What do you do when someone emails you asking for a lower price?

[musicyouneed]

One of my CD's is very rare, nothing on amazon, discogs etc.  I have the only one listed per google.  This is a Canadian artist who is now deceased.  I have had it listed for a year because it is so rare and accordingly have the price over $60 USD.  I put it on sale 15% off recently because  it has been on over a year and that is about the lowest I will accept at this point maybe a couple of dollars less but not much.   

So a potential buyer emailed me stating that he is a collector and can not justify the price for a CD and wanted it cheaper. 

There have been many views and a few watchers on this CD.  I recently sold a few of this artists CD's.   One I sold for $25 and the other for $16.

How do I respond to this person?  He/she has never purchased anything from me before, he provides limited feedback to the sellers if at all.  

[forester_studios]

Hi Music - Has he given any sellers negative feedback? I always look at an inquiry or best offer to check out potential buyers. Sometimes when I see the feedback they leave for other sellers I'm glad not to do business with them and put them on my blocked list.

Have you got best offer on the item? I find that on high value items best offer can work well. If they make a decent offer I accept. If they make a ridiculous low offer I either counter offer or reject their offer. Either way I can check the feedback they leave others.

I just purchased a rare cd yesterday by a Canadian power pop band. I will likely list it at a silly high price to start as there are non for sale on the web. If it doesn't get interest I'll slowly drop the price. There are a few factors to consider. How much did you pay for the item? How much is your bottom line price? How long can you wait to sell it? If it is really rare item a potential buyer should be happy to have it, even at a significant cost.

So consider all the factors and decide what works best for you. Good luck with the transaction, all the best.

[momcqueen]

I don’t engage in conversation with folks like this. Best Offer is one thing; unsolicited opinions on pricing is another. Thank him for his time and absolutely DO NOT start explaining your pricing or justifying your existence to this person. Reply “Thank you for your time. We hope to serve you soon.” and leave it. No good will come of a big conversation about this; they don’t want a conversation. They want something for nothing. If he really wanted to talk to you, he’d start a conversation on the value of rarities, not complain about the price you set for your rare piece. It’s gaslighting, and a clumsy attempt at that.

[retroman_studios]

I usually ignore these types of messages as I don't want to say something I would regret (especially if they are very condescending and rude, like I had one buyer tell me something was junk and he wanted it for $1)

I especially find that in the sub $250 range people really try and wear down the prices and be cheap. I'd rather wait for someone who is willing to pay. Or if eventually he clues in that it's not selling for less, guess what? If he wants it bad enough he's gonna have to get the wallet out.

[zee-chan-jpn-books]

This is what I'd say:

Thank you for your message. I'm sorry but currently I cannot offer this CD to you at a lower price. Please let me know if you have any other questions. (this part is optional) Thanks and have a nice week. 😃

Your "buyer" wasn't asking in a nice way anyway when they say they can't justify the price blah blah blah. If it's something like I really like this and that book, I'm wondering if it's possible to get a discount if I get both? Thanks! <--- Then with this kind of polite note I'd usually offer 10-20% off depending on the book.

[musicyouneed]

The buyer did ask nicely, he/she said "If there is anyway I could reduce the price". 

But I do like what you said. 

"Thank you for your message. I'm sorry but currently I cannot offer this CD to you at a lower price.  Thanks and have a nice week. 😃 "  I might say thanks for your interest.

The buyer asked me to respond either way, so I was looking for advice on what to say.   

Thanks everyone for your advice. 

[cumos55]

My response to a low offer....  on a book....

"A discount is only considered if the price of a book is in the range of $50 to $75 and higher..."

Some people will .... always .....look for a discount.....

[ichopshop]

As I see it, your options are as follows;

-Ignore them

-Decline the offer

-Accept the offer

-Reply with your own counter-offer

-Channel all your frustration from previous eBay buyer interactions into a drawn-out, passive aggressive email, going into intricate detail as to why your marked down price is already an exceptional value.

Ian

[sylviebee]

Ebay  has recently added several features which invite buyers to barter so in the future sellers are likely to encounter many more buyers making offers.

For example, if you "Contact Seller" one of the latest added options is to "Send Seller an Offer."

Also, when an item is sold via auction the option to send an offer is fairly new as is the option for sellers to send buyers an offer.

In addition, eBay is encouraging sellers to contact "watchers" and offer a discount.

I know that I'm seeing more and more offers all the time.  Clearly,  Ebay's stats must show that selling this way works.

IMO these changes are positive and I frequently sell items that way.

It's up to you, but I consider each offer carefully before declining.  In the past I turned offers down and it's not uncommon for those items to sit for years and that's no fun either.

Also, I know when I buy on Etsy virtually every seller reduces the price if asked to do so and it's the rare seller who refuses to lower price just for the asking.  

I also realize that selling this way is a little more stressful than if a buyer just buys the item no questions asked, but it also seems to be the trend so IMO we should get used to it.

[weaversofspeech]

I have never used Best Offer and will not 

I put my items on for the lowest price I will take but still get folk wanting to  haggle

I respond saying this and also tell them I sell offline and if the item does not sell I will offer it   there or wait awhile and try it on ebay again.   At times they just go ahead and buy it

Being in business or the amount of time I have been I have heard nearly every approach trying to get a lower price on items (course every once in awhile hear a new one) and still politely decline

we all want things but at times they are beyond what we can spend. I personally would not ask  for a discount in most cases.  Offline I will ask a dealer if they give a dealer discount. Many will as a courtesy because many will for them. It's usually  10% and at times more if the dealer wants to move the item. If the person says no  that's okay I then have to determine whether it is worth it or not. No hard feelings and then continue on  there are many items out there to buy    

[sylviebee]

---

@weaversofspeech wrote:

 I personally would not ask  for a discount in most cases.  

---

I love buyers like you.  I'd much rather sell at full price.  🙂

[desertvalleyauctions]

I deal in a product that people are use to negotiating on. In fact to acquire what I sell I too have to partake in some heavy negotiating.  IMO I don't mind when someone asks for a lower price, as long as they are not insulting or make an attempt to dismiss my intelligence. I deal in a globally traded commodity so I understand the price and when people attempt to offer me US spot price in CDN dollars, that insults my intelligence. So I vent my frustration with my husband and then politely respond with a "thanks but no thanks". 

Now if someone comes by with a really good offer, Yes, I have no problem accepting it. I simply let them know that I will change the price to BO and when they make their offer I will gladly accept it.  

Bottom line is, this is your business and you need to do what is best for your business. 

[rosscd57]

I tell them that" this is not a sale".

[femmefan1946]

It would give me an urge to reply "Thank you so much for your query. It encouraged me to check the current values and I was surprised to learn it is rarer and in more demand than I thought.  Thanks to your interest I will be able to raise the price considerably."

But I'm crotchety.

[rosscd57]

Sometimes is is worth while blocking these buyers depending on the type and nature of the

inquiry and a quick look in their: "feedback given to others".

I used to have problems with buyers who purchase the cheaper end of the products I sell. I don't sell those any more and have really had no problems ever since.

[ricarmic]

Generally I almost always reply with:

First response:

Thank you for your note and offer! This is the lowest I can go on this lot*. Have a great day!

or

Thank you for your note and offer, I am sorry but I am not able to offer a discount on this lot. Have a great day!

2nd response in situations where they're already put forth an offer and are still trying to haggle.

Thank you for your note and offer! Unfortunately this is the lowest I can go on this lot*. Have a great day!   (this is the same price as the first time)

Sometimes depending on how polite they are and how old the lot is that is being discussed, I may back and forth a bit more.

*this is assuming it is on .COM where I can reply with offer. If it is on .CA then the offer amount is included in the actual words because reply with offer isn't available on .CA yet. (hopefully soon!!!!!)

[forester_studios]

Hi femmefan1946

That reply is so great I'm almost temped to actually use it. Just got an offer on a fairly rare item for $13 to the USA free shipping. I'd actually lose money if I accepted it. I counter offered of course. Next time I may send them your reply. LOL.

[reallynicestamps]

Oh Lordie- don't!
We all have those "write it down, read it over, and now delete it " moments.

[forester_studios]

Just making a joke actually reallynicestamps. I wouldn't actually do that but when one gets a ridiculously low offer it is tempting.

[Anonymous]

I get many buyers asking what is the best lowest price that I will accept.  I told them to make offer and that is what the button of "Make offer" is for.  Just yesterday one buyer asked me and I replied those message (above) and she got upset and said I was rude!!  She is the one that is rude not me!!  Duh to her!!  Of course I put her on the block list to prevent potential problems.