Rejected Offers...what do you think?

[redbird4]

These two statements you made say it best:

Anyone who puts cards out for sale, especially those who don't price them or only ask for offers w/o a starting point, need to expect to be lowballed sometimes.

This covers anywhere you buy/sell/trade cards, including this site. Don't get me wrong, I love The Bench......but don't make your unpriced cards available and then say "make me an offer". List a price and then I will make you an offer. As a seller you can accept or reject my offer or we can negoiate. A seller whose cards are unpriced should not be offended by a "lowball" offer when they are only listing this way to get more then want they actually would accept in the first place. ie, if I offer you $10 for a card you would have taken $5 for......well, who wouldn't accept that?

The majority of the transactions rely on what a party is willing to pay.

There's just no other way to say it better.

 

[Yankeeswin]

Maybe the seller doesn't have time to haggle over 25-50c, I sure wouldn't. He's already got the cards priced 15%-20% of Beckett, which is more than fair. The only time it would be worth it to haggle would be if you were buying 15-20 of them, maybe. For a $2 or $3 order? Waste of time.

 

[sinocc]

I have been doing this a long time. I was a founding member of a couple of state card organizations over the years and still remember when the only way to get anything was through a publication called Sports Collector's Digest which i read religiously.

anyway, first, don't take anything personally. that is my number one rule. who cares why a seller won't counteroffer or accept your offer. it does not matter. some will, some won't accept and counter. what matters is you are paying what you are willing to pay and if you get it at the price the seller is willing to sell, great. if not, wait until you see it the next time.

i will try to stretch my dollar on COMC when they are filler cards i know are plentifully available almost anywhere. however, there are cards i will pay full or higher book price for because i know they may never be seen again.

just roll with the punches and enjoy the hobby; i do. when you get a great deal and a seller helps by giving you great discounts at COMC, be happy. if they don't, move on and you will feel better about things. just my humble opinion.

take care and happy collecting!

 

[valediction]

The BV was listed at $15 and he was asking $6.50. The player had a 2 year career in which he was 0-2. He has long since been out of baseball and his autograph is not hard to find on certified issues. I thought I would try to get this one at a deeper discount, because I will take any different cards of players autographs. In this case, the seller was holding closer to BV than I was and I respect that. I was bidding on the price I felt was reasonable for the signature itself. Anyway, he countered and I declined. No big deal and the way I think any of those transactions should go. He could have rejected my offer, but he countered. I had offered my top price, so no need for a counter. I'll buy from this seller again if I find something decent.

I'm not overly familiar with the offer feature, but it looks like the 'make an offer' feature is on almost every card I look at as a standard feature, can a seller turn it off? if so, then I'd tend to agree with you, but if it is just there on every card no matter what, then he may be doing the same thing you are, he already offered it for his low price, so no need for a counter.

 

[Hawaiian BamBam]

when it comes to offers on comc, if other sellers have the same card and i list mine for 50% off their price and people still want to offer $1.00 a card, i dont think so! for example if there is a card that 3 sellers have and they list them for $10, then i list mine for $5, and someone offers 50 cents or $1, or if there is a card that two sellers have, one lists for $25 and i list mine for $5 and i get an offer for $2.00, then chances are ill decline/reject an offer. depending on the cards, trying to get certified autographed cards for $1.00 each. ill probably reject, game used for $2-3 each ill accept. so it really just depends on the offers and which cards. also, if i am the only seller on comc with that particular card, i dont accept low ball offers, if there are dozens of cards also listed like mine, then ill accept a low ball offer. i think alot of people "fish" with their low ball offers hoping a seller is desperate enough to sell their cards for nothing.

 

[mrmopar]

The funny thing is, there are TONS of certified autos with "book values" into the double digits that will probably never change hands for much more than $1-2. You get a fizzle guy who had a certified auto that books for say $8-10, because that is the lowest price the "book" acknowledges. People offer it at $4-5, thinking they are giving a great deal at 1/2 off. However, besides a set collector, maybe a team collector and possible the kid's mom, nobody is buying that card.

I just picked up a 1999 Topps certified Steve Colyer for $1.50. Why, because I collect Dogders and wanted a certified to go with my non-certified auto. That was about at high as I would ever consider going on a card for a guy like that. $1 would have been more appropriate, but nobody was going to go that low. BV can be a nice thing, but it can confuse the issue too. Not sure what the BV is of this card, but whatever it is, it's probably too much!!!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colyest01.shtml

trying to get certified autographed cards for $1.00 each. ill probably reject

 

[metsman1986]

Man, on that site I either work it or get worked................If Dealer Stan doesn't go lower, then I pass him by.................If someone wants a $10 SP from me for $3, I tell them to "Fuggedaboutit"................You can't take these folks to seriously...............It is a game and most collectors like to play it.......................It's like when I was a kid trading down the street, trading that Hank Aaron for Johnny Bench...................We each took some licks, but what the HEY! We're still good friends to this day..................You have to relax and not take it personally.....................In your case, I don't think you were trying to filch him, just wanted to get the lowest possible price....................Thats the way the site is set up................

 

[89Giants]

An offer is an offer. The seller has no obligation to accept the offer or to make a counter offer. The counter offer could have been made by you, the buyer, if you really wanted the card. Since you did not make a counteroffer and did not pay the asking price, it appears that you are in no hurry to buy those two cards.

I really do not see why you wasted your time or the sellers time with the offers. The cards were at such a price that you felt was a good deal to begin with. It appears that you just wanted to play a game and to be able to have a story that you could gripe about.


.

I agree with the above post. If you are wasting your time nickel & diming, searching around for minutes if not hours to save $1, I feel sorry for you. Life is short, just pay the extra .10c. I will pay $1.50 for a cert auto of a guy I need for my set/collection isn't bad, regardless of bvs. The seller probably saw your offers, laughed, then deleted the messages. I'm sure he's kicking himself for not getting your business($3?).

 

[valediction]

, trying to get certified autographed cards for $1.00 each. ill probably reject, game used for $2-3 each ill accept. so it really just depends on the offers and which cards. also, if i am the only seller on comc with that particular card, i dont accept low ball offers, if there are dozens of cards also listed like mine, then ill accept a low ball offer. i think alot of people "fish" with their low ball offers hoping a seller is desperate enough to sell their cards for nothing.

There are a fair amount of autographs, certified or not, and a VERY large percentage of game used I would not pay more than $1 for. I've picked up CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee certified autos for $2-3 each, why would I pay that much for a Tulowitzki bat card? The 3 used cards I did pay more than $1 for were the Bonds 715 HR card ($5), the Jeter Flair bat card $2, and the Casablanca Sydney Greenstreet robe card ($5). every other GU card I've purchased has been from $1 boxes or in bulk lots for under $1. Nothing wrong with wanting more, just pointing out that if you don't NEED the money, and I don't NEED the card, chances are, our paths will not cross on a sale

 

[valediction]

The funny thing is, there are TONS of certified autos with "book values" into the double digits that will probably never change hands for much more than $1-2. You get a fizzle guy who had a certified auto that books for say $8-10, because that is the lowest price the "book" acknowledges. People offer it at $4-5, thinking they are giving a great deal at 1/2 off. However, besides a set collector, maybe a team collector and possible the kid's mom, nobody is buying that card.

I just picked up a 1999 Topps certified Steve Colyer for $1.50. Why, because I collect Dogders and wanted a certified to go with my non-certified auto. That was about at high as I would ever consider going on a card for a guy like that. $1 would have been more appropriate, but nobody was going to go that low. BV can be a nice thing, but it can confuse the issue too. Not sure what the BV is of this card, but whatever it is, it's probably too much!!!

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colyest01.shtml

$5 is the BV for that card. I agree in reality it is a $1-1.50 card on the high side. I've picked up a handful of those Topps traded autos for .99-$1.49 over the years. I don't see a problem trying to negotiate a bit, everyone is wired a little different. Personally I don't care much for negotiating. It's one reason I don't sell much. Even as a buyer I ask the price, and I'll hand the cards to the dealer expecting to pay the $35 sum total of the individual cards I asked about, if he gives me a discount and says $30 or $32, great, if not, I pay what I was expecting to pay. I know other people that won't buy things unless they DO negotiate, they seem to feel that if you pay any sellers asking price, you're overpaying. They hand the dealer the same $35 stack of cards I did and if the dealer says "ah, $30" they'll offer him $25 and see if he bites. I know others that just try to negotiate here and there to see if they can get a little better deal. Never hurts to ask, if they say yes, you saved a bit, if not the card is still there if you want to pay the price. Nothing wrong with any of it. As you pointed out, some may still be overpriced even when they think they are offering a pretty good deal.

Personally I wouldn't hold not making a counter offer against him. If that is his bottom line, as you pointed out with your high end offer, the rejection pretty much IS the counter offer at the same price.
I look at it like I'm at a card show
Me: *picks up card, sees $2 price tag* Would you take $1.50 for this? (offer)
Dealer: No, I can't go any lower (rejection)
It wouldn't make me not want to do business with him because he didn't add "but I could go $2 on it" (counter offer at the same price)

 

[Tim Carroll]

It wouldn't make me not want to do business with him because he didn't add "but I could go $2 on it" (counter offer at the same price)

I think this is my stance on it. One thing to remember is that the human element is somewhat taken away when we deal online. It has become such an everyday occurance that we do not even give that a second thought. It is easy to deal with someone face-to-face and see the facial expressions, etc. and understand that the dealer just doesn't want to let it go for under "x" amount. When we deal online, some of the mannerisms can be considered "rude" by some - when the offender truly didn't mean anything by it.


Tim

 

[mrmopar]

Wow, I could waste my time reading your posts to see what kind of a trader you are, but I won't. I'm sure you eagerly overpay for everything you acquire. As you said, life is short, so I won't bother, although I do seem to remember you possibly offering auto'd photos at a premium price and not being willing to negotiate so your comment doesn't surprise me if you were indeed the guy am thinking of.

Tell that to all the dime box warriors out there. Maybe it's actually fun or interesting for them to sift through cards for hours to find those special deals at a dime each.

I agree with the above post. If you are wasting your time nickel & diming, searching around for minutes if not hours to save $1, I feel sorry for you. Life is short, just pay the extra .10c. I will pay $1.50 for a cert auto of a guy I need for my set/collection isn't bad, regardless of bvs. The seller probably saw your offers, laughed, then deleted the messages. I'm sure he's kicking himself for not getting your business($3?).

Most people missed what I was going for on this. The same logic could be applied to larger price items as well as $1-2 cards. I think a seller looking to sell "junk" cards could put in a little more effort, even if the sale was $3. Maybe next time, I spend $100. He doesn't know at that point (think of the movie Pretty Woman for an example of how being a tool might just get you what you deserve). I pay what I think is fair or I don't buy. Not a tough concept, regardless of the BV or the asking price.

 

[mintman2]

 

[valediction]

Most people missed what I was going for on this. The same logic could be applied to larger price items as well as $1-2 cards. I think a seller looking to sell "junk" cards could put in a little more effort, even if the sale was $3. Maybe next time, I spend $100. He doesn't know at that point (think of the movie Pretty Woman for an example of how being a tool might just get you what you deserve). I pay what I think is fair or I don't buy. Not a tough concept, regardless of the BV or the asking price.

As Tim mentioned, you lose a bit of the human element dealing with online transactions. There are people that are going to be bothered if they make an offer and it gets countered with the asking price, or if he knocks the $1.99 card down to $1.95. There are people who will be bothered if he doesn't counter offer, so either way, the seller runs a chance of bothering someone. He can't tell which type you are by the offer you submitted. He has already paid the processing fee, the cards aren't taking up room on his desk, he's already sent them in to COMC. It could just be a case of the seller sells for what he thinks is fair or he doesn't sell. If he uses COMC as his hobby money and it's not meant as a major revenue stream for day to day living, he probably isn't going to spend a lot of time and effort trying to sell.