
01-14-2020 04:19 PM
01-14-2020 04:24 PM
01-14-2020 04:33 PM
01-14-2020 05:19 PM
wouldn't know, have never used the best offer feature on any of my listings and I don't do "free shipping"...
01-14-2020 05:56 PM - edited 01-14-2020 05:56 PM
The free shipping is probably part of the problem. Unless a person has shipped a few parcels lately, they have no idea how much shipping can cost. They wouldn't realize that a large portion of your price is the shipping cost. I don't generally have free shipping in Canada unless an item can be sent out by lettermail...it just makes the price of the item seem too high.
01-14-2020 06:27 PM
In my offline business I am used to offers, it's part of dealing with Antiques/Nostalgia. Don't mind folk asking this within reason but do receive low ball offers. Some offer I say No and that's that but some get aggressive rude etc and wont stop (never understood that logic upset the seller and get a better deal Duh!)
I usually handle this with humor. One of my favorite lines is I stop and look like I am considering it then say "Sure Why Not? and while were at it why don't you take everything else I have for the same price? Because if I'm going to Lose I may as well Lose in Volume" Most get the point and stop but some don't. Some buy some don't. I don't get into it with them. If one does it's usually the dealer that loses If others are around they see it don't know really what is going on and can see the dealer in a bad light. Not worth it. If I do feel upset wait it thru and then go to someone I know and blow off steam. They will do this with me too. It's Like "Antique Dealer Therapy"
Awhile ago at a show I was selling Jello Coins for $1.00 each Had about 100 of them. I gave a 20% discount if he took them all. Not good enough for him he continued arguing and got quite heated. What he did not realize was the Show Promoter was standing behind him listening. Found out after he asked to leave and was informed he was banned from his shows for 6 months (This promoter does 2 or 3 a month) because of this. Finally allowed back he pulled the same stunt on some others and from what I heard was told not to come back
All this over very low priced items
While used to it offline some try anything to get items cheaper. Good thing is they are the minority Some I deal with may try but stop after the first time and the majority of my customers are great
Online One guy here tried to threaten us on some items we had for sale. 4 Original Hudson Bay Co Trade Tokens circa late 1700's Kept giving Low Ball offers even though we do not use Best Offer. Finally told us he was reporting us to ebay for selling fakes, was going to file a complaint with the Police and report us To The Royal Canadian Mint. (That was interesting the Mint was not in existence when these were produced and had nothing to do with these Tokens) While this was going on the Auction Ended with a Legitimate Buyer who was thrilled with getting them
He faded away afterwards
I also sell on a Online Buy and Sell Site. That's always an experience. I at times get $5 to $10 offers on very expensive items. Those I just ignore. This site does have a Block feature but have never used it. This site is set up with no identifying features of the seller listed so unless they know who I am from elsewhere there is nothing else they can do
Unfortunately It's Part of the Selling Experience
One other Favorite Line I think of (but don't say outloud) is from "The Penguins" of "Madagascar"
"Just Smile and Wave Boys. Smile and Wave"
weavers
01-14-2020 06:46 PM
01-14-2020 06:58 PM
I use Free Shipping on items that can move by lettermail, but when there is a shipping fee indicated, I am very careful to state that an accepted offer or a counter-offer does not include shipping which is firm.
I do Block those who demand cheaper shipping, since "cheaper" with Canada Post usually means "untracked" and makes an old and grouchy lady like me think "scam in the making".
01-14-2020 07:49 PM
01-14-2020 09:29 PM
Didn't realize Kijijji offered online listings, thought it was just a Craigslist knockoff.
01-14-2020 09:48 PM
Kijiji is great for selling locally...have been using it for years...
01-15-2020 01:43 PM
Popularity seems to vary from city to city.
In Ottawa Kijiji was better, here in Victoria Craigslist.
UsedOttawa/UsedVictoria is also good. UsedVictoria actually also advertises in our local tabloid(s).
01-15-2020 02:58 PM
have UsedRegina here which I have found to be a waste of time...generally very few responses and those that do respond are usually the lowest of the low ballers or no-shows...
01-15-2020 03:39 PM
Canadians are the worst lowballers...
Unless of course they are successful...... then that would make them the "best" lowballers?
01-15-2020 07:47 PM - edited 01-15-2020 07:52 PM
I have been using Kijiji for items I do not want to ship. Have had a number of good pieces sell there. Have been surprised at some of the items I have sold and the prices I have got at times
Not shipping these I state these are for Pick Up Only in the ads but it does not stop some from trying to get it and get people asking from across Canada and times from the U.S. At times have sold items to folk far afield that know someone that lives in the area or within a few hours from here and they will come and pick it up for them. Sometimes it's to folks that are coming through Southern Ontario and detour here to get it
Find patience works there. At times I do not get any responses for weeks or months then someone will contact me and an item sells. Many of the items I list are offered at shows and markets I do . Kijiji allows me to list items that would just sit in storage between doing these venues.
I have at times also bought some great items on Kijiji that are for resale. Many times they sell fast
weavers
01-15-2020 08:28 PM - edited 01-15-2020 08:30 PM
oh totally agree Kijiji is not immune to responses from out of town, out of province, out of country....
have had many great experiences with out of town, out of province buyers who pick up items themselves or have family or friend do so and have also shipped items to buyers. Prepayment for any of these types of transactions is a must and is made easy with the buyer paying via e-transfer funds or occasionally via PayPal.
Also have done lots of buying on Kijiji for reselling.
01-16-2020 12:21 AM
As I mentioned before have sold some great items on Kijiji
Last year sold a Very Hard item to Find. A folding table from the early 30's. It was on the line of an Ouija Board 3 Legged. A guy from the US mid west spotted it and wrote. He arranged for a friend in Ontario to come and get it. This item is now being used in A Travelling Exhibit about Ouija Boards and related items. It is going throughout the U.S. right now
those types of sales make up with the foolishness and low ball offers I get at times on this site
weavers
01-16-2020 02:54 AM
Well thats another Trudeau’ism....we cant afford the USd price thanks to trudeau’s influence on the canadian dollar
01-17-2020 07:21 AM
The cultural landscape of Canada is changing, and with that change may come attitudes or cultural beliefs that may rub us the wrong way, this of course includes how people do business.
We have many cultures melting in one pot so to speak, as Canada is probably one of the few countries that people flock to as a place where opportunities are still available.
So some of those who are really low balling may view this as a perfectly normal "exchange" where they come from.
But there are those who are "tire kickers" in that they have zero respect for your or what you are selling. Those are the ones that really annoy me.
01-17-2020 11:23 AM
"I auto-reject anything below the 30% mark, but every once in a while when I adjust prices on older listings, I go check to see what lower offers I've received that were auto-rejected. Almost all Canadians, and all hideously below my already very low prices."
I hear ya, I hear ya...
The best feature of the Best Offer is the ability to set your minimum acceptable price and that varies depending on the product for sale.
When updating listings, I also take a peek at the "Auto Declined Offers" and then go look at the "left for others" Feedback of the members making those "low ball" waste of everybody's time offers and realize "I may have dodged a bullet there... kinda a sensation."
Although, lumping all Canadians into the "lowball" club is a bit rough, "low ballers" come in all varieties and from all nations...
Also, if you can not afford to pay the shipping, taxes or duties (if levied) on your online shopping habits, then maybe you should buy local only...