Something that has been bothering me on this forum

[Muscelli]

First off, I am only talking about the "for sale posts" on here, not the "for trade" posts..

Almost half the threads I read in here are of people selling items with no prices, instead saying "i dont know what its worth, send me an offer" There is a Antiques Roadshow thing on here where people will tell you what your stuff is worth, not to mention an online rarity guide to the left side of the screen...

I can understand somebody posting a price range they want people to offer for an item, or a "I can haggle" sort of thing .. I understand that, but I personally skip over threads where people list a whole bunch of games with no prices, to me it seems like they arent too serious about selling their item and it will be a waste of time trying to find the secret amount that they could have included in their post to begin with.. I just think it would be easier if everyone at least included a price range on their items they want to sell..

Many sites with a buy/sell/trade forum don't allow the "shoot me an offer"threads, and they will just notify the user who posted the thread to go by the guidelines..
I think this would be better for DigitalPress, just my opinion though... What is everybody's thoughts on this

[suckerpunch5]

This thread is kind of confusing to me. If a vote "yay" does that mean I also find it anoying when people don't include prices? Or does that indicate a vote of support for people whose threads don't include prices?

I voted "yay" and I meant that I find threads with no prices to be annoying.

[Kid Ice]

I personally skip over threads where people list a whole bunch of games with no prices

Problem solved.

I was going to lock this (the forum is for buying and selling after all) but I guess it wouldn't hurt to get more input.

[Muscelli]

yeah, I meant yay= You find those threads annoying and nay= you dont think they are annoying... I dont think I can edit the poll, sorry.. If I could I would have added a 3rd option

[keiblerfan69]

This thread is kind of confusing to me. If a vote "yay" does that mean I also find it anoying when people don't include prices? Or does that indicate a vote of support for people whose threads don't include prices?

I voted "yay" and I meant that I find threads with no prices to be annoying.

Same here. The people should atleast say what they are hoping to get for it.

[tholly]

i voted nay, as to mean that i absoutely hate posts with no prices listed.....if someone wants to sell their item, tell me how much they feel its worth....if i agree, then ill buy it, if not i wont.....i wont waste time sending PMs back and forth all day trying to figure out that one number that they have in their mind that they want for their items....(comments not directed at anyone specifically)

[Logicdustbin]

This thread is kind of confusing to me. If a vote "yay" does that mean I also find it anoying when people don't include prices? Or does that indicate a vote of support for people whose threads don't include prices?

I voted "yay" and I meant that I find threads with no prices to be annoying.



yes and yes...


I generally don't bother with these threads myself...I use to ask, or offer, a price and I would get a reply of "I paid *this* amount* for that game, then you offer another price, and get another complaint...


20 pm's later, you find out the person wants 10 times the price that I could buy it on ePay, which is your right as a seller; to charge what you want, but why not post this in the first place.


unless they think that we are going to be "stupidly uninformed" to offer $50 for a Mario/duck hunt....

[crazyjackcsa]

I like best offer threads, and it isn't just this message board that they are common (Actually I find them rather uncommon on here) Flipping through the newspaper you'll find a ton of B.O classifieds. It can be irritating if people do it just to get a value check, but if they are serious about selling it B.O it's a good way to get a good deal.

[scooby105]

offer threads usually suck. if someone is selling something fairly common, they should just post a price.

there are times when they are good though. if you've got something rare, it's best to take offers. if you take offers for a gold nwc cart, that's cool. if you sell a ds system with 2 games and take offers, that's not cool.

all that being said, sometimes i don't bother posting prices on some of my sales because i'm just too lazy.

the solution to people taking offers on common stuff is to just lowball them.

[gamegirl79]

I generally don't like the "make an offer" threads either. Sometimes I'll see something I want but I'm not sure what it's worth. If I do decide to pm an offer and the person makes a counter-offer of way more or I don't get a pm back at all, It's a bit embarassing. I don't want people to think I'm lowballing, it's just that I simply don't know what some stuff is worth.

IMO, a lot of time and hassle could be saved if prices were listed. Even a price range would be fine. Just give me something to work with!

[Mayhem]

Btw I've edited the poll to make the choices a bit more clear :)

As for the thread itself, actually if it had been shut, I would have reopened it (sorry Kid Ice, difference of opinion here I guess) mainly cos most places I go enforce including prices on things being sold; here is one of the few exceptions.

Indeed, I had thought about suggesting sellers include prices with everything at some point. Guess this might show support for or against. Indeed I do support the prices in sales threads personally.

[jcalder8]

I don't like them either but I have done it myself in the past but that is when it is part of a trade list where I may sell if the price is right. At the same time though I have a list of stuff that I plan on posting that I have priced out and have an idea of what each piece is worth but I would rather sell it as a lot. I have within a $100 idea of what I would like but I'm flexable depending on the offer. So what should I do?

edit: damit I voted wrong

[gepeto]

It amazes me someone will type a billion lines about items for sell but won't have prices listed on any of them.

I agree it is very annoying when posts with no price's are listed. To top it off you sometimes don't get a response to your reply adds to the frustration. The seller provides no updates and the post hangs in limbo. In Bumpsville.

I really overlook threads with no prices because I start feeling like I am lowballing when I don't know where to start. If you send an offer your then left in limbo.

I think prices should be stated for what you want or at the very minimum your absolute lowest your willing to take.

I don't mind posts that state submit
offers i will pick the best one at 6.00pm
That is the straight forward approach.

The make me and offer approach is closer to ebay auctions with reserves. The seller knows what he wants for it but for some reason won't put a price next to it.

Just have a make me an offer thread. This will decongest the buying and selling thread. I am all for getting the most for your item. Just state what you want. If I can afford it I will take it if I can't I pass.

Time to go back to buying and selling not buying and haggling

[rxdoga]

Why not make it a rule that you have to post a price with your items. I've seen this used on other forums and I think it would save everyone alot of time.

[FantasiaWHT]

I find they are a waste of time... takes a long time to get around to a final price, even if it's good. And it REALLY bothers me when they list it with no price, I make an offer, and the person just says "no" without making a counter offer.

[FantasiaWHT]

I find they are a waste of time... takes a long time to get around to a final price, even if it's good. And it REALLY bothers me when they list it with no price, I make an offer, and the person just says "no" without making a counter offer.

[ProgrammingAce]

Forum i run requires a price on anything being sold. Just keeps from wasting peoples time with unreasonible offers. Flip side is, it means a bit more work for me as i generally end up helping people set prices.

[JerseyDevil65]

I hate when I make an offer and the seller replies back "I'll take $30"
Well, if you'll take $30 why not just state that in the thread?

When I do make offers, I usually offer a little less than what a game would cost at Game Crazy, Game Stop, etc.

[waxpoet]

I totally disagree....i usually post multiple items up for sale and I am willing to give people deals for buying multiple items and I am also willing to sell them seperately. If I was exactly sure of the price I wanted then I would say it....but usually I would rather see what the buyers are willing to pay....rather than risking no offers because of posting a price that is too high

[bangtango]

In the event someone in this chain of replies made a reference to my current thread with unpriced Playstation games.........I am mainly looking to trade those items and keep in mind I am not selling systems, just knick knacks and mostly common games.

The problem I have with naming prices is that it gets complicated when you have a variety of stuff. Do you list prices as "shipped" or "before shipping?" I see threads in which half the prices are written as "before shipping" and the other half of the same thread has "shipped" prices.

If I were to list a "shipped" price for a game that everybody knows is $1, let's say I mark it as $3 or $4, nobody would PM me. Let's get that right out of the way. All most people care about is the absolute lowest price.

When it comes to naming actual prices, I'll be honest. I hate having to think and rethink on them every couple of days for items that aren't selling. Leaving the items open to offers means I don't have to spend time on here adjusting prices a couple times a week if I am hard up for cash and items are not moving. Just my point of view.

I have over 20 positive feedback in the Feedback Forum saying I am very easy to deal with. Ask someone who has done business with me. I am not very demanding and am easy to negotiate with. Not all of us who put up the occasional "offer" requests drive a hard bargain. A couple weeks back, I traded a lot of stuff that might be valued at $20 for one of the most common NES games there is. Enough said.

The reality is that the idea of making a seller an offer isn't a major inconvenience unless he or she is selling a game system and that is only because you don't know how much they want for the system and what THEY think shipping will be.

[Porksta]

Telling people to make an offer is the second rule of business. Whoever talks money first, loses. Since it is your item, you have the advantage to talk money first or second.

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, last time I had a sale I did that (no prices, just "shoot me an offer") and noticed that it seemed to harm my sales. So no more.

[boatofcar]

Just like the moon landing poll in OT, this one is worded ambiguously. I wish it were a requirement for everyone to list prices.

[Kid Ice]

As for the thread itself, actually if it had been shut, I would have reopened it (sorry Kid Ice, difference of opinion here I guess) mainly cos most places I go enforce including prices on things being sold; here is one of the few exceptions.


That's interesting since I wouldn't override another mod's decision under any circumstance. Anyway, the thread seems out of place since the forum is for buying and selling, not casual conversation about sellers' practices. IMO such a thing would fit better into OT, but like I said it's not a big deal.

[outsider]

I can't stand sale threads that list no prices, I avoid them.

[bangtango]

As for the thread itself, actually if it had been shut, I would have reopened it (sorry Kid Ice, difference of opinion here I guess) mainly cos most places I go enforce including prices on things being sold; here is one of the few exceptions.


That's interesting since I wouldn't override another mod's decision under any circumstance. Anyway, the thread seems out of place since the forum is for buying and selling, not casual conversation about sellers' practices. IMO such a thing would fit better into OT, but like I said it's not a big deal.

The thread served a purpose in that I had no idea people were so against any thread without prices.

I'm willing to conform to popular demand and make sure I have prices when I bump my selling thread later tonight (or tomorrow).

[Mark III]

I still make offers if there is something I really want, but yeah I definately prefer there to be a price in a selling forum.

It's actually the reason I no longer go to the cheapassgamer.com trading forum. Out of all the sales threads about 9/10 have no prices listed and are instead fishing around for offers.

[cavein2000]

I voted yes, however I have had some good experiences making offers on a few things. But I can't stand it when you ask about something and then the seller wants way more than the actual worth of the item comparable to what other sellers are asking for in these forums. In most cases I feel the price should be at least a bit less than what that item sells for on ebay(taking into consideration fees and fees and fees). Anyway, it is annoying to ask and waste your time when the seller isn't really going to give you a fair price.

[Muscelli]

As for the thread itself, actually if it had been shut, I would have reopened it (sorry Kid Ice, difference of opinion here I guess) mainly cos most places I go enforce including prices on things being sold; here is one of the few exceptions.


That's interesting since I wouldn't override another mod's decision under any circumstance. Anyway, the thread seems out of place since the forum is for buying and selling, not casual conversation about sellers' practices. IMO such a thing would fit better into OT, but like I said it's not a big deal.

The thread served a purpose in that I had no idea people were so against any thread without prices.

I'm willing to conform to popular demand and make sure I have prices when I bump my selling thread later tonight (or tomorrow).

yeah, posting with prices will get your listings a lot more attention.. Thats just from my personal experience..

[pseudonym]

I don't mind but it goes both ways in my opinion. It can leave you open to offer less than something is worth and they might accept it. Other times, the person will get offended by an offer when you don't know what to offer in the first place.

Also the DP guide isn't an infallible measure of what a game is worth since there are a few sections that are out of date price-wise and occasionally rarity-wise. Sometimes I look at some games that people have for sale and cringe when the price is off- sometimes way off- even compared to Ebay.

[Ed Oscuro]

Telling people to make an offer is the second rule of business. Whoever talks money first, loses. Since it is your item, you have the advantage to talk money first or second.
That's true, actually. If you have to put down a price first then you'll need to make it high, and that will scare away potential buyers (even if you say "feel free to make a best offer on the price"). :/

[Nick]

The "offer" threads are 100% stupid. I recently offered someone on the boards money for their saturn games and I got a very rude reply back..something along the lines of "you must think im really stupid".

Actually, it's what I wanted to pay for the games and what I felt like it was worth. I was gonna sell a few and keep a few...etc. I had the money ready to go immediately etc. Why waste peoples time. Just state what you want for the item(s).

:/

[Mayhem]

That's interesting since I wouldn't override another mod's decision under any circumstance. Anyway, the thread seems out of place since the forum is for buying and selling, not casual conversation about sellers' practices. IMO such a thing would fit better into OT, but like I said it's not a big deal.

Needless to say I wouldn't do so without at least informing yourself as to why I felt it should be open.

As for its location, it has a direct bearing on this forum if people feel sales should have prices, and hence I feel it is the most appropriate place for it to be (for now). Anyone coming to the B&S hence would see it and perhaps throw in their opinion. As we can see so far, the majority of voters want prices. It probably won't come down to being a rule here (that seems restrictive), but more a recommendation as people much prefer having values.

[Darth Sensei]

Selling threads without prices is pointless and annoying. I generally skip those threads.

[Sammelhammel]

Selling threads without prices is pointless and annoying. I generally skip those threads.

That's the same what I think.
Ok, I had also one thread where I took offers from people, but that was because of selling a "One-of-a-kind". In such a case it's ok to taking offers imo.

I think when you sell Protos, Betas or One-of-a-kinds, than it's ok to take offers....because you don't know what it's really worth. But for all the things which you also can buy on ebay or in shops you HAVE to say a price.

[waxpoet]

Well the seller who replies to offer rudely is a completely unrelated issue. I am open to any offer when I post games, and I never reply rudely to an offer.

The fact is I am living in Japan and I do not know what people are willing to pay for many imports in US Dollars, so I just ask you to make a reasonable offer. Reasonable meaning, you want to buy the item in question and you tell me the price you want to pay.

Again, since I ship from Japan, so the price I am willing to accept is subject to change when one buyer is interested in several items at once

[scorch56]

I have never put up a B&S thread without set prices.. but that's just me. On the flip-side.. you state prices.. and I've had MANY a person.. go ahead; and make me an offer. Whether I accept them or not.. is up to me (I rarely do.. that's what I put up a set price for).

On the flip-side.. of the flip-side; I won't give much attention to a thread with "make offer" listings.. in fact.. I don't believe I've EVER "made an offer" to anyone here. Having said that.. about a year ago.. I PM'ed a seller telling them I wanted to buy their game.. which they HAD listed at a set price.. only to find out a few hours later.. that someone had "made an offer" HIGHER than their listed asking price.. and I was left in the dust. Some of you may remember that; because most of you "roasted" me for even bringing it to the forum's attention at the time.. saying that even though the seller DIDN'T state in their original post that highest price would win.. it was their right.

So before those of you who criticized ME start slamming "make offer" threads.. think about how hypocritical it makes you look now. As for my personal opinion.. I could care less one way or another.. and I think they should still be allowed. No.. I don't practice it; and I don't BUY that way either.. "but if you don't like what's on the channel.."

[suckerpunch5]

Telling people to make an offer is the second rule of business. Whoever talks money first, loses. Since it is your item, you have the advantage to talk money first or second.
That's true, actually. If you have to put down a price first then you'll need to make it high, and that will scare away potential buyers (even if you say "feel free to make a best offer on the price"). :/

I don't think this needs to be the case. I understand this haggling tactic makes some people feel better, but why haggle just for the sake of haggling? It seems pointless to me. Why not just ask what you want for your item? Don't inflate it to compensate for lowball offers. Just name your price, and if you get a lowball offer, politely decline it. If no one wants to pay "your price" after a month, then you can figure out, "hey, maybe I priced this to high."

Why have all the other games?

[bangtango]

If you ask me, it depends on the person who made the thread. The right person can get away with offer threads if they have 30-40 positive feedback here and 3,000 posts. Granted, they worked to establish themselves.

I just don't think it makes sense when people say that they won't take any offer thread seriously. I am sure they do depending on the person who made the thread. There are 8-10 people here who could put up an offer only thread and find their inbox full within the next twelve hours.

Whatever the case, I didn't know it was such an issue. I just don't like the idea of giving stuff a fair price (for both the buyer and seller) and then reading a thread an hour later in which someone is selling the same item for half the price I am, because they are desperate for cash or have doubles.

Say you have a game that can sell for $30-35 on Ebay, most people here would pay $20 for it at the drop of a hat and you price it as such to find that someone else has a thread up for the same item (same condition) at $8-10. I'm sure it happens to people here all the time and it does make you look bad at times. All it gets is people messaging me wondering why MY prices are so high, even though they are fair, and why I can't sell them the same item for $8-10. What if I don't want to?

I guess my point here is that the more important criteria for most people is the post count or DP feedback of a person. As it should be. How many people here will buy from a person with no feedback and 50 posts even if there are prices all through the thread? Not many of you.

I've seen threads all over this forum with people stating they won't buy from someone who is under a certain amount of posts, has less than 10 feedback or only has a certain number of time/tenure here. I have 22 positive feedbacks in the Feedback Forum, linked in my signature, and over 500 posts yet people still assume I am a newbie and that they need to watch out for me as a potential scammer.

Even offering to ship certain items first or taking a couple of lopsided deals (putting me on the losing end for the sole purpose of getting good feedback) hasn't helped convince a few people that I am here to stay for the long haul. It is ridiculous. Setting prices in my threads, which I do most of the time, doesn't help that. My current thread now has them, even though I was doing ok moving stuff without having them there.

What does someone do with an item they find for a system they do not own or collect for? For example, I don't know anything about the Turbografx or Atari 5200 libraries but I would pick up any of those games I find and bring them here to sell or trade them. There are enough people here claiming the online DP Guide is inaccurate/outdated and that Ebay is not a fair barometer that I can't safely use either of those resources to price a game with for my thread.

It leaves me to searching for old threads in this forum where other people sold the game. Do I know if their prices are always reliable or not? Just because the game sold in an old thread doesn't mean the price was fair, it could have still been too low or too high. There could also be a lot of reasons for a game not selling and the price being too high isn't always one of them. Demand for the game and seller reputation also has something to do with it.

[jesusjones]

I'll throw 2 cents into the 'I don't like no prices' ring. Before I post to sell, I try my best to go into DP's ORG, then go from there with the prices.

I had one time where I shot someone an offer when no prices were listed, and of course they laughed it off...but I did not have the time to research all of the items they listed, nor did I have the knowledge of how much they had sold for in the past. I think it's sometimes asking a lot for offer threads to get reasonable offers, especially on lots, when people may not know exactly what to give.

And as far as prices, well, they don't necessarily need to be definitive. If the poster has a round-about dollar amount they would be looking for, at least that's better for me than to fly in blind on a rocket cycle.

[bangtango]

I'll throw 2 cents into the 'I don't like no prices' ring. Before I post to sell, I try my best to go into DP's ORG, then go from there with the prices.

I had one time where I shot someone an offer when no prices were listed, and of course they laughed it off...but I did not have the time to research all of the items they listed, nor did I have the knowledge of how much they had sold for in the past. I think it's sometimes asking a lot for offer threads to get reasonable offers, especially on lots, when people may not know exactly what to give.

And as far as prices, well, they don't necessarily need to be definitive. If the poster has a round-about dollar amount they would be looking for, at least that's better for me than to fly in blind on a rocket cycle.

You can attest that we did just fine with the deal we wrapped up this morning and most of those items were not priced in my thread to begin with :D

By the way, your stuff has already shipped. When I get a chance this weekend (I'm at work), I'll PM you the delivery confirmation number.

[Jibbajaba]

I voted that I DO find "Make offer" threads annoying, but I see no reason to make some sort of forum rule stating that one MUST post a price. People should be able to sell things in whatever manner they choose. But for me personally, I hit the 'Back' button the minute I see "Make offer".

For common stuff, it is just stupid not to list prices, but what if you have something rarer? In that case I see no reason to say that it will go to the best offer. Some things are very hard to price. But don't go trying to sell a Sega Genesis with a missing RF cord and a bunch of common games and come at me with "make offer". Something like that is a hard sell already, and asking for offers just ensures that the stuff will continue to live in your house.

Chris

[bangtango]

I voted that I DO find "Make offer" threads annoying, but I see no reason to make some sort of forum rule stating that one MUST post a price. People should be able to sell things in whatever manner they choose. But for me personally, I hit the 'Back' button the minute I see "Make offer".

For common stuff, it is just stupid not to list prices, but what if you have something rarer? In that case I see no reason to say that it will go to the best offer. Some things are very hard to price. But don't go trying to sell a Sega Genesis with a missing RF cord and a bunch of common games and come at me with "make offer". Something like that is a hard sell already, and asking for offers just ensures that the stuff will continue to live in your house.

Chris

To lighten things up a little, it is a lot easier to find a quick fix for a Genesis 1 with a missing rf cord than it is a Genesis 2 or 3, seeing that the original used the NES and a bunch of other generic cords. Getting a Genesis 2 or 3 without the rf cord ALWAYS means you'll have to go to Ebay (or some other place online) to replace it unless you have a spare laying around or there is a good game store in town.

[MachineGex]

I have made a few offers and they went unanswered. After I emailed a few more times I got a price that was twice the going rate on ebay. Most of the time people are trying to get more money out of the item by hoping someone makes a really high offer. I will not be making anymore offers because it has been a waste of my time.

[scorch56]

It probably won't come down to being a rule here (that seems restrictive), but more a recommendation as people much prefer having values.

Mayhem.. I coulda' sworn I saw this reccomendation somewhere before. So I went into your B&S forum guidelines stickie and saw this again:

"In the thread if possible, list prices you are selling at, or will pay for items if wanted. It helps anyone else out to know what ranges are on offer."

Uhm.. hasn't that always been the norm? (see.. I DO read guidelines occasionally. ;) )

[Arcade Antics]

I have made a few offers and they went unanswered. After I emailed a few more times I got a price that was twice the going rate on ebay. Most of the time people are trying to get more money out of the item by hoping someone makes a really high offer. I will not be making anymore offers because it has been a waste of my time.
It's all in who you're dealing with. I've bought many a "make offer" item and been 100% happy.

Conversely to your experience above, you have to realize that most of the time, sellers who use "make an offer" are tired of wasting their time on n00bs who lowball everything they see. I always view "make offer" threads as "I'm weeding out anyone who isn't really serious about buying" off the bat. Chances are that if you sent an offer to a responsible seller who posted "make me an offer" and they didn't respond, your offer was probably way low.

Ultimately, everyone should post and respond to whatever threads / styles of posting they prefer. I see no reason it should go beyond that. Whichever side of the fence you're on (or even if you're not on either side) just give the "other guy" a break.

[raregamergirl]

I hate threads that do not name prices for several reasons.
1) the way I see it, if you go to a store, everything has a price on it. you can sometimes haggle a bit, but the price is a very good guideline. I feel the internet should be no different

2) you never know what some will call lowballing. its so annoying when someone ignores you are accuses you of lowballing when you were going by ebay prices or what the item is worth

3) I REALLY hate those auction kind of threads. the kind where it sells to best offer but people keep bumping up the price. it is not as bed when the users post their offers in the thread so that you know others are really making those serious offers. if the seller keeps it private though, its garbage. who knows if they are trying to bump up the price or honestly did recieve those offers


listing without a price is such a waste of both users times for every reason everyone has stated here and the above reasons, at LEAST list a price estimate you are looking for.

[Arcade Antics]

the way I see it, if you go to a store, everything has a price on it. you can sometimes haggle a bit, but the price is a very good guideline. I feel the internet should be no different
@_@ But it *is* different. Much different. Stores are operated by pros. A thread by Sally Housecoat on the internet clearing out her spare NES games from the attic is hardly a store. Especially when Sally already works 40-50 hours a week at the Gap. IMO it's unfair to expect her to operate the way a store does or to just adopt your rules for pricing.


2) you never know what some will call lowballing. its so annoying when someone ignores you are accuses you of lowballing when you were going by ebay prices or what the item is worth
That's something you have to take on a seller by seller basis. There are no absolutes.


3) I REALLY hate those auction kind of threads. the kind where it sells to best offer but people keep bumping up the price. it is not as bed when the users post their offers in the thread so that you know others are really making those serious offers. if the seller keeps it private though, its garbage. who knows if they are trying to bump up the price or honestly did recieve those offers
I don't think I've run into this kind of thing. If I have, I shrugged it off as no big deal. I don't care if a seller asks for the moon for an item - if they want more than you want to spend, don't buy it.


listing without a price is such a waste of both users times for every reason everyone has stated here and the above reasons, at LEAST list a price estimate you are looking for.
That's your opinion. As said, a lot of (very reputable) sellers I know who use the "make offer" side of the equation are fair and have lots of goodies that you're missing out on. Which is fine, more for us. ;)

That said, I do agree with one point made by the anti-make-offer crowd, and that is you'll definitely get more responses by including prices.

What the anti-make-offer crowd is failing to realize though, is that the sellers know that. And more than likely that's exactly why they ask for offers. They want 5 serious offers instead of 500 silly ones.

[Richter Belmount]

do it brother beavis!this thread kicks ass

[norkusa]

If you go into a retail store like Target or Best Buy, all the items in the store have price tags on them and the cashier never says "make me an offer" when ringing you up.

If you're selling something on DP (or anywhere else), I expect the same. The concept of selling things without prices always seemed like a janky way of doing business and is real tacky.

[Arcade Antics]

If you go into a retail store like Target or Best Buy, all the items in the store have price tags on them and the cashier never says "make me an offer" when ringing you up.

If you're selling something on DP (or anywhere else), I expect the same.
Why?

[norkusa]

If you go into a retail store like Target or Best Buy, all the items in the store have price tags on them and the cashier never says "make me an offer" when ringing you up.

If you're selling something on DP (or anywhere else), I expect the same.
Why?

Because it's a sleazy way of doing business. If you are selling something, anything, it's common courtesy to always be upfront about the price. If you aren't sure about a price, throw out a high figure and say you're flexible.

I've tried many times to work out deals here with the 'Make Me An Offer' people and 95% of the time it never goes anywhere. It's a complete waste of time for both parties and usually unfolds like this:



Me: How much do you want for that PS1 game?

Seller: Make me an offer! lol

Me: $5

Seller: Pfft...yeah right. It's worth $20!

Me: Well why didn't you tell me $20 in the first place, dipshit?



Anyone that's selling something always has a price in mind that they want for it. Just save yourself and potential buyers time and say what it is in the beginning.

[NintenDk]

sleaxy business makes me barf and drop my bag of pennies. :puke:

That said I don't mind making an offer as it is a completely... common... thing...

[bangtango]

If you go into a retail store like Target or Best Buy, all the items in the store have price tags on them and the cashier never says "make me an offer" when ringing you up.

If you're selling something on DP (or anywhere else), I expect the same.
Why?

Because it's a sleazy way of doing business. If you are selling something, anything, it's common courtesy to always be upfront about the price. If you aren't sure about a price, throw out a high figure and say you're flexible.

I've tried many times to work out deals here with the 'Make Me An Offer' people and 95% of the time it never goes anywhere. It's a complete waste of time for both parties and usually unfolds like this:



Me: How much do you want for that PS1 game?

Seller: Make me an offer! lol

Me: $5

Seller: Pfft...yeah right. It's worth $20!

Me: Well why didn't you tell me $20 in the first place, dipshit?



Anyone that's selling something always has a price in mind that they want for it. Just save yourself and potential buyers time and say what it is in the beginning.

Come on. I'm tired of the argument that everyone with an "offer" thread is hoping that buyers are dumb enough to offer us way more than a game is worth.

I try to budget the time I spend on here, or any other message board (i.e. Homepage of the Dead or Atari Age). Looking up prices for a ton of items eats into time that I might enjoy on the other forums this web site offers.

I'd expect a seller to act like he or she is a store only if that person is running a business or does it as a full time job. I work two jobs over 40 hours a week. Even though some of the hours are right out of home, time is tight. That 40 plus hours doesn't even include occasional Ebay selling or my writing career, neither of which I refer to as a job.

If a seller laughs off an offer you make, that is really his or her problem and not yours. Don't lump me in with those people because I've done one or two offer threads (the latest of which now has prices, by the way). Maybe some other DP users who have greater cash reserves or game collections can afford to piss off buyers but I am not in the business of insulting people who PM me or laughing off their offers. I've never given a rude reply to an offer that could be considered too low. Never. I've had a few PM's I've neglected to answer but that has more to do with the board being down for days or me accidentally deleting them than me being offended with some offer.

Personally, I am more concerned with receiving lousy service, or even being ripped off, on the board than I am with whether or not someone states prices in their threads.

[Jumpman Jr.]

As much as I prefer the seller giving prices on their items for sale, it will never stop me from pming the seller if he/she has an item I want and wants me to make an offer on it.
If it's something I really want, I'll make a high offer because I want the seller to think that I am serious about buying it, and I think giving low offers would make them think otherwise.

I think the whole argument can be summed up if sellers who ask for offers do one thing:
Don't get mad at a potential buyer if they don't offer you a price that you want. Deal with them because maybe they will want to pay more.
Sometimes I pm somebody and tell them I'll offer $20 for X item, but I would actually go as high as $40 (but don't tell the seller that). If a seller pms me back and says "I'll sell it to you for $30," that's how you make deals.

If you say "Make an offer," an offer is an offer. Don't say that you will be insulted if you're given a lowball offer.

[wrldstrman]

only thing i see bad about listing prices is it seems like if someone list's a game for a certian price then automatically everyone thinks the items worth that much.... but i do like knowing what someone wants for something.. Ive learned not listing prices will fill your mail box with a bunch of useless lowball offers.

[Ed Oscuro]

Telling people to make an offer is the second rule of business. Whoever talks money first, loses. Since it is your item, you have the advantage to talk money first or second.
That's true, actually. If you have to put down a price first then you'll need to make it high, and that will scare away potential buyers (even if you say "feel free to make a best offer on the price"). :/

I don't think this needs to be the case. I understand this haggling tactic makes some people feel better, but why haggle just for the sake of haggling? It seems pointless to me. Why not just ask what you want for your item? Don't inflate it to compensate for lowball offers. Just name your price, and if you get a lowball offer, politely decline it. If no one wants to pay "your price" after a month, then you can figure out, "hey, maybe I priced this to high."
Maybe I'm overcomplicating things by putting it that way.

Maybe I'm not having any success with sales because of who I am :/ There's also the matter of my items being mainly imports right now, and I don't know how many DPers really go for those (and if they do, would they buy imports in crappy condition?)

[JerseyDevil65]

@_@ But it *is* different. Much different. Stores are operated by pros. A thread by Sally Housecoat on the internet clearing out her spare NES games from the attic is hardly a store. Especially when Sally already works 40-50 hours a week at the Gap. IMO it's unfair to expect her to operate the way a store does or to just adopt your rules for pricing.


There are not many Sally Housecoats here. Most people here are collectors who know the value of stuff. I can understand asking for offers on rare and one of a kind stuff but doing it for common games is just silly.

I always laugh when I see a seller say "I have no idea what this Super Mario/Duck Hunt is worth so make me an offer.

There are plenty of resources out there DP guide, VGC Magazine, E-Bay, etc. If sellers don't want to take the time to find out what their stuff is worth, than maybe they should not sell.

[Mayhem]

"In the thread if possible, list prices you are selling at, or will pay for items if wanted. It helps anyone else out to know what ranges are on offer."

Goes to show what I can remember now :P

Maybe we'll run a poll then if people want prices on everything in the B&S... I'll run it by and see what my comrades think.

[FantasiaWHT]

For those of you comparing "pros" and "sally housecoats" and comparing here to retail establishments...

How many of you would waste your time at a rummage sale where nothing was priced? If there was a big sign at a rummage sale saying "Make me an offer on anything you see!" I'd turn around and walk away without even bothering to look. It's common courtesy to list prices.

Our selling posts here may not be retail, professional stores, but they're sure damn close to rummage sales! If Sally Housecoat can put masking tape prices on a hundred pieces of Avon jewelry and QVC kitchen appliances, she can do the same here.

[bangtango]

@_@ But it *is* different. Much different. Stores are operated by pros. A thread by Sally Housecoat on the internet clearing out her spare NES games from the attic is hardly a store. Especially when Sally already works 40-50 hours a week at the Gap. IMO it's unfair to expect her to operate the way a store does or to just adopt your rules for pricing.


There are not many Sally Housecoats here. Most people here are collectors who know the value of stuff. I can understand asking for offers on rare and one of a kind stuff but doing it for common games is just silly.

I always laugh when I see a seller say "I have no idea what this Super Mario/Duck Hunt is worth so make me an offer.

There are plenty of resources out there DP guide, VGC Magazine, E-Bay, etc. If sellers don't want to take the time to find out what their stuff is worth, than maybe they should not sell.

It takes two to make a sale, where is it said the seller has to do every bit of the work? A buyer can easily use those same three resources to make an offer. That's what you did with the Gameboy game I didn't have a price on :D People say sellers have to use those resources. Why can't more buyers ever consult them on the occasional offer thread that comes up?

I find it hard to believe that most sellers would be unhappy with selling an item at the price listed in one of those 3 resources you mention. I didn't have a hard time selling you Nemesis. In fact, if the game had cost a little more, say $10-12, I'd probably have taken less than the magazine price (perhaps $6-7 if it was listed at 10-12) but it is hard to go much lower than a few dollars ;)

These next few paragraphs are not in response to your post, but just in general. So the stuff below isn't directed at you, JD.

I keep hearing the argument that sellers using Offer threads want to take advantage of people who offer 2-3 times what something is worth. Yeah, maybe one or two people, but that is the exception rather than the rule. I don't do it.

I tend to think that some buyers like prices mainly because they are hoping to stumble across a thread with someone who doesn't know what he/she is doing. They simply want to take advantage of a seller who gives prices for certain games without even knowing they are well below Ebay, DP or any other listed/market value.

Because the buyer knows with that below-market price set in stone that the buyer can't raise it after the thread is up unless they want to look like a jerk. All the seller can do is change their mind, back out of the sale or try and tell the buyer that the price has gone up after they agree to a sale but all three of those things would make them a welcher and their name would be mud around here.

Somebody has to admit part of the reason for liking prices is knowing you can occasionally get a real deal/steal. You know, the way you can at a rummage sale or thrift store. There are people who don't like offer threads because they know that they won't be able to get (insert rare/high priced title) for $5-10 (when it might be "worth" quite a bit more), seeing that it isn't priced.

After all, that is how some collectors make their money and fund their collections, if they choose to resell that game somewhere else. Or it is a cheap way to get a HTF/desired item off their want list. There is a whole thread in Classic Gaming where numerous people admit to doing this type of thing :D

And I know there have probably been several people in the DP Forum history who have unwittingly gotten rid of items and totally got hosed because they didn't know the difference when they priced them. Buyers aren't the only ones who can get taken around here.

As for my current sale thread, it has prices right now and a Buy Two, Get One Free tagline. I may be stubborn but I always choose to meet the demands of any marketplace I eek out an existence in. I am hardly a powerseller but I have enough resources to do new threads regularly that keep my good name visible.

My comments aren't from the point of view of a collector (all I am is a gamer), reseller or price gouger. I don't fall into any of those categories. I'm happy with market prices and it doesn't have to be the Ebay market. Any game above $10, I am often fine with selling below market price.

I'm not saying the typical buyer does those things above but there are buyers who do business that way while looking down on some sellers who they feel do the same type of things.

[Jibbajaba]

I think the whole argument can be summed up if sellers who ask for offers do one thing:
Don't get mad at a potential buyer if they don't offer you a price that you want.

If you say "Make an offer," an offer is an offer. Don't say that you will be insulted if you're given a lowball offer.

This is probably the main thing that annoys me. If you ask for offers, then you opened the door for people to offer whatever. When someone says "make an offer. No lowballs!", that means that the person knows what their stuff is worth and just doesn't want to come out and say it. If you ask for offers, don't complain when you get offers you don't like.


It takes two to make a sale, where is it said the seller has to do every bit of the work?

Dude, that's how selling works. The seller does the work, because he is the one trying to SELL something. I have agreed with most of what you have said in this thread so far, at least to a certain degree, but this is pretty lame logic. "Here I have this for sale, but you do the footwork of seeing what it is worth for me, and then tell me what I should charge you for it."

Chris

[JerseyDevil65]

There are plenty of resources out there DP guide, VGC Magazine, E-Bay, etc. If sellers don't want to take the time to find out what their stuff is worth, than maybe they should not sell.

It takes two to make a sale, where is it said the seller has to do every bit of the work? A buyer can easily use those same three resources to make an offer. That's what you did with the Gameboy game I didn't have a price on :D People say sellers have to use those resources. Why can't more buyers ever consult them on the occasional offer thread that comes up?

I find it hard to believe that most sellers would be unhappy with selling an item at the price listed in one of those 3 resources you mention. I didn't have a hard time selling you Nemesis. In fact, if the game had cost a little more, say $10-12, I'd probably have taken less than the magazine price (perhaps $6-7 if it was listed at 10-12) but it is hard to go much lower than a few dollars ;)
[/quote]

None of my comments were directed towards you. You listed a GB cart without a price, I offered what I thought was fair and added a couple of bucks for shipping and you accepted. No problems, your obviously a fair seller. :)

My problem is with sellers who say make an offer, stating that they don't know the value and when a buyer makes an offer then they all of a sudden know what the stuff is worth.

Its unreasonable for any seller to list his stuff for sale without having some idea of the value. If they have an idea, then what is the harm in stating it in the thread?

[Sniderman]

I'm a man of immediate gratification. If I see something I want on eBay with a Buy It Now of $20, I'll pick it up rather than wait for an auction to end 5 days from now at $17.00. Call me impatient, but I'll pay a bit more if it means the deal is seigned, sealed, and delivered.

That said, if I go to a thirft store or flea market and your shit's not priced, I *will* walk past you. I do not like to haggle. I do not like to swap stories. I want to buy *that item* right there, and I will not play the "Hmmmmm.... Well, what's it worth to you?" game. Fuck that. So, no price, no offer, no sale, no shit. Period.

And threads in this forum I view in the same manner. I'll pay what you ask - in fact, it might be more than you expected. But I despise "Goin' Fishin'," and I won't play. No prices on your stuff means no offers or sales closed from Sniderman.

[Muscelli]

There are plenty of resources out there DP guide, VGC Magazine, E-Bay, etc. If sellers don't want to take the time to find out what their stuff is worth, than maybe they should not sell.

It takes two to make a sale, where is it said the seller has to do every bit of the work? A buyer can easily use those same three resources to make an offer. That's what you did with the Gameboy game I didn't have a price on :D People say sellers have to use those resources. Why can't more buyers ever consult them on the occasional offer thread that comes up?


The seller is the one selling it.. like the guy a few posts above me said.. It is up to the seller to think up the prices.. Not the buyer.. And if it was up to the buyer, everything would be 1 cent or some lowball like that.. It has never worked, never will work