... you all say that, but I bet most of you would be first to contact me if I decided to give away a pin.

Okay, but what happens when you score a great deal (haggled down or not), say $100 for a an $800 pin and you choose to sell. What is the appropriate price to post here on MAACA if some members know you got it for a song?

Quoted from Sparky

... you all say that, but I bet most of you would be first to contact me if I decided to give away a pin.

PM sent....

tartagliag

Quoted from Sparky

First off, let us differentiate tire-kicking from lowballing. Tire-kickers are people that ask for 1000 pictures on a item but generally have little to no intention of buying the item. Annoying? Absolutely... but not so bad.

I'd tend to say that tire-kickers are WORSE than low-ballers, at least low-ballers (unless they start out by tire-kicking) waste less time, you respond "No" and then add them to your personal blacklist (you know the one we all share around at the coffee machine).

Quoted from Sparky

The point is that once you are labelled as a lowballer, a lot of doors close on you. Negotiate in good faith. Contact the seller and start a dialogue. if you don't like the asking price, contact them and ask them what their lowest price is.

Absolutely gospel.  Again, I'd argue that there is some cultural aspect to low-balling.  Some cultures find it absoltuely insulting, others consider it part of the bargain process.

I do believe though, that there is a right way and a wrong way to approach someone if you want something for much less than the askign price.  That is with courtesy and a lot of humbledness (?).  

Let's call it "pinetiquette", create a sticky edited by Sparky and please contribute:

I suggest Rule 1) if you sense that your offer is going to offend the seller (or it is well below both the asking price and the market value for the proposed condition), then don't even bother to make it (there are those who feel that "if I don't try, I'll never know"),

2) if you are fairly experienced and know that the asking price is too high OR that you only have limited funds, be honest and humble in your approach (such as "I know you'll get a better offer, but if you don't, I have $$$ to spend") - but know that if you take this approach and back out you are risking the blacklist.

3) If you do get what YOU consider a good deal on a purchase, do not bother to brag about it on the board - not only will you piss off the seller, when it comes time to sell, you will have cut your prospective customers by half or more.

4) IF you have the guts to low-ball and the seller turns around and sells it to someone for more - don't come bitching on the board, you did not get rooked, the seller was just smarter than you, that's all.  

Quoted from OTTOgd

Okay, but what happens when you score a great deal (haggled down or not), say $100 for a an $800 pin and you choose to sell. What is the appropriate price to post here on MAACA if some members know you got it for a song?

  sell it for the normal price.  or alittle less if you want it to sell quick.
   loads of us have found things for less then the market value and either kept it and resold it later or resold it right away.  thats just good sales.

Quoted from gmaranda

people that search suckers that don't know the price of things

I think that's the whole basis of our economic system and why the rich get richer and the poor stay poor.  

Quoted Text

  Ok here's a list of guys I refuse to deal with.

Chuckie
Spunky
Bucko
Buddy
Buster
Biff
Slick

Anyone else I will take on a case by case basis.

OK I gotta stop pissing myself at work, its getting embarassing.

Regarding people who highball, if I want to deal with them I simply tell them what the machine is actually worth. In the case of when I bought my Dr Who machine it was half the guys asking price. I really did want the machine so I ended up paying a bit higher than market value. So, maybe the guy ended up getting more because he higballed.

Another example was some clown on Kijiji a few months ago highballing on a TSPP. I steered clear but another more experienced member here contacted the guy and I believe they ended up agreeing on the more realistic book value or thereabouts.

Lowballers, if they are really nervy wankers about it I just picture them in the bottom of the urinall, and piss on them.  I deal with people like that every day in my work and the odd one knocks me for a loop but I get over it. The ones I really despise are the people that try to get me to do all kinds of stuff so I can make no sale AND use up my time. That is just plain selfish. I wouldnt give those people the sweat off my ball$.

When I feel that something is not priced where it will be easily sold elsewhere, I am very courteous in my suggestion, and fully perpared to follow through if it is agreed. Life is just more pleasant that way. Buyers for the most part tend to be nicer because they know that if they piss you off you could get even somehow. Rude people tend not to buy.

Quoted from OTTOgd

Okay, but what happens when you score a great deal (haggled down or not), say $100 for a an $800 pin and you choose to sell. What is the appropriate price to post here on MAACA if some members know you got it for a song?

thsi is when you do a little touch-up on the cabinet, or ensure that all the board hacks are reversed BEFORE you sell it (which a few here don't).  

Quoted from OTTOgd

Okay, but what happens when you score a great deal (haggled down or not), say $100 for a an $800 pin and you choose to sell. What is the appropriate price to post here on MAACA if some members know you got it for a song?

I think what you paid for a machine is irrelevant... sell for fair market value regardless.

I paid $500 for Starship Troopers.. it was dirty as hell and the DMD was blown.  I stripped it down and cleaned it, threw in a working DMD and sold it for $1200 (more than fair, IMO).  Everyone was happy, and the buyer knew what I paid for it.

Quoted from wbradley

Another example was some clown on Kijiji a few months ago highballing on a TSPP. I steered clear but another more experienced member here contacted the guy and I believe they ended up agreeing on the more realistic book value or thereabouts.

I think that was the Getaway your thinking of Warren that I got.

Guy wanted $2600, I got him down to $1800 when I went and talked to him in person.

Some people just don't know, I like the story because I asked him where he came up with $2600 and he said that is what he paid for it 14 years ago.  Fair enough as far as I'm concerned, it was his only machine, not like he watched the market, how would he know any different.

Quoted from machine.slave

I think what you paid for a machine is irrelevant... sell for fair market value regardless.

I paid $500 for Starship Troopers.. it was dirty as hell and the DMD was blown.  I stripped it down and cleaned it, threw in a working DMD and sold it for $1200 (more than fair, IMO).  Everyone was happy, and the buyer knew what I paid for it.

If you notice anymore Starship Troopers in the $500 - $1200 range, can you let me know first please.  

Believe it or not I have a shmuk on hold right now who is trying to lowball me. How ironic.