Bartering for lower prices - a no-no?

I had one who asked if I could lower the price because she couldn't afford it, I said that I couldn't but could offer her a payment plan. She then got back to me saying that the same doll had been sold for less here and there... Which was very annoying.

I think it's ok if you're polite about it and I do think it's a better idea if the doll/item in question has been up for a while.
Good luck ~

 

I think the key things to bear in mind are:

• Be polite
• Be prepared to take "no" for an answer and leave it at that
• Make sure your offer is actually reasonable

I have had one person who wanted to know if I would take a bundle of fabrics and trimmings in trade for a doll; she was based in Israel and obviously didn't have a clue how much these dolls are actually worth. She then got very snippy when I pointed out I didn't need fabric, I wanted actual cash (I have more boxes of fabric than I know what to do with!!), and wouldn't let it drop. Needless to say, she didn't get the doll.

 

I'm bumping this up to see what people think at the moment. I'm really not sure about the whole bartering thing...I mean, isn't it a bit rude to offer a lower price than stated? It's ok if the seller says 'any reasonable offer' or there abouts, but really, is bartering acceptable?

 

There's no harm in asking if you're polite. If they say no you can always pay the asking price if you really want the doll.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but I don't care for hagglers. At all.

When I list things in the marketplace, I list them for very reasonable prices. I don't mark items up for more than I paid or ask any more than I believe they're worth. I don't charge Pay Pal fees, since it's against their terms of service, nor do I add supply or "handling" fees when I give shipping quotes.

Given all that... I don't think it's entirely fair for people to badger me about giving them a further "discount" or free shipping or some kind of super-special deal because they ReallyReallyWantItAndItsTheirBirthdayOMG!!11one! If I were interested in selling an item for a lower price, I'd have listed it AT THAT PRICE.

 

I don't think it's rude. It's the way second hand markets in everything else work, so why not dollies too? I know I'd never be offended if someone PMd me about a lower price on something. And I can ALWAYS say no or compromise. And so can anyone else.

 

It really depends on the starting price. I try to make the pricing of my merchandise very competitive to being with because I see lots of overpriced stuff in the marketplace that isn't selling. My sales move quickly because I always price them 30-80 dollars less than a new one would cost and throw in extras.

In this economy, you have to make it attractive to buyers to move the merchandise...

With that said, if someone is asking as much for their used merchandise as a new one or more, I certainly would offer less. I mean I am no idiot...

 

ah.. i didnt know people were bothered with offers/haggling.. It just seems natural for me to make an offer to someone. I am usually polite in my offers, and its usually a back and forth until we can come to an agreement (or if not i politely thank them and move on). However for myself, it usually depends on the item and what condition it is in. I do not have alot of money by any means so if i can save a little more when i make a purchase it helps. though i am sorry if i inadvertantly offended anyone with any offers i've made ._.;

 

To be honest, I think you SHOULD try and haggle the price. People can expect that much for their dolls, but it doesnt mean they'll sell for that much. I dont think that dolls should really maintain their value as fully as they do, especially when people throw in a bunch of extras you really dont want/wont use and then jack up the price even more.

I mean if a doll is brand new and they just dont like it thats one thing, but a doll that they've had for a while...I would think that just having it for so long and even slight inevitable yellowing should give leeway to some compromise.

Ive sold a full doll and a doll head and both were sold below original price and even below "market" prices. The head I sold for litterally half the price, just because it had color reminants from the faceup and I felt that the signs of use justified a discount. And the doll, I even included eyes, a wig, a bra/panty set, and the original box/pillow and still sold her for less than her original price. I even lowered the price BEFORE anyone haggled with me xD

As long as the offers are reasonable, then go agead no hurt in trying

 

There's nothing wrong with making a reasonable offer as long as you're polite about it & don't really get into "bartering" which implies making offer after offer once you've been refused the first time. I've made offers several times & always post in my sales thread that reasonable offers are welcome. In general I've accepted them since folks were very nice about asking & didn't make them ridiculously low. The few I haven't accepted I've offered to split the difference with the potential buyer & that usually works out too. I'm taking a little less than I want & the buyer is paying a little more but neither of us are unhappy with the final deal & it's a fair price for both of us.

And this should definitely be asked in a PM, not on the sale's thread.

 

Isn't bartering - exchanging goods for goods instead of money, basically a trade? Do you maybe mean bargaining?

 

Bunny Boo: That's kind of what I was thinking as I was reading the thread. Go dictionary?

I try to price things such that bargaining isn't really required--my "dream" asking price is usually on the higher end of the item's price range rather than unrealistically above it. Though it helps that I haven't had to sell a standard edition yet. (That's one way to dodge the issue I suppose.)

I do think that some haggling is to be expected though, because as Raisallie said, this is the norm in any secondhand market and BJDs are no different. If you get offended from receiving offers, then you should expect to be offended a lot, because the world is not going to collectively change for you. Sell less often or link to an eBay listing instead.

I don't mind offering layaway because I find that some of the haggling becomes "deflected" to layaway terms rather than asking price. I can live with that.

 

I don't find it rude at all. People do this for everything, from food to cars, and i don't see how it would be different for a doll. Honestly, if i had one chance to buy a doll for a lower price, i'd try it instantly.

 

Personally I try to list things at a reasonable price or in the case of dolls how much I paid for them. If I was willing to sell at a lower price I would have it listed at that price, it's the same reason I don't do price drops, if I was willing to go lower, I already would have.

That said I wouldn't take any offense to someone making a lower offer, I'd simply decline. The only time I'd find it rude would be if they where asking for an utterly ridiculous discount, a friend recently had someone expect her to sell $200 worth of items for $100 simply because they wanted the whole lot... I'd consider that pretty rude.

 

I may put forward an offer if I am clearing someones sale thread totally, but nothing as much as 50% like River said If someone is in UK I generally offer to pay asking price, but request shipping included, but that is because normally I am happy to cover shipping costs on my own sales if someone is in this country

 

Hm, I wouldn't feel offended if someone politely asked for a lower price that's not ridiculous. Even if I listed the item at the lowest possible I would go...they can't know that, so getting offended sounds a bit petty.

Of course rude offers, pestering and such is a totally different case.

When I sold a doll body I had him listed at an already resonably lowered price. I found it extremely considerate, that the person who wanted to buy it didn't attack me with an offer immeadiately, but first asked politely if I was willing to haggle at all. When I said yes, she made her offer without any sob stories and she also accepted my counteroffer. It was an overall very nice transaction and we were both satisfied.

And she would never have known if I'm willing to take offers, because I simply forgot to state that in my sales thread (though I wanted to). So I think a polite question never hurts...(and if someone gets offended simply by that...it's their problem)

That said...I just don't feel comfortable offering lower prices myself. I think it's mainly because I'm really bad at estimating reasonable prices and I'm wary of offending someone with a ridiculous offer...

 

I think it helps everyone when the sellers are clear. If a seller says "firm," then it is rude to ask. If a seller says "O.B.O.," well, there you go. Since second-hand goods are traditionally open for bargaining, I think it is fine to negotiate if the seller is silent on the point. Now, nitpicking whether or not someone is making a fair or annoying offer, well, everyone is going to have their own opinion there. I always remember the names of people who either don't keep up with communication or make seriously low-ball offers. Low-ball offers always seem to imply "I hope you are going through a hard time and NEED money now so I can make a steal at your expense." I mean, I am probably reading into it but...

 

I don't think it's rude as long as your honest and open. Like say a doll is $600 plus shipping. Maybe if you can pay in full for doll say $500 plus shipping it's better for most then say someone who can pay the $600 but needs 6 or more months to pay it off. With PP nibbling at each of those payments they really get less. But $500 is a large lump sum and PP takes technically less from that then the $100 every month for 6 months. So it doesn't hurt to ask. If you need a layaway then the longer you need the closer to the asked price you need to offer, as maybe the first 2 months you can pay $100, but if you lose your job, or cart breaks down, your going to have to renegotiate how much your able to pay so you don't lose the doll, what you have paid in and your reputation. So to me a large lump sum I will take less, then hoping a person will make their promise over 6 months or longer of paying on time amount said. Good luck, Marie

PS Like others said be nice, polite and never say you saw a similar doll sell for less. To seller their is no other doll like theirs.

 

Well unloess an item for sale says OUR NEAREST OFFER, or BEST OFFER or MAKE ME OFFERS. I dont hink u should barter. after all these are objects or art and not market fruits :P