Check out this reply I got from a seller on ebay....

AnkurJ · October 26, 2008 2:12PM

I made an offer on a coin, here is my exact message:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi,
This sheets for $110 to $140. What is the best you can do?
Ankur

Sellers reply:

Dear doctorj!,

nifty lingo, but you need to find a different coin

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What in the world is with that?? This coin is priced at $185. I would have paid $140. Was I out of line?

Ankur

commoncents05 · October 26, 2008 2:17PM

You weren't out of line, he was just firm in his offering price it sounds like.

-Paul

coinpictures · October 26, 2008 2:26PM

Entirely too many eBay buyers feel that a seller is obligated to drop the selling price to their offer. I would have simply declined without response, but I see nothing wrong with his reply.

AnkurJ · October 26, 2008 2:32PM

Well, there is a polite way to say something. When a coin sells for $110 to $140, and someone wants $180, its not out of line to ask if they would take an offer. And if the seller does not want to accept, its very easy to politely say, "Sorry but I cant do it for that much."

Not: "Nice lingo"

BlindedByEgo · October 26, 2008 2:33PM

I would hope that an eBay seller with half an ounce of common sense would be more polite.

What stops you from buying the coin an negging him?

Some people are, as I like to say, just opposite of smart

notwilight · October 26, 2008 2:34PM

<< <i>Entirely too many eBay buyers feel that a seller is obligated to drop the selling price to their offer. I would have simply declined without response, but I see nothing wrong with his reply. >>

I disagree. I think he didn't even understand what was beign asked. If he did, he didn't need to get smart about it. I always give my best price, even to a guy who offers me $20 on a $1000 coin. I've actually made sales like this. They are shocked you aren't offended. --jerry

Baley · October 26, 2008 2:41PM

he was probably reacting to your use of "sheets" as a verb, stating a price range, and then asking him to say another price without stating a firm offer yourself?

If you would have paid $140, why didn't you tell him so in the first place?

garsmith · October 26, 2008 2:46PM

Wait for it to close without any bids than make the offer again.

YaHa · October 26, 2008 2:48PM

You can't go into a Dr's office and tell him you will pay $100/$120 for a $200 procedure right. So how do you think you can do the same to a Dr. on ebay?

I think a freshly lit cigar, a half full glass of brandy and he wife doing a dance in front of the Dr. when he read your offer just wasn't a good time.

Try again tomorrow morning before he is off to work.

AnkurJ · October 26, 2008 2:48PM

I asked the seller what he would accept. If he would have even droped the price $25 I would have considered it. But when you have a potential buyer, that is how you reply? Frankly I will never go near that seller again.

Maybe I should have said that the coin in the last few heritage auctions has sold for between $100 and $130, I can offer you $140.

Bochiman · October 26, 2008 2:49PM

I don't think it was that rude of an answer....you contacted him with "sheets" and a price range. Do you know that he knows what "sheets" would refer to? If not, then you should have been a bit more explanatory in your original mail to him.

Also, check out many of the posts on this forum in reply to people's threads.....many of them are much more flippant than his reply. If you get riled up over his reply, don't read a lot of posts by a certain number of folks here......

All in all, sounds like he wants $185 and isn't really ready to move from that.

AnkurJ · October 26, 2008 3:23PM

Well I dont know about anyone else here, but if a seller is rude or nasty to me at a show or on ebay, thats the end of it. Why should I bother dealing with someone like that?

AU58WALKERS · October 26, 2008 3:27PM

I used to run into this alot in the gun bussiness...."hey THE BOOK says that is worth xxx" my response was "well, go buy it from THE BOOK"'

droopyd · October 26, 2008 5:16PM

I don't see the seller as being rude or nasty.

He might even have thought you were being rude or nasty with the "sheets at" and "what's the best you can do" language.

291fifth · October 26, 2008 7:40PM

The moment you mentioned the "sheet" you were history. He's looking to make a killing and is not interested in buyers who think they can get coins at "sheet."

ilikebuffaloes · October 26, 2008 9:16PM

As others have posted, maybe the seller is not familiar with what the "sheet" is and mistakenly thought you were telling them they were full of sheet (thus the lingo comment).

You were not out of line, you just assumed the seller knew more than they did.

I make that mistake with computer lingo all of the time!

notwilight · October 26, 2008 9:42PM

Even if the seller didn't understand the lingo. He didn't need to be rude. And unless this is a really nice coin, it'll be there for a long time with that attitude. --jerry

DoUPlayOnePocket · October 26, 2008 10:10PM

I don't find the sellers response rude, and I think you should have made a specific offer rather than ask him to suggest a lower price. Also, I don't think it is necessary to quote CDN, Coin Values, Red Book or whatever as the basis for your reasoning. Remember, they are just guides, not "gospel".

I think if you had said something like, "This is a really nice coin. Unfortunately, I can't afford the price you are asking. Would you consider accepting $140 for it? Thank you for your consideration.", you may have received an entirely different response.

Chris

JoeLewis · October 26, 2008 11:06PM

<< <i>I made an offer on a coin, here is my exact message:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Hi,
This sheets for $110 to $140. What is the best you can do?
Ankur

Sellers reply:

Dear doctorj!,

nifty lingo, but you need to find a different coin

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What in the world is with that?? This coin is priced at $185. I would have paid $140. Was I out of line?

Ankur >>

You didn't actually make him an offer. He already stated his price, and then you're asking him to state another price. That's not an offer. I think you might have gotten the coin if you had just made an offer like, "Will you take $140 for this coin?"

AUandAG · October 27, 2008 12:13AM

I agree with the seller. What were you saying? Sheets? What are sheets?
Hmmmmmmmmmmm, it's obvious he doesn't have sheets.
bob

Walmann · October 27, 2008 1:04AM

The seller may also have thought your use of the word sheets was being used in place of another term that ebay's filter's may have blocked.

Simple misunderstanding perhaps.

RobertS · October 27, 2008 1:26AM

Although not wrong to ask, I get mad when people try to low ball one of my auctions. First thing that comes to mind is "people always wanting something for nothing" I am not saying that was the case here, as I think the inquiry was fair. But in future maybe making an actual offer instead of telling the seller that he is out of his mind for asking much more for a coin than what it is worth according to the sheets. See by asking him to lower the auction you placed him on the defensive, making an actual offer might have yielded better results. Then again there are plenty of abrasive ebay sellers that will be rude no matter what.

BlindedByEgo · October 28, 2008 10:31AM

The magic phrase was "what is the best you can do?"

As a seller, what I do is throw out my best price, and shut up - even if it's the original price. Even if the potential buyer quotes a guide, or any other tidbit of information.

I have also asked that same question of many professional coin dealers, and NEVER gotten a nasty reply - NEVER - although some have said that they didn't have any room.

The seller is opposite of smart. Anyone who disagrees with me is a dork.

BAJJERFAN · October 28, 2008 10:51AM

Telling him what the coin "sheets" for has a bit of in your face tone to it. If he paid at the top of your sheet range then he had no wiggle room; esp considering eBay fees. Easiest to just make your best offer or ask for his best price.

pcgs69 · October 28, 2008 11:00AM

I don't know about anyone else, but I've experienced that eBay is full of lowball, "prospective" bidders that can literally make up "prices" to talk the seller down. It can get old having bidders telling the seller what the coin is actually worth and/or coming up with lowball prices. I'm not saying your offer was necessarily low, just trying to make sense of the seller's reaction...

AnkurJ · October 28, 2008 11:12AM

I can understand that, and just recently I put up a piece of art for $15k and got a 4k offer. I very professionaly replied saying that I couldnt sell it for that much, and thanks for the interest.

Rudness is just not necessary.

dtkk49a · October 28, 2008 11:29AM

The seller was simply using some "nifty lingo" as well.

you need to find a different coin

Translated = I decline your offer.

TomB · October 28, 2008 11:52AM

The seller was as polite to you as you were to the seller.

ArizonaJack · October 28, 2008 12:27PM

Whats the coin? No pic?
I just paid near double sheet for a sweet azz Lincoln this weekend.

AnkurJ · October 28, 2008 12:34PM

It was a common date NGC AU 55 Large cent. Heritage auction records showed $100 to $140.

mrpotatoheadd · October 28, 2008 12:49PM

<< <i>I made an offer on a coin... >>

Well, no. You told him he overpriced his coin and asked him if he would lower the price.

<< <i>This coin is priced at $185. I would have paid $140. >>

Maybe he would have sold it for $140, if you had made the offer. Maybe not. But if you don't make the offer, you'll never know.

secondrepublic · October 28, 2008 12:58PM

You were essentially asking the seller to bid against himself. You should have made him an offer and then waited for him to counter. Instead, you asked him to bid against himself, so you could then presumably counter even lower. It's not surprising he declined your invitation. If you want it for a lower price, name your lower price.

stockwiz · October 28, 2008 1:02PM

I get annoyed when people PM me with offers on regular auctions and buy it nows. If I wanted people to submit offers, I'd have included a "make an offer" option in the auction. Then I would expect an offer to be made via ebay using the "make an offer" button. Simple, really. I ignore all offers when I do sell something unless they are really high.

PutTogether · October 28, 2008 1:14PM

I agree with your thoughts that the seller was a bit rude - but as someone who sells things for a living, it can be annoying when someone tries to justify their offer. It isn't an excuse to be rude - but i would much rather have someone say "I will give you X amount" Instead of "i]insert reason here, and that is why I will pay X amount."

Again, I'm not saying that YOU were being rude in doing so, but people justifying their offers does for some reason get annoying.[

Check out this reply I got from a seller on ebay....

Comments

Leave a Comment