Craigslist: Obo = offer below or over asking price?

[jtvang125]

I've dealt with a few people who play the bidding game. They'll sell something for $150 and say that someone really wants it and is coming by this weekend and they're offering him $200. They'll also say that they're willing to sell it to you for $200 if you come by right now. Most of the time they're just lying about the other potential buyer to jack the price up a little more. If you decline most likely they'll come back to you in a few days and ask if you still want it for the original asking price.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've dealt with a few people who play the bidding game. They'll sell something for $150 and say that someone really wants it and is coming by this weekend and they're offering him $200. They'll also say that they're willing to sell it to you for $200 if you come by right now. Most of the time they're just lying about the other potential buyer to jack the price up a little more. If you decline most likely they'll come back to you in a few days and ask if you still want it for the original asking price.

Im a dick. I flag anyone that tells me they are taking bids and tell em take it to ebay.

I love the flagging system

 

[darkswordsman17]

I've seen quite a few in the past several months where someone posts a price, and then write in the ad they'll take offers, but the lowest they'll go is ______, which is like 1/3 lower than the original price they list.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
I've seen quite a few in the past several months where someone posts a price, and then write in the ad they'll take offers, but the lowest they'll go is ______, which is like 1/3 lower than the original price they list.

This is what I don't understand about o.b.o. listings. If you write that, people are going to automatically pay less for whatever you are selling, especially if you write your lower limit. That's what they're going to offer!

I always just set a price and entertain some lowballs without saying I'll do that. I always sell it for my asking price or pretty close. o.b.o makes no sense to me.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

This is what I don't understand about o.b.o. listings. If you write that, people are going to automatically pay less for whatever you are selling, especially if you write your lower limit. That's what they're going to offer!

I always just set a price and entertain some lowballs without saying I'll do that. I always sell it for my asking price or pretty close. o.b.o makes no sense to me.

Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

 

[Soundmanred]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: darkswordsman17
I've seen quite a few in the past several months where someone posts a price, and then write in the ad they'll take offers, but the lowest they'll go is ______, which is like 1/3 lower than the original price they list.

This is what I don't understand about o.b.o. listings. If you write that, people are going to automatically pay less for whatever you are selling, especially if you write your lower limit. That's what they're going to offer!

I always just set a price and entertain some lowballs without saying I'll do that. I always sell it for my asking price or pretty close. o.b.o makes no sense to me.

Almost as smart as the guy selling an item and says "I need some money fast, so I'll sell item for $10. I'll go as low as $7, but I'd really like $10".

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: Soundmanred

Almost as smart as the guy selling an item and says "I need some money fast, so I'll sell item for $10. I'll go as low as $7, but I'd really like $10".

It might be smarter than you think. You /really/ want $7, but you give a price of $10, and tell people you'll take $7. They think they're getting a deal, and jump on it without argument.

 

[palswim]

Oh craigslist! I never put OBO in my postings because then I know people will bid under, and for most things I assume they'll bid under anyway. But, I just ignore bids under.

If a seller ever tried to rope me into bidding, I'd drop my pursuit immediately.

 

[palswim]

I guess what I'm saying is that anything on craigslist is implicitly OBO, but putting it in your listing just begs for lowballers.

 

[oogabooga]

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

Indeed. OBO jsut means you're willing to consider less, FIRM means you are solid on the price and won't go lower, and nothing there might as well be OBO the way craigslist works.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: oogabooga

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

Indeed. OBO jsut means you're willing to consider less, FIRM means you are solid on the price and won't go lower, and nothing there might as well be OBO the way craigslist works.

Everyone knows what it means. This was not his question.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: oogabooga

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

Indeed. OBO jsut means you're willing to consider less, FIRM means you are solid on the price and won't go lower, and nothing there might as well be OBO the way craigslist works.

Everyone knows what it means. This was not his question.

How did you manage to grab quotes that went back to a direct response to one of your statements?

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

How did you manage to grab quotes that went back to a direct response to one of your statements?

I'm confused. By "his" I meant the OP if that helps clear it up. I was just saying we all know what OBO means and don't need to have a debate about it.

 

[lxskllr]

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

Originally posted by: lxskllr

How did you manage to grab quotes that went back to a direct response to one of your statements?

I'm confused. By "his" I meant the OP if that helps clear it up.

This was the start of the quote chain when I justified specifying OBO

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: MrDudeMan

This is what I don't understand about o.b.o. listings. If you write that, people are going to automatically pay less for whatever you are selling, especially if you write your lower limit. That's what they're going to offer!

I always just set a price and entertain some lowballs without saying I'll do that. I always sell it for my asking price or pretty close. o.b.o makes no sense to me.

Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

Then oogabooga backed up my reason why someone might specify OBO

Originally posted by: oogabooga

Originally posted by: lxskllr
Perhaps... The way I read OBO is confirmation that the pricing isn't firm, so other offers are encouraged. This is in opposition to items clearly marked FIRM, where negotiation isn't wanted.

Indeed. OBO jsut means you're willing to consider less, FIRM means you are solid on the price and won't go lower, and nothing there might as well be OBO the way craigslist works.

Then the circle was completed back to you ;^)

 

[jpeyton]

Always below.

CL isn't eBay. I don't bid on anything in classified ads. If they start playing that game, cut them loose.

 

[robphelan]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: jtvang125
I've dealt with a few people who play the bidding game. They'll sell something for $150 and say that someone really wants it and is coming by this weekend and they're offering him $200. They'll also say that they're willing to sell it to you for $200 if you come by right now. Most of the time they're just lying about the other potential buyer to jack the price up a little more. If you decline most likely they'll come back to you in a few days and ask if you still want it for the original asking price.

Im a dick. I flag anyone that tells me they are taking bids and tell em take it to ebay.

I love the flagging system

x2

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Then the circle was completed back to you ;^)

I understood that part of it but I have no idea what point you are trying to make. My original statement was such that I think writing OBO is pointless, not that I don't know what it means.

I quoted the guy right above me which didn't include my post that you were originally replying to, but I wasn't even answering that sub-conversation anyway. The OP didn't need a definition of OBO. He is asking what behavior is "normal" w.r.t. to it so that's why I posted:

Everyone knows what it means. This was not his question.

his = OP, not me, regardless of which sub-conversation you think I was replying to. I didn't ask a question therefore I wouldn't be attempting to answer one I didn't ask.

People defining OBO for him have misunderstood his question. He is wondering if using OBO as a mechanism for bidding is normal.

 

[Soundmanred]

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Soundmanred

Almost as smart as the guy selling an item and says "I need some money fast, so I'll sell item for $10. I'll go as low as $7, but I'd really like $10".

It might be smarter than you think. You /really/ want $7, but you give a price of $10, and tell people you'll take $7. They think they're getting a deal, and jump on it without argument.

No, they are clearly idiots who think people want to help them out from the goodness of their hearts.

 

[MotionMan]

When I list something on CL, I put a price, $XXX. Then I put in a disclaimer that says something like, "I do not respond to low-ball offers, so if you are going to offer less than $ZZZ, don't waste either of our time."

$ZZZ is usually about 10% less than $XXX.


I then get 5 "low-ball" offers for $ZZZ.


Guess how much I really wanted to sell the item for?

MotionMan

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: Soundmanred

Originally posted by: lxskllr

Originally posted by: Soundmanred

Almost as smart as the guy selling an item and says "I need some money fast, so I'll sell item for $10. I'll go as low as $7, but I'd really like $10".

It might be smarter than you think. You /really/ want $7, but you give a price of $10, and tell people you'll take $7. They think they're getting a deal, and jump on it without argument.

No, they are clearly idiots who think people want to help them out from the goodness of their hearts.

I think it can go both ways. I still don't bother writing any of that though since I set the price slightly higher than I want to sell it for knowing I'll get low-balls regardless.