nasty bargain hunters

[ooak3]

do you sellers notice that it seems to be the buyers who get the best bargains that complain the most!!!

over the years selling my unwanted items this has happened so many times 

the worst one was a couple of years back she won about 6  x 99cent items then started hinting that i delivered them to her because her car wasnt working i had to put in a non payer on them all eventualy and she gave me negatives on every one (after she picked up )

all kitchen items were like new and would have cost heaps to buy new

thats just one example i bet you have all had this happen ??

i dont mind if my items sell low but i do hate being punished for it 

[collect247]

It doesn't matter how low your items sell for unless the buyer gets them with all the bells and whistles that the buyer expects then they won't be satisfied as they don't care 

[iainlouden]

What I was taught at small business school....

If you are getting too many time wasters and whingers then it's time to put your prices up.

[digital*ghost]

There is an old saying "don't change your price, change your customer", but I think sometimes changing your price is the best way to change your customer....  i.e. Perhaps more reasonable and less bargain prices will attract more resonable people. (My worst experiences as a seller have been on items under $5, but I'm starting to phase out a lot of those). 

ETA: basically, what iainlouden said. 

[everard6920]

Yes. I understand.

It always amazes me when someone wants to buy two or three of my "add-on" items which are $2 - $5, and then they ask for a discount. And I always think, "you're spending $4 . . . how much of a discount do you think I can realistically give you?". I sell these items because they go with my main items; I cover costs plus a very small profit.

I've also had problems in the past when I've discounted stock to clear it out.

The item is really cheap, but the postage is the same price (and therefore seems more expensive), and then I get dinged on my postage DSR.

So now I just discount items, put the postage in the item price and use free postage. I'm not a fan of free postage because 1. I prefer to be upfront about what the postage cost really is and 2. there is no way to discount an invoice with free postage, so if the buyer buys multiple items, they're paying postage more than once, but zzz.

I work in retail and people always ask for more discounts when we have large sales, than when items are full price.

[dylan11235813]

I have a few items that are under $3 for a pack of 10 or 20 pieces and I get people asking if the can have a few pieces for a project. Just pay the $3 (+ postage) and be done with it. It costs about $2 for a can of coke at the shop **bleep**. There are also people that want samples of said item.

[springyzone]

That sounds like one nasty buyer you had.

I  think some of the others have it right- put up your prices.

Two reasons.

1. The main reason-people have this idea that quality is related to price and if they see your item at eg 99c and another, similar, at $6.99, I could almost guarantee they will think the dearer one is stronger, better material, whatever.

2. You won't come across as a desperate seller. That buyer you mentioned. She obviously judged by the price, thought you were lucky to be offloading your stuff to her and should run after her if you wanted the money. Now, if the 6 items had been about $7 each, she probably would not have bid but more importantly, might have thought a $42 purchase worth collecting.

[phorum_junkie*]

Have to agree that pricing items too cheaply is not a good idea. It gives the impression that you don't consider the item worth very much and that is not a good look.

I used to occasionally start very popular items at 99c (when it cost a lot less, no free listings) as it was almost guaranteed that they would take off like a rocket but that is no longer the case and competition is so high now that you are quite likely to sell for 99c if that is what you start at.

[davewil1964]

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@ooak3 wrote:

do you sellers notice that it seems to be the buyers who get the best bargains that complain the most!!!

over the years selling my unwanted items this has happened so many times 

the worst one was a couple of years back she won about 6  x 99cent items then started hinting that i delivered them to her because her car wasnt working i had to put in a non payer on them all eventualy and she gave me negatives on every one (after she picked up )

all kitchen items were like new and would have cost heaps to buy new

thats just one example i bet you have all had this happen ??

i dont mind if my items sell low but i do hate being punished for it 

---

I would ask why you are citing an instance 'a couple of years back'. Surely water under the bridge, into the ocean, evaporated and back under the bridge by now.

Why? 

Do you feel a need to promote your listings?

But 'NO' - I don't sell at less than I'm prepared to accept, and I don't let buyers blackmail me.

[designers*n*more]

I had the opposite happen, I actually delivered the buyer's item, then 6 days later she sends me an email saying "I haven't received it". Replied with, I personally delivered it, put it in the letter box (which was built into the wall and only accessible from inside the house), so I know she received it. She was peeved because she paid postage and I delivered it, despite it being 30+ mins away (would have cost me more in petrol) so she threatened to open a dispute, (blatant fraud), so I refunded her postage and change the postage to pick up so she couldn't open a dispute. What a cheek!