3 minutes ago, Niktech said:

 This along with the general banter and disagreements

Bikes get improvements from different power cables?

[Niktech]

23 minutes ago, Ittaku said:

Bikes get improvements from different power cables?

Dunno. If tweaks don’t work, just buy a Ferrari…

[Niktech]

25 minutes ago, Ittaku said:

Bikes get improvements from different power cables?

Better DI2 battery and power meter, yes

[MattyW]

I particularly dislike haggling. If I really want an item and it's at a price I'm willing to pay I go for it and pay whatever is asked be it new or used.

 

If I'm selling an item I list at what I believe is a good price.... If it doesn't sell fast enough I may lower the price or even offer someone who's interested a lower price though in general if someone offers me a lower price than I've listed I'll knock them back by default as I tend to already list things at an excellent price..... As a seller, I tend to think as a potential buyer as I just want to shift unneeded gear to a new home.....

 

Due to this I list almost exclusively here on Stereonet and avoid Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree like the plague. 

Edited May 10, 2022 by MattyW

[Ittaku]

I'm not sure if I was clear, but I actually really dislike haggling, I just felt obliged to do it.

[BugPowderDust]

2 hours ago, Ittaku said:

I'm not sure if I was clear, but I actually really dislike haggling, I just felt obliged to do it.

I am a really lazy haggler. I usually just ask what the best price they can do and I'm often surprised at how it's lower than I would have thought to offer myself anyway.

[cafe67]

I remember advertising a psa gcph phono stage here, it was well priced online with what others had sold for. 
 

had a low baller offer a silly price then try to tell me why I should accept his price and then get shirty with me when I sold it to somebody else closer to my asking price , claiming he had first dibs 

[frankn]

Currently have  some amps on the site as EOI at 57% below current RRP. 
So far I’ve had several ppl interested in genuine purchase enquiry and several who have offered me ~20%-30% less as long as I throw in shipping. This is despite the EOI stating “no discounts” , shipping & insurance extra. 
WTF - this isn’t *bay people!!

I’ve stopped being polite in PMs.  

Edited June 5, 2022 by frankn
Accuracy

[Niktech]

 
 

A cursory look at a members profile and their previous posts usually reveals who is here for the classifieds

[rantan]

On 10/05/2022 at 1:42 PM, BugPowderDust said:

I usually just ask what the best price they can do

 

In which case I turn it back on the person asking the question by saying....... give me your best offer to make a commitment for buying immediately.

When I was in the audio retail industry this was the question that always sorted out the buyers form the bluffers and time wasters.

**Please note ** I am not saying that you are either of these things, it is just that when Ilist an item for sale I am not conducting a dutch auction.

[Bronal]

It will be interesting to see what will happen to used hi fi prices once inflation and interest rate increases really start to bite (if they haven't done so already).

 

I have no doubt that some people, especially those who think that hi fi is an investment or that 'their' equipment is somehow 'gold plated', will believe that prices will go up, but the reality is that spare cash for discretionary spending on such hobbies as hi fi will get tighter.

 

Haggling, or, as I like to call it, negotiating, might actually become more common than it is now, as people look to sell equipment to fund other priorities and cashed-up buyers use this to their advantage.

Edited November 18, 2022 by Bronal

[BugPowderDust]

2 hours ago, rantan said:

 

In which case I turn it back on the person asking the question by saying....... give me your best offer to make a commitment for buying immediately.

When I was in the audio retail industry this was the question that always sorted out the buyers form the bluffers and time wasters.

**Please note ** I am not saying that you are either of these things, it is just that when Ilist an item for sale I am not conducting a dutch auction.

I never ask what they will sell it for unless I'm serious about purchasing. I usually pay via EFT within 15 minutes of working out a deal so it's a quick close to a sale.

[Kaynin]

I've never haggled over hi-fi, I think it's more down to the individual.  When selling items I come in at a fair (or under) price, I never look to make money when I sell my hi fi gear.  If someone haggles me down then that's because of them, not market value.  When i buy i don't haggle either, I either want it or i don't and i don't want to lose out over $10!  That won't make or break me...