posted on October 19, 2000 07:00:30 PM
I just got an email from a fellow ebayer about an auction I have running. My auction is for a set of fine china...service for 6 with extra pieces plus several serving pieces.
My price for this set comes out to a little more than $7 an item (including the 16" platter). If one were to purchase this set from Replacements Limited the total, before shipping, would be almost $1200..my asking price is about 1/4 that amount.
The email I just got said
"I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE CHINA....BUT NOT AT YOUR MINIMUM. THIS
CHINA CAN BE PURCHASED THROUGH "REPLACEMENTS LTD." AT A MUCH LOWER
RESERVE. LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED."
And to top it off, the auction still has almost a day to go!
If it ended without a bid and this "person" had emailed me then with an offer I would have considered it...but to try and hoodwink me into thinking it wasn't worth what I was asking just ticked me off!
Thanks..end of RANT! Back to your regular programing!
posted on October 19, 2000 07:07:17 PM
Did you consider calling Replacements and asking them what they are paying to buy your set? Could be a person who sells to Replacements. I run into a lot of them on eBay.
posted on October 19, 2000 07:09:27 PM
So, um, someone's interested in buying your stuff and you find that a bad thing?
I never find such interest unwelcome.
Sometimes the potential buyer is badly informed, the item is indeed worth far more than this buyer understands. What an opportunity. This buyer will be willing to pay a lot more after reading what I have to say.
Sometimes the potential buyer is playing me for a fool, hoping that I've ended up with something which _I_ don't understand what it's worth. This is way rare, but even when it happens the odds are not so bad that I've met a serious bidder on my auction.
Usually the potential buyer is just trying to drive a hard bargain. Nothing wrong with that. I'm pleased they're interested, explain a bit, and wait to see if they really do buy it. Sometimes they do.
posted on October 19, 2000 07:22:09 PM
SMW..having contacted Replacements before about buying another set I had..never again! They wanted to give me a couple hundred on a set that I sold on ebay for a little over $2000.
Sarge..if he had not tried to hoodwink me into thinking it was worth less than I was asking I would have been delighted. It was the mention of Replacements Limited selling it for less, which I knew was false, that got to me!
Actually, I emailed him and told him that if Replacements was selling it for less than I was he should "go for it" as the quote I had from them was for $1135.47. I suggested he should jump on their offer before they realized the error of their quote. I also suggested that if he found they would not honor their quote then my auction still had almost a day to go and I would welcome his bid
posted on October 19, 2000 07:25:54 PM
No, amy, this sort of bidder doesn't think sellers are brain-dead. This crowd doesn't think. Period. The only bidder who would pull this sort of witless stunt obviously has a circulatory problem himself Geez, at least he could've insulted you more creatively.
I think your answer was something Miss Manners would've loved.
posted on October 19, 2000 07:35:30 PM
HCQ..whats so funny is..if he had waited till the auction was over and made an offer (without trying to degrade the value of my merchandise), I would more than likely have accepted it.
posted on October 19, 2000 07:44:56 PM
I had someone ask me if I would lower my shipping cost if they paid with PayPal. I had to inform him that I don't make money on shipping and that I paid extra for PayPal
transactions. I had to muzzle myself not to suggest that I would have been happy to charge him more
[ edited by mballai on Oct 19, 2000 07:45 PM ]
posted on October 19, 2000 07:47:30 PM
Tomorrow's headline:
AUCTION SELLER TELLS BUYER: I DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY -- BUY FROM SOMEONE ELSE
Heck, anyone who wants to can quote Replacements prices at me all day long...heck, they can quote the Kama Sutra for all I care, it's just as relevant...as long as they buy.
Keep it up and pretty soon those pesky bidders won't be bothering you any more.
posted on October 19, 2000 08:11:17 PM
Bettylou...not pesky buyers! Just some who have no tact.
And this person has no intention of buying it at my price..and considering his words about Replacements selling it for "much less" I have a feeling his offer would have been less than half my opening bid.
If the buyer can get it someplace else for less then he SHOULD jump at THAT offer! But the old saying about catching more flies with honey instead of vinegar is worth remembering if a person wants to get a DEAL. Best not to degrade the merchandise or in any way suggest the seller doesn't know their business.
He would have probably gotten to first base instead of striking out if he had praised the merchandise and acknowledged the set was worth far more than was being asked but said something like.."I can't afford that much but I can afford to pay XXX..if the item ends without a bid would you consider my offer?"
And, if you read my response to him, you will see I didn't say I wouldn't sell to him..I said I would welcome his bid!
[ edited by amy on Oct 19, 2000 08:15 PM ]
posted on October 20, 2000 03:28:00 AM
Something similar happened to me, though not for such an expensive item. I got an email saying "other sellers are selling it for less ... would you take [half the opening bid]?" Kind of does make me wonder what are they thinking?
posted on October 20, 2000 06:23:31 AM
I think some of them are beyond brain dead. I sold an item, received payment by PayPal and shipped the next day. That evening I got an email with the words "i'll take it" in the body and a subject line referring to the same item--no item number, no identification of the person making the "offer", nothing. Maybe they got Ebay confused with the Shopping Channel???
posted on October 20, 2000 07:01:21 AM
Amy,
Add me to the numbers that think your reply was GREAT! WHY doesn't he buy it elsewhere if he can get it cheaper? I mean, let's face it, we all want to buy merchandise at the lowest possible price. (I have NEVER said, "Hey, let's check with _____ maybe it's more expensive there." ) Sometimes I am just amazed at people!
This was not a serious bidder.
Teresa [email protected]
posted on October 20, 2000 08:12:52 AM
Cdnbooks...not the sellers who post at AW...we are all as sharp as tacks with healthy brains (this includes the buyers who post on AW too!)
posted on October 20, 2000 08:50:32 AM
There have been people who have walked into retail stores for decades saying they can get it for "less"...in many cases this was true. What they wanted was the convenience of buying it without the extra effort or restrictions or hassles of "less" with the service of "more".
This ruse is still very common among the "impoverished": students (often those who can somehow afford to finance more per year for education than many people earn, but simply have no money???), immigrants (often those working in hi-tech fields who earn way more than most of us, but simply have no money???...I sell lots of books to this market) and numerous others who shell out $500 a year to websurf on their $500+ computers, but simply have no money???)
posted on October 20, 2000 08:53:04 AM
What's that ringing? Why, it's the White Courtesy Cluephone!
"Hello?...Um, well, yeah, I guess that's possible...Yeah, people have been known to do that...Have to agree with you on THAT one. Um-hmm. Thanks for calling."
I don't know who that was, but he said:
1) Buyer might have wanted to use Billpoint.
2) Buyer might have wanted to buy it on eBay rather than direct from RL.
3) Tact has nothing to do with it. This is business; you're not looking to date the guy.
Sometimes I think people have gotten so used to the eBay Way of Doing Business that they've forgotten how things work in the real world. Someone waltzes into your antique shop, picks up a Flow Blue cream pitcher, and says, "Is this the best you can do on this? There's another one in the shop down the street that's $50 less."
Since you also own the shop down the street, you know this is not true. However, you smile sweetly and say, "If you're really interested I can give you 10% off."
He either buys or doesn't. If he buys, you've got a sale and he doesn't need to know you give a 10% discount to anyone who asks. If he doesn't, life goes on.
One more thing:
Replacements often makes offers much less than the full-retail sheet you got from them. And they run specials. And they do direct mailing to previous customers. And there are lots of things going on in wholesale markets that aren't shared with the retail carriage trade. Consider that you may not have the Big Picture.
posted on October 20, 2000 09:40:18 AM
Bettylou..goodness, lighten up!
I was not discouteous with this customer. all I did was point out I was aware of the retail price of the merchandise and gave a counteroffer (my opening bid amount)
We have had several more emails between us and he is aware I will consider FAIR offers if the item receives no bids. He also said I was "most gracious" and "genteel" (but he could have been buttering me up with those statements..if so, it works a lot better than his first approach!)
As for Replacements offering it for less than the amount they quoted me...the amount I quoted to him was for pieces with "slight imperfections" (which is a lower grade than the set I'm selling). This price is 25% less than their top price. Top price is closer to $1600. The lowest price they quote is for pieces that have serious flaws..and that price, $400, is still $75 more than my starting bid.
No matter how good a sale Replacements will have, there is no way you can convince me that this set, in the condition it is in, will be offered by them for less than $325.
I am in business to make money...not to give my merchandise away to others. Some offers are to low to even merit consideration...and his offer seemed to be such an offer, so it was refused...and I feel I was very polite in my refusal.
posted on October 20, 2000 10:54:26 AM
>>Tomorrow's headline:
AUCTION SELLER TELLS BUYER: I DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY -- BUY FROM SOMEONE ELSE
Heck, anyone who wants to can quote Replacements prices at me all day long...heck, they can quote the Kama Sutra for all I care, it's just as relevant...as long as they buy.
Keep it up and pretty soon those pesky bidders won't be bothering you any more.<<
Bettylou, I have been selling vintage stuff forever in real life locations and now on eBay. If you want to keep customers that lie and put you and your merchandise down, and weasel with you forever in order to try to get something at a price that isn't equal to what you paid for it, you can go right ahead.
I've never tolerated those customers (had TONS of them in the flea market biz) and I'm doing quite well thank you. Not everyone has to have exactly the same business technique as you to make a good living. I certainly don't put up with rudeness just to make a sale---if you want to, fine, but don't act as if everyone else who has minimum standards for customer behavior is a poor businessperson.
I got out of working for corporations because of the attitude that the slimiest, rudest customer in the world was worth more than my peace of mind. Ain't gonna buy *that* when I am finally working for myself!
posted on October 20, 2000 10:58:56 AM
AMY - you're a better person than me. I wouldn't even have bothered answering their e-mail!
I think your response was correct, even though it sounds as if others would have handled it differently.
Hope you get a good price for the set!
BETTYLOU - It sounds as if you're just always negative, or you're having a bad day, or you've had too much cofee. I agree...lighten up already!
[ edited by nicepolice on Oct 20, 2000 11:00 AM ]
posted on October 20, 2000 02:13:52 PM
Hey, bettylou, try pulling that routine at a RL auction and watch the auctioneers (not to mention the consignors) laugh you right out the door.
Auction closed a short while ago. Final price $356.01 ($31.01 higher than my opening bid). Two bidders at the very end.
Buyer got a bargain..I got a little more than twice my initial investment.
Bettylou...this wasn't a buyer, more of a scavenger. His biggest mistake was trying to make a deal BEFORE the auction ended...and trying to get it for a steal.
I think he assumed that since I was starting a set that had a retail value of $1200-$1600 for such a low amount/no reserve that I was totally clueless as to it's REAL value. I don't fault him for trying...all the seller can do is say no..and some will accept his lowball offers..some will believe his lies of how the item is actually worth far less than the opening bid and be snookered into giving their merchandise away. I just didn't fall for it.
Moonmem..stick around, there might be even more times we agree ...heck even Krs and I have found ourselves on the same side of the fence occasionally! (ps..love your name!)
