I’m old and grouchy,some days it’s best not to poke the bear. It might be being married for 42 years…
What's yer bottom dollar
- Thread starter Trailrider
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Be a man, I know assuming gender is bad, and make an offer. Asking "What's your bottom dollar" makes me think of a sleazy used car salesman and I despise used car salesmen.
I’m glad I’m not the only that hates that. When people start with that I raise my price.
I get this question too when selling on CL. If you give them a price they will subtract 30% - 50% and finally make an offer. Learned that many years ago....
Gotten the same question here, which was surprising at first, but now I expect it.
I just tell them feel free to make an offer. They generally never respond, which is fine since I don't want to meet them in person anyway.
Gotten the same question here, which was surprising at first, but now I expect it.
I just tell them feel free to make an offer. They generally never respond, which is fine since I don't want to meet them in person anyway.
What is bad is when they ask what is your bottom dollar and you have the add clearly marked Trade Only you really want to say this is the Outdoor Trader not the Outdoor Seller I mean read people.
Guess I'm the odd man out.
To me it's just part of the dance.
"What's your bottom dollar"
"What ya' give"
Put the ball back in their court, same dance whether it's a pocket knife or a BMW.
Or my favorite,
"what's your bottom dollar"
"I don't really know, what do you think it's worth"
"[some ridiculously low number just short of you paying them to take it]"
"well, I don't think I could take that"
To me it's just part of the dance.
"What's your bottom dollar"
"What ya' give"
Put the ball back in their court, same dance whether it's a pocket knife or a BMW.
Or my favorite,
"what's your bottom dollar"
"I don't really know, what do you think it's worth"
"[some ridiculously low number just short of you paying them to take it]"
"well, I don't think I could take that"
When people come out swinging with offers, most of them lowball, i usually ignore.
What I really want to say though is: "Why yes I will accept that offer. No more questions. You show up and you give me the money and I give you the thing. No more negotiations, no looking closer. Nothing. You just pay and leave with the crap."
Honestly, I would strongly consider any lowball offer if the transaction could then proceed like that.
What I really want to say though is: "Why yes I will accept that offer. No more questions. You show up and you give me the money and I give you the thing. No more negotiations, no looking closer. Nothing. You just pay and leave with the crap."
Honestly, I would strongly consider any lowball offer if the transaction could then proceed like that.
Very common. I think when people say this they are looking for the desperate seller say you have the 20k used car and they ask this they hope you say 5k. What needs to happen is they need to come and drive it and say I'll offer you 18,000 cash more reasonable. However you say 20k is the the bottom they don't' need to come out and offer you 18k. (wastes everyone's time)
One of my FAV's is having for something like a car for sale on FB. They say oh yea I can't come look at this week, I'll ping you Monday. Monday passes, Tuesday you reach out oh I'm busy. This goes one for 2-3 weeks then they say oh I have changed directions. Well its like maybe define your requirements BEFORE you contact me. Also when you change your requirements and my item no longer fits, maybe let me know?
Communication is hard for people so most people don't strive to do it well in my experience.
Same thing for dating........like instead of saying hey I don't think its going to work out (hard conversation), they just IGNORE you. My first thought was always hope the person didn't die or something.
Same thing at the flea market. If you want 10 dollars for an item(on a 50 dollar item), you might put 20 dollars on it. People will ignore it and not offer/look. If you have it marked 12, some clever person might offer 10 if your lucky. However if you just want 10 dollars and list at 10 dollars they will offer you 5 (they think you doubled your price so they halfed your asking). But no I just really want 10 lol.
What I offend find the person asking don't have the funds and hope you sell it for 90% off or give it to them.
Do you consider it rude if somebody is asking 500 for an item and you offer 450 and never hear back at all? Then you have to keep checking the adds to see if sold? I wished people would respond with no thanks (As long as the offer is reasonable and not low ball). However I don't get that but maybe half the time on the trader.
I see these issues in the work place as well.
Clear expectations and communication would solve "almost" all problems with family/friends and co workers IMHO.
One of my FAV's is having for something like a car for sale on FB. They say oh yea I can't come look at this week, I'll ping you Monday. Monday passes, Tuesday you reach out oh I'm busy. This goes one for 2-3 weeks then they say oh I have changed directions. Well its like maybe define your requirements BEFORE you contact me. Also when you change your requirements and my item no longer fits, maybe let me know?
Communication is hard for people so most people don't strive to do it well in my experience.
Same thing for dating........like instead of saying hey I don't think its going to work out (hard conversation), they just IGNORE you. My first thought was always hope the person didn't die or something.
Same thing at the flea market. If you want 10 dollars for an item(on a 50 dollar item), you might put 20 dollars on it. People will ignore it and not offer/look. If you have it marked 12, some clever person might offer 10 if your lucky. However if you just want 10 dollars and list at 10 dollars they will offer you 5 (they think you doubled your price so they halfed your asking). But no I just really want 10 lol.
What I offend find the person asking don't have the funds and hope you sell it for 90% off or give it to them.
Do you consider it rude if somebody is asking 500 for an item and you offer 450 and never hear back at all? Then you have to keep checking the adds to see if sold? I wished people would respond with no thanks (As long as the offer is reasonable and not low ball). However I don't get that but maybe half the time on the trader.
I see these issues in the work place as well.
Clear expectations and communication would solve "almost" all problems with family/friends and co workers IMHO.
Yep.
You have to love. "[lowball]. but can you bring it to me, because my work is so important I can't leave it."
Or my especial favorite.
"Can I pay you [about half] and the rest [God only knows when]"
That's an easy question to answer.
The thing that irks me about the bottom dollar thing, especially with something like a vehicle, is they come out of the gate wanting to offer you the lowest price possible before they've even seen it or driven it. So what happens if they show up is they find more things to nitpick tire kick and they work down from your original bottom dollar trying to get you to basically give it away.
