[Houston]

Having sold a couple of watches privately before I had been amazed at the manner by which some folk would attempt to beat you down on a price. Perhaps it's human nature and par for the course. As a number of you may know, I tend to keep my watches in pretty good condition, beaters apart since they're worn for the unglamorous tasks. As I don't abuse my watches, I do put them out at a realistic and fair price, describing the condition of the watch and offering pictures to support the prose. The price it must be said, is worked out having taken into consideration other items of similar condition that are offered in the marketplace. However of the two I have sold privately, being the 2255.80 ( Electric Blue ) and the 2538.20, Great White, it was the latter with which I had more difficulty in selling and this despite the fact that it had been discontinued. Strange but true. A couple of months earlier and they were commanding good prices and then suddenly, the market fell away. One party who kept sending me emails was looking for a ludicrously low sum. This was in the spring of 2006.

My point is this. Do you haggle over prices when you approach a seller? If I was going for say an Apollo XVII ' Last Man on the Moon ' and it was offered to me at $1900 I'd say it was a good price and assuming the condition was satisfactory, I'd shake on the deal. Fair's fair I think and I would no more wish for someone to beat me down on price than I would do to another, assuming the watch was fairly priced in the first place. I believe that the best deal you can enter into is one from which both parties can come away happy.

What do you think guys? Fairs fair or get the best price you can?


Y'all have a nice day now pals :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[marcw]

Sure I am going to ask for a lower price, it's the American way. I believe any seller, who knows what he's doing, is going to mark up the price some so that it can be negotiated. Unless it is an ultra rare or exclusive item, I think it can be bargined for. I worked in the car business for 10 years and have only seen a handful of times someone pay sticker for a car, new or used. Remember, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

 

[Texcowboy]

I always offer a lower price and most of the time either get it at that price or somewhere in between. I see no difference in that or asking an AD for a discount. When I price one I welcome offers.

 

[Houston]

OK Pals

Let me then out another question to you.

What happens to the Honest Joe seller who has priced the item correctly and fairly? He's going to get knocked because buyers are looking for a bargain. What then does the seller do to prevent himself losing out? He raises his price ' artificially ' to allow for the drop which will result because of the haggling factor.

You've been watching the various sale rooms for sometime and would know what the going rate is for a particular watch. If you see one that is correctly priced, would you still look to beat it down? Remember I said above that a seller, not the " Honest Joe " might well factor this in and raise his price. Bargaining in this case would be fair since the price in question here would be inflated. The price of the other watch though is not extraordinarily pegged....

Surely something that is offered at the correct price should be recognized as such.

Wouldn't you agree?


Just wondering


Be well pals :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[Noisy Nova]

I felt that the seller of my Seamaster was selling at a great price.
It's discontinued, and I've yet to see another one for sale, so I paid him his price.

 

[Guest]

I think it depends on the watch, the price, how much I want it and how much I willing to spend.

 

[Dell Deaton]

S&m 101

In my experience, things generally sell for what they're worth. And "worth" is dictated by the marketeplace. That's not just product (eg, condition), but also timing and buyers' passion. :lol:

Just before I listed my 2254.50 on this site, an apparently similar watch sold for $1350 here. Put mine out there and didn't get a bite at that same price. Listed it on eBay and not only sold it for a higher price (net), but also had inquiries from folks who'd seen it here first and hadn't contacted me. Go figure.

The Planet Ocean Big Size "Casino Royale" Limited Series sold in some places new, when released, at a premium over MSRP. You can now buy them "new" (or NOS) for the same discount Omega ADs freely give to any Joe off the street w/ a wink and a nod. Timing. And a culture among Omega prospects that Omega itself has fostered: To its detriment, I might add, because "we don't sell over the Internet" loses all credibility when folks lurk about some of the Forums referring business to "preferred" ADs who "offer unbeatable discounts" based on volume. Yeah, I'll press my AD for the best deal, to a point. But after that, I'll push no further and I'll buy from her because she's the one who gets me the CR LS that no one else could get at the time, works w/ me when the 2254.50 that preceeded the one I just sold was running out of COSC specifications (swapping it out w/out questions for new, no questions asked), and lets me spend hours examining the differences between the 42mm and 45.5mm Planet Oceans in a way you just can't do online. :drool:

Some of you all know I've been looking for a James Bond Breitling recently. "Experts" say it's worth between $700 and $800 in very good condition. Twice I was beat out by other buyers who were willing and did pay double that. Following up, both told me they would have gone $3,000! So forget the experts; the market set that price! On the other hand, when I finally bought for much less, factors that helped me were a poorly timed auction and a listing criteria that didn't hit the right demographic.

Which leads to another good example: James Bond Seiko watches. Any one who actually owns a 007 model and knows to put this in his listing can count on 50% to 100% more in his selling price than someone who even is selling a mint one in high demand among Bond collectors, but fails to mention Bond.

Ultimately, the haggling you mention here, I think, can work as much to the Seller's advantage as to his detriment. :blink:

 

[marcw]

OK Pals

Let me then out another question to you.

What happens to the Honest Joe seller who has priced the item correctly and fairly? He's going to get knocked because buyers are looking for a bargain. What then does the seller do to prevent himself losing out? He raises his price ' artificially ' to allow for the drop which will result because of the haggling factor.

You've been watching the various sale rooms for sometime and would know what the going rate is for a particular watch. If you see one that is correctly priced, would you still look to beat it down? Remember I said above that a seller, not the " Honest Joe " might well factor this in and raise his price. Bargaining in this case would be fair since the price in question here would be inflated. The price of the other watch though is not extraordinarily pegged....

Surely something that is offered at the correct price should be recognized as such.

Wouldn't you agree?


Just wondering


Be well pals :001_smile:

ZIN

I don't care it the price is 20% LOWER than all the others, I'm going to ask for 30%. Never hurts to ask, and he might just do it. If not, I'm sure it will sell for his asking price.
I don't think it is dishonest to ask for a bit more than you are willing to sell for. Nine times out of 10 the seller will come down to a price that both parties can live with.
When I bought my Speedy (off the bay), I saw what they were going for so I knew what to expect to pay. It was a "buy now" item, but I emailed the seller anyway and offered a lower price, knowing that I would pay the buy now price anyway. He declined and I bought it for his asking price.

 

[Houston]

Well if I came across a watch that I wanted and I knew that the price was right and fair, I personally would not attempt to drive down the price. If the price was fair, dare I say it again and both parties recognized that, then it would be right that they shook on it as gentlemen would. I would put out a watch at a fair and reasonable price so having someone attempt to lower it further just to make a killing at my expense when it was already a " correct " price is something I personally would not entertain. Much like the seller of the Speedy that you bought. If the price was fine why attempt to lower it? Why take advantage of another person that way? On the bay where an offer is invited, that is something else.

My 2c and not judging anyone here.


Have a nice day pal :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[Houston]

Hey Dell

I'm confused.

The heading on your last post reads S&m 101. What does that refer to please?


Cheerio for now :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[boscoe]

If a watch is reasonably priced, I don't haggle.
If a watch is over-priced, I don't even nibble at the offer.

 

[richy240]

I don't buy and sell a lot of watches, but I do have some experience buying and selling mobile phones... My experience with buying is that if the price is fair, I will go ahead and just pay the asking price. If it seems steep, I'll haggle.

As for selling, it seems EVERYONE is looking for an unbeatable deal - and that usually translates to taking a hit on price, or letting it collect dust while the value goes down. Now phones depreciate a lot faster than watches, so I often price the device low and let it sell fast. I may get less for it, but at least the value doesn't drop below what I actually get while I wait to cash in.

Just my $0.02...

 

[Dell Deaton]

Another call to CSI?

... The heading on your last post reads S&m 101. What does that refer to please? ...

"Sales & Marketing 101" -- a/k/a the sort of spin the folks at CSI are trying to see past! :wink:

Seriously: There is a science and an art to your lead question here, and this is where it's unpacked.

 

[MrKegFlex]

I think you are reading too much into it. Some people like to haggle, some people will offer what it is worth to them, some will see how low they can make you go, and others will just pay the asking price. If somebody makes an offer you don't like, just don't acknowledge them (they'll get the point), counter with another offer or just say no thanks. It's all about timing, like the other posters have pointed out. When you sell something, you will get your price if it's fair and you are in no hurry to sell. If you are in a hurry and it's poor timing, you'll have to decide whether it's worth taking the lower price in order to purchase the next toy.

 

[Houston]

LOL Mr Dell Deaton

Hope you're having a nice day pal :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[richy240]

I think you are reading too much into it. Some people like to haggle, some people will offer what it is worth to them, some will see how low they can make you go, and others will just pay the asking price. If somebody makes an offer you don't like, just don't acknowledge them (they'll get the point), counter with another offer or just say no thanks. It's all about timing, like the other posters have pointed out. When you sell something, you will get your price if it's fair and you are in no hurry to sell. If you are in a hurry and it's poor timing, you'll have to decide whether it's worth taking the lower price in order to purchase the next toy.

Well put. That's the point I was trying to make, but you definitely said it better!

 

[Houston]

Yup,well summed up Mr Keg Flex - many thanks.

The thing of course is should you be in a hurry. Fortunately for me a deal on the watch I wanted came up and a reasonable and happy all-round arrangement was made with my eventual buyer. Not the one who tried to beat me down I hasten to add.


Y'all have a nice evening guys :001_smile:

ZIN

 

[MINIAC]

If a watch is reasonably priced, I don't haggle.
If a watch is over-priced, I don't even nibble at the offer.

Yep, that has worked for me on numerous occasions.