How do you handle a low ball offer?

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Posted By: David Goff

My economics professor told me that something is only worth what someone else will pay. I understand that we try to make a profit on almost everything, but there are times when you just need to break even or even take a loss. I always look at cards the same as I do the stock market. The prices go up and down. You just have to know when the right time to sell. That's my opinion on the matter anyway...for some reason I feel a bashing heading my way...LOL

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Posted By: barrysloate

No bashing David, actually well said.

Everyone assumes that every single baseball card transaction will result in a profit. It's a laudable goal but in the real world it doesn't always work out that way.

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

You handle a low ball offer just the way Berra did. You prepare yourself for that possibility, and when it comes you just smack it over the fence.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I agree that part of making profit is minimizing the losses-- selling at a loss but for as little a loss as is possible and/or selling for a loss as quickly as possible.

"My economics professor told me that something is only worth what someone else will pay.'

If the seller turns down all offers deciding instead to keep it, the something is worth more than the highest offer.

For many people, a sale is not determined just by price. Without financial pressures, some people will go through periods where they won't sell anything no matter what the price (within reason of course) and later will go through periods where they sell stuff for rock bottom then will go back to not selling anything. When you knock on their door can be more important than the price you offer. There are many times where I'm not interested in getting out the tape and packaging stuff, so nothing's for sale, or at least the cost is steep to get me to open the tape drawer.

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Posted By: David Vargha

A pot once posted that a kettle had made a very black, lowball offer to him.

DavidVargha@hotmail.com

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Posted By: Jason

It is a free country and people can offer what they want. However, I simply just ignore low ball offers. My opinion is that if you cannot respond nice just do not respond.



Jason

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Posted By: Zinn

I'm really surprised that it took this long for someone to come right out and say it.

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

HILARIOUS........

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Posted By: Alan

Jason - Should I respond to a buyer like this: "Not no, but hell no !!!"

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

I like the approach that Dennis has.. I think if I'm reading most of the replies correctly the proper thing to do is just say "No Thank You" or "Not respond at all". The reason why I posted this question which I normally would not have is:

1. I contacted him to BUY one card. He asked me if I had any graded Old Judges and I told him I think I owed a few and named this one I had (Wright PSA 6). Not saying it was available for trade/sale.

2. He then gave me that wonderfull trade offer where at first he named three commons all LOW grade and I could pick only 2 of the 3. (wish one was a PCL common).

3. I found out he has the 3rd highest PSA set of like 70 cards or so.

4. He has a login name on network 54 board. (all this tells me he knows what he is doing).

5. Since I have not been around lately, I felt like I was getting the Mr. Mint treatment. I had to correspond with him to see if he was for real.

6. I just wanted to maybe BUY one card from him. But he was more concerned in getting that Wright from me.

7. All my e-mails were polite and I asked different questions everytime to him. My last question being do you think this is a fair trade for both of us, and do you know what book value is on these cards? His reply was that I was playing a game. The only game I was playing with him was letting him play his lowball game with me. It was fun and I did get a laugh out of it.

Those are all the reasons why I posted here. I'm sure this stuff happens everyweek. I do not want everyone to air dirty laundry, as I know I make low offers on stuff but not like this though... Yes, I enjoy flea markets. Half the fun in buying is negoiating. I just can't hang with the New Yorkers. They are in a class of their own.


JC

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Posted By: Brian

<<The funny thing is when the person is too dense to even get it.>>


Not an uncommon ailment.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I love this board somedays.

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Posted By: JK

yes, this is great stuff.

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Posted By: Steve Murray

Third time has got to be the charm.

Yes, this is great stuff!

David V. (inaudible applause)

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Posted By: dstudeba

I would just tell them that "I don't think we are going to come to an agreement on this card". I have told this to other members and have been told this by other members. I find it completely non-threatening and with the least bad feelings for both sides.

I find non-reply of emails in an open negotiation rude and not an appropriate response. I apologize for any emails that I have not responded to; they slipped through the cracks and that wasn't my intention.

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Posted By: Jim Clarke

Brian, what is your e-mail address?

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Posted By: Steve Murray

Sparks are starting to fly.

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Posted By: Brian

You have emailed me before, you should have it.

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Posted By: Wesley

You can't get anything past that guy.

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Posted By: Jason L

wanted any of my cards bad enough to make more than one offer!

I like the one I recently got: "Please email me when you relist it at a much lower price"
I responded "Will do, thanks for looking"
I sold it the next day at the BIN.

I am thinking about billing people for my time taken to read their emails if truly obnoxious. Wouldn't that be great, to get an invoice in your mail, listing:
Stupid Question #2 Time Spent: 2 minutes Date: 9/23/07 Due: $4.95
LowBall Offer #3 Time Spent: 1 minute Date: 9/23/07 Due: $2.99
Stupid Question #3 Time Spent: 4 minutes Date: 9/24/07 Due: $9.75

Please remit immediately. Time to create this invoice will be billed on your next statement. Thank you.

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Posted By: Scott L

and this is how I handled it. A gentleman on another board was soliciting offers for a PSA 3 Sam Crawford "batting" that was recently graded. The last two offered on ebay closed at $103.50 and $114 respectively, I offered $110. The response I got was that my offer was "low" and was provided a link to a recently closed auction for a Crawford "throwing" that went for $150. It was also pointed out to me that only 3 have been graded with a Polar Bear back.

I responded that he was comparing 2 different cards and cited closing prices from VCP for each. The last 2 throwing versions closed for $150 and $140 someting. I also indicated that the throwing version typically seems to sell for a premium over the batting version. My offer was based on the closing price for the example he was selling. I also explained how PSA has essentialy created another set of pops by separating the cards that have the back on the flip from the ones that don't and it wasn't correct to assume that only 3 polar bear backs had been graded.

I finally offered him my well wishes on the sale and moved on. I admit I was a little fired up at his response initially but thought before I responded and decided to go with the reasoning behind my offer. Life is too short to get worked up over a baseball card (for me at least).

Best,

Scott