[ssdanny69]

Browsing through the For Sale" ads here at this website and several others, I find it amusing when a seller puts "Best Offer". I know what "best offer" means in the literal sense but I'm getting a little perturbed because to me, it shows that the seller is:

1. Wanting more than what the car is worth
2. Not wanting to really sell the car
3. Bored and is simply wanting to pass time talking about the car
4. Looking for the right sucker and hitting a home-run on the deal

Not disclosing an asking price up front for something that is for sale is amusing to me. If my offer of $10,000 was the "best offer", does it mean that the car is mine?

Sorry, just venting b/c I'm irritated at the moment :sad:

 

[SixtyAte]

Maybe best offer over ????????? would be better however its not always good to post the price Lets say your 69 Camaro is worth $40,000 and you ask that amount but are willing to take less and someone only has $38,500 should they tell you their 'Best Offer" or ask you what you will take as a "Best Offer" or just assume that you want 40 g's and ignore the ad all together? I think the "Best Offer" issue has a good and bad side and it depends who is looking at the ad

Kev

 

[DjD]

I catch myself all the time when I am selling something... I will write out the ad and say "$200 or Best Offer". Then I start thinking about what "best offer" means literally and realize I really mean "make offer" and change what I wrote... I think most folks use the term the same way. Even ebay now has a "Best Offer" and really it's just a "Make Offer" the seller doesn't have to accept your best offer if it's the highest one made.

Chalk it up to the bastardized English language and don't let it raise your blood pressure...

 

[speedfreek]

I catch myself all the time when I am selling something... Even ebay now has a "Best Offer" and really it's just a "Make Offer" the seller doesn't have to accept your best offer if it's the highest one made.
...

Yes it just means "make me an offer". I've done this before ex: a hat, price $15. I offered $10 and they took my offer so I had to pay for it.

 

[1969 RS/SS DROPTOP]

I agree its nothing to get your blood pressure raised over.

 

[paulm]

Speaking of best offer.....

Why is that (and maybe it's just me) everytime that I try and sell something I always get offers at less or substantially less than what I want for the item??? As an example I try to sell a very nice rust free all numbers matching retored 68 327, Glide, factory AC car that needs nothing. Now in my mind I think that the car is worth 14k-14.5k all day so I advertise at 15.5k, but I can't get anyone who wants to pay more than 12.5k???

Personally I have trouble getting what I want out of cars....except my 69 ragtop which I got more than I wanted for. Maybe my perception of what things are worth is inflated. Like my little L30/M20 ragtop, I think it's worth 35k-40k, insured for 45k but if I ran it on Ebay it would probably bid to high 20's low 30's (been there done that).

 

[ssdanny69]

I catch myself all the time when I am selling something... I will write out the ad and say "$200 or Best Offer". Then I start thinking about what "best offer" means literally and realize I really mean "make offer" and change what I wrote... I think most folks use the term the same way. Even ebay now has a "Best Offer" and really it's just a "Make Offer" the seller doesn't have to accept your best offer if it's the highest one made.

Chalk it up to the bastardized English language and don't let it raise your blood pressure...

At least you stated an amount of $200 aoong with OBO. This at least gives the potential buyer an idea of what you're wanting for it.

 

[DjD]

Speaking of best offer.....

Why is that (and maybe it's just me) everytime that I try and sell something I always get offers at less or substantially less than what I want for the item??? As an example I try to sell a very nice rust free all numbers matching retored 68 327, Glide, factory AC car that needs nothing. Now in my mind I think that the car is worth 14k-14.5k all day so I advertise at 15.5k, but I can't get anyone who wants to pay more than 12.5k???

Personally I have trouble getting what I want out of cars....except my 69 ragtop which I got more than I wanted for. Maybe my perception of what things are worth is inflated. Like my little L30/M20 ragtop, I think it's worth 35k-40k, insured for 45k but if I ran it on Ebay it would probably bid to high 20's low 30's (been there done that).

From a buyers standpoint if you could get the same car for $12k instead of $15k which would you rather pay? Reverse it and from the sellers standpoint which would you rather get for the car? It's simple, buyers and sellers have different goals when it comes to this kind of transaction. I shopped around and bought the $1200 TV after going into 6 different stores. The exact same model was selling for as much as $1700 in some of the other stores I went into...

There is another facet that I see in all this, the guys with only $12K in their pocket sees an ad for a $15k car and are so enticed they just have to ask on the chance you are really high balling the price or your wife just gave you her last "get rid of it this week or else!".

I see too many thin skinned sellers out there. They get insulted when someone looks at their car and makes an offer. Offers are tradition, bartering has gone on forever but some sellers get all pissy about you wasting their time etc. As a seller just say sorry to low ballers but expect it to take longer to sell your car unless you under price it to begin with.

Paul you are going about it the right way, you feel your car is worth $14k and you are asking $15.5k for it. You have room to barter which helps sell the car. If I were in the market to buy I might offer you $12.5k to get the ball rolling. Ideally we meet in the middle at $14k but this could go either way a little. I might point out a flaw that will cost me before I'm happy with the car or you are not willing to give me a special reciept for the DMV and I am going to have to pay a higher "Use Tax" so you come down to $13.5k or you might toss in some parts to clean out your garage and the deal goes to $14.5k. It's all just part of selling and buying...

 

[DjD]

At least you stated an amount of $200 aoong with OBO. This at least gives the potential buyer an idea of what you're wanting for it.

I use to think if someone owns something and decides to sell it they should know what they feel the value is. Over the years here on TC I have come to the realization nobody has a clue as to how to value their property. We now have a "What's it worth" forum because of this... There are several reasons for this but the biggest one is greed. This fits into not placing a price on something you list and not taking any offers made because you are waiting for the next one to be higher than the last. Personally I have never had to ask "what's it worth" because there is nothing you can't figure out without asking. First I most likely bought the item to begin with, then I can see what it sells for new or used real easy thanks to the internet. If I don't move the item in the time I think it should have gone in I figure I priced it too hight and adjust and finally if the item sells 30 minutes after listing it I may have let it go cheap but I had already set it's value to me so I'm good to go and the buyer got a great deal. I never look at it as I lost out when this happens, I'm not in business to sell, I just because I have too much stuff and can turn it into a couple bucks to buy more stuff...