Beantown Find. the story...

[pgellis]

Originally Posted by asphaltman

I think the bottom line Phil, is you've already admitted your original price was a low number...with the intent there would be some negotiations back and forth. The problem with that is Steve asked for your best offer...and this is only a guess, but say Steve got even 20 offers for LOT A. Should Steve really go back and counter all 20 people? Or should he just let the top 3-4 know they aren't quite at his high bid (which I believe is what he did), and give just those few people the chance to raise their bids.

You wanted to negotiate...and Steve didn't....and since Steve is the seller, end of story.

If Steve wants to maximize the $$, then yes he should go back and counter all 20 offers. He is getting paid to handle this sale. Even if you think that is too much to ask for 15%, then why can't he update the original post with something like, "Top Bid - $2000 - Will end tonight".

When I made my initial inquiry, I didn't hear back for a while. I assumed he was busy with other things and I would eventually hear back. But no word and then sold 4.5 hours later. Didn't get a chance to bid at all actually.

AGAIN, I thought if people were getting in on this debate we needed full name disclosure. Easy to take a stand in a spirited debate and hide.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by pgellis

AGAIN, I thought if people were getting in on this debate we needed full name disclosure. Easy to take a stand in a spirited debate and hide.

You are correct on this issue Phil.

Dave and anyone else that wants to debate this- you need to have your full name out here or edit out your comments. It's only fair.

[Jaybird]

Originally Posted by pgellis

If Steve wants to maximize the $$, then yes he should go back and counter all 20 offers. He is getting paid to handle this sale. Even if you think that is too much to ask for 15%, then why can't he update the original post with something like, "Top Bid - $2000 - Will end tonight".

When I made my initial inquiry, I didn't hear back for a while. I assumed he was busy with other things and I would eventually hear back. But no word and then sold 4.5 hours later. Didn't get a chance to bid at all actually.

AGAIN, I thought if people were getting in on this debate we needed full name disclosure. Easy to take a stand in a spirited debate and hide.

Bottom line is that you used the wrong tactic with this particular situation. If you wanted the lot badly, you should not have come in with a low offer. Even if that's your normal practice, in this case it didn't work, so it should make you rethink your approach.

If I want something badly, I won't throw out a low offer. It may be a situation where I put my best offer out there and then they come back with a higher number and I might come up a little or I might just say, "that was my best offer". Then the ball is still in their court.

My only point is that there isn't a "one size fits all" method of negotiating. You have to be willing to change tactics, and read the situation to see how to play it. It all depends on how bad you want the item and how many other people are out to get it.

If a buyer put an offer in that is waaay below 10 other offers that have come in, common sense would say that the buyer wouldn't come up 400% to meet the other offers. Maybe that's not true in your case, but that's common sense. You offer $1000, the highest bid is $4000. Should the seller think that you're going to come up to $4100? I don't think so.