Haggling and Horse-trading

1.) I attempt to haggle on any gun I am interested in. If the other party doesn't want to, that is fine, I decided going in what my top dollar would be, and I can walk away.
2.) I work in "retail", sort of. I have learned that there is always room for negotiation on bigger items. Some places have policies not to reveal that, or lower their prices, but that is fine, I can still try.
3.) I am 36. Most of the employees I try to haggle with tend to be older than me, but I always treat them, younger or older, with respect. I am not trying to lowball, just trying to get that feeling that, "I got a deal."
4.) I live in a small(ish) town, so I am at the edge of rural, and that is how I identify. I don't ever feel like I rip anyone off, buying or selling. I once knocked another $100 off a $800 car sale (after coming down from $1,200), without being asked, just so I could sleep that night.
5.) I learned somewhere along the way that the best deals are where both parties feel they came out ahead. If I can get the gun for less than I think it is worth, great; if not, I can walk. If they other guy gets more than it is worth, great; if not, he can wait for the next buyer, and neither of us will feel cheated.

Depends. When I'm selling something, it's a cash deal unless I'm specifically interested the item that's offered in a trade and even in that case I reserve the right to value it accordingly because it's not something I really want. The buyer initiates the transaction so he's more interested in what I have than I'm in whatever he has.

In all other cases I instruct the buyer to take his item to a pawn shop, get what they'll pay for it and buy my item with a complimentary 5-10% discount from the (well-researched) asking price.

Cash transactions are always negotiable, of course.

I'm 54, and rural. I've never tried to haggle at Walmart or Target, but I did talk the guy at Tractor Supply down on a Bush Hog because it was last year's model and the paint was flaking in a few spots. I'm an absolute fiend when it comes to buying cars and have never been afraid to walk away no matter how much I like a particular vehicle.

I always assume every gun is overpriced because the buyer expects me to haggle, unless it was stated up front that the price is firm. In the case of pawn shops I have found that many are willing to come down 30-40% of the asking price. In my experience selling guns, people will pay more if they have bargained down from a higher starting price than if they were just offered a slightly lower price to begin with. People love to think they have gotten a deal, and a guy that thinks he's screwed you is practically overjoyed about it.

The only time I've actually felt insulted by an offer was about four years ago when I tried to trade a S&W 686 (pre lock) to a more modern 8-shot S&W revolver. This was at a range/shop in the big dollars suburbs of Louisville that apparently caters to people with money but who don't know much about guns. I was offered $150 against the $900 price of the other gun. That's the only time in my life I ever just picked up my gun and walked out. I ended up selling the gun for $600 a few weeks later, and that was a deal for the buyer.

I think cost is the big decider on if I try to negotiate. I'm not going to see if I can save a few pennies on a cheeseburger at McDonald's, but I might try to shave a few bucks off a $1000 refrigerator at Lowe's or maybe ask for the contractor's price if I buy a truckload of lumber.

I once watched my old man negotiate a $10 vacuum cleaner down to $8 at a yard sale. It took him about 10 minutes and it just drove me crazy because I would have just handed the guy the $10 and been done with it. It was a bargain at that price, but Dad was sure he could squeeze a couple more bucks out of the guy--and he was right. You could tell both of them were enjoying it, but I just wanted to get back on the road. To some people it's more about the sport than anything.

I do my fair share of haggling. Whether online or in person.

1) I have occasionally in the past. Usually not for much. The times I have done it, haggling has meant maybe $25 to the good on my end. Incidentally, I tend to haggle much more often with "out-the-door" pricing.

2) The few times I have haggled, it has always been used guns as far as I can remember. Brand new guns have a built-in expectation of no wear or modification and have a standard MSRP that both parties are aware of with even the most basic attempt at research.

3) Mid-40's.

4) Right in between, I guess. I was born and grew up in a medium-sized city. My extended family is from a rural area.

5) I understand that vendors are in the business to make money. I feel that if you are asking for much more than around 20% off the asking price without just cause (obvious wear, known issues disclosed, parts that will require replacement, etc.) then you are getting in the territory of trying to take advantage/wasting people's time. This is assuming that the asking price is reasonable, of course. Everybody has a different take on that and YMMV.


6) I feel that if you can't really afford it in the first place, just wait until you can rather than badger vendors, waste time and ruffle feathers with lowball offers to see if all the stars and planets will align for you and someone will bite.

My haggling is very limited and "single-stage" as I do not enjoy the process. I will occasionally try to trim a bit off of what is a "soft" list price in a non-retail setting.

If I came across something that really piques my interest (e.g., a G/K43 ) I would almost certainly spend more effort than ever before.

When I list an item on Gunbroker I don't play any of the Reserve or One Penny games, I simply set the starting price at the minimum that I would be willing to accept.

I have received extreme low-ball offers a few times in the past and it served to completely shut me down regarding any further dealings with that person. IMO anyone who enters such a negotiation exhibiting zero respect for the idea that the successful result should be fair to both parties, is someone to avoid.

I am 65 and was reared in a household (and social group) that was quiet, reasoned and intelligent. Unfortunately that left me lacking some of the skills necessarily to "properly" deal with argumentative/abrasive people (my strong impulse has always been to just punch the most egregious of these in the head ... when I got a little older I taught myself to walk away) which probably also translates into my being uncomfortable in a haggling environment.

I grew up in a large suburban area (Hampton Roads) but for the past ~30 years have lived in a wonderfully rural area.

There ... enough words from me on the subject.

Spats McGee said:

1) Do you haggle at all? This is partly covered in the other thread, and it appears that some folks just detest it.

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Spats McGee said:

2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores? I haggle on guns just about no matter what. When I bought my S&W Shield, I saw Academy's "Price match minus 5%" guarantee and used my smart phone to find a better competitor's price.

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If I'm trading in a gun to a big chain store, yes I do. Typically I can get another $25-$50 in trade in value if I even attempt to haggle on trade in value. If I'm at my local gun shop owned by a guy who actually lives here, he makes very fair offers and I typically don't haggle at all. I tell him what I'd like on the high end, and if he accommodates, we shake hands. If he offers a little less, I ponder for all of thirty seconds, and then we shake hands. He is very fair. Some chain stores, not so much. Buying from my LGS, I don't haggle because I want to support their business and their prices are usually fair. Chain stores, I will ask for price matches.

Spats McGee said:

3) How old are you? I'm 48 and I always seem to find myself haggling with folks over 40. I don't know if that means younger folks don't haggle, or simply haven't learned the art.

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I'm 37. I do know that I ever learned the art to be honest, and I don't particularly enjoy haggling. I also hate coupons. If a business lowers their price to what a coupon typically gets you, I am more likely to just shop there more often because I consider it good customer relations to offer fair prices. When a business has super sales, ok I check it out. High prices combined with smart phone sale apps and rebates? They just irritate me. Menard's 11% rebates make me just not want to shop there.

Spats McGee said:

4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural? I live in a city of ~100K, but I grew up in a town of ~6K. In a town that size, you could get a good deal by barter and bargain, but you really couldn't afford to rip the other guy off. You didn't want a reputation for cheating folks.

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I am currently very rural, living in a town with 1800 people in a 10 mile radius. You can actually own a house "in the woods" here and still be in city limits. However, I grew up in a county with 1.6 million people in it. Maybe that's why I don't like to haggle. City folk don't have to lower their prices that much, as higher populations often means someone will pay what you want within reason. I was taught to shop around for the best price by my parents, not really haggling. Growing up in a city also means you have a lot more options for shopping. The internet makes it even easier. Finding what you want has never been easier.

Spats McGee said:

5) I try not to low ball anyone. I'd rather leave a few bucks on the table than insult the other party. Frankly, I may want or need to deal with them in the future. I don't want them coming back to the table with a bad taste already in their mouth. The question is "What do you consider low-balling?" If I have a gun solidly worth $1k, I'd consider any offer less than ~$750 a low ball. If someone wants to offer me $800, I'd just consider that a buyer trying to get a good deal. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.

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I consider lowballing to be more than 5% below the going rate. If I can find the same item, show them their competition, and someone will sell to me for that price or up to 5% lower to get my business, that seams fair to me. If I offer lower then 5% below the going price, I feel like I'm low balling them and I wouldn't expect them to want to deal with me any further on that item. The same goes if I'm a seller.

However, I really tend to shop around before buying, and am usually pretty well educated on what price I should expect to pay.

Spats McGee said:

6) Did I miss anything? What else do you thin affected your attitude towards price negotiations?

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This is a difficult thing to quantify but personality type. Are you introverted or are you outgoing? Social or antisocial? I tend to be fairly quiet and introverted. I like to go to the city, buy all my crap, and then go home with as little notice as possible. I'm not looking for a lot of human interaction, because I'm the type who would rather go to the woods alone, beat the hell out of myself working alone all day, and then go home after everyone else has already left my office. I'm not really a people person.

Then there's my dad who seems to take personal insult if someone is selling something at a price he feels is to high. He thoroughly enjoys talking about what a bunch of (choose an expletive derogatory term of your liking) the owner of a particular business is, and by extension, all the employees who work there also. He doesn't haggle. He shops. On this note, I find his attitude silly, as it isn't the employee's fault for what policies and prices their boss sets. Shopping is like voting. Demonstrate to the owners what fair prices are by not buying from them. Some of them are just ignorant as to prices and need to learn by decreased sales.

I've also noticed with him, and another friend that is about ten years younger than him and also an introvert, that he only likes to shop and buy if he feels he is getting a price below the average going rate. If he thinks he got a deal, he is real happy. So he and my dad both have replaced haggling with shopping for deals. I think the satisfaction is the same, it's just that the human element has been removed.

Introverted personality vs extroverted personality has a lot to do with it in my experience.

I try to be an informed buyer, and know the value of the item I'm trying to buy. I always haggle to get in that range, unless the item is exactly what I want, or very rare.....Then I plunk my $$ down.

I'm mid 50s, very rural.

I don't lowball anyone. Usually when I buy something, I have been looking for the item for a while.

In my work, I spend the months of January, February, and some of March buying inputs for the years crop. Seed, fert, chem, fuel.(The big four). We farm 2500 acres. If i can squeeze out a $4/acre savings....You can do the math.

One other thing, I am willing to travel for worthwhile deal. I am willing to pounce on s special deal. I have driven 400 miles to buy a pickup.
I have bought many items at auction, including big ticket items........this is an easy way to save BIG$$$$$, but you must do your homework.

I get low-balled all of the time. The price is the price. Even when I state no trades or haggling on GB I still get low-balled. If you don't like the price, leave.

Spats McGee said:

LoonWolf started a thread called: At what point is the line crossed between being an informed buyer and overly demanding? I didn't want to derail his thread, but I have some related questions, because LW's thread got me to thinking.

Let me premise this: I love haggling and horse-trading. I'm a trial attorney. In part, that makes me a professional negotiator, and that's one of the best parts of my job. If I buy or sell a gun, sometimes I'll spend 15-30 minutes talking to the other party. It's part negotiation, part shooting the breeze.

Here are my questions:
1) Do you haggle at all? This is partly covered in the other thread, and it appears that some folks just detest it.
2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores? I haggle on guns just about no matter what. When I bought my S&W Shield, I saw Academy's "Price match minus 5%" guarantee and used my smart phone to find a better competitor's price.
3) How old are you? I'm 48 and I always seem to find myself haggling with folks over 40. I don't know if that means younger folks don't haggle, or simply haven't learned the art.
4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural? I live in a city of ~100K, but I grew up in a town of ~6K. In a town that size, you could get a good deal by barter and bargain, but you really couldn't afford to rip the other guy off. You didn't want a reputation for cheating folks.
5) I try not to low ball anyone. I'd rather leave a few bucks on the table than insult the other party. Frankly, I may want or need to deal with them in the future. I don't want them coming back to the table with a bad taste already in their mouth. The question is "What do you consider low-balling?" If I have a gun solidly worth $1k, I'd consider any offer less than ~$750 a low ball. If someone wants to offer me $800, I'd just consider that a buyer trying to get a good deal. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.
6) Did I miss anything? What else do you thin affected your attitude towards price negotiations?

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I'm in my 30's and grew up in rural America. I pay what I think something is worth. If they ask a fair price I pay it.
If I sell something I put a fair price on it and if you low-ball me, I jump the price by whatever you cut it and won't sell for my original price. I would rather not sell than have the same person who is telling me it's not worth it bragging how badly he screwed me.
Trading is a totally different ball game.

No haggling for me. I feel like a giant butthole when i do it do if i don't like the price i find something better elsewhere. I hate going to the flea markets and hearing people i'm with oh that's $5 will you take $3? Its like pay the freaking $5 and be done with it. Now if it comes to a car and i think they jack the price up too much i will flat out tell them this is what i will pay and nothing else. I have seen how bad they screw people on car deals and if your selling me a truck that's 2yo you gave someone trade of $9k for and trying to sell it to me for $20k we have a problem. I told them that with my current vehicle. $20k after tax and title for a 3yo truck i said well i can buy a brand new one for an extra $4-5k so why would i buy a used one for $20k. I said keep my payment at this and that's all i can do. Well we cant do it. Well i will have to check elsewhere thanks. Next thing i know i'm walking out with a 3yo truck with less than 20k miles for $17k out the door. If its a mom and pop deal or private seller i wont wheel and deal but car dealer ships that deal with a specific brand are sticking it to everyone.

Spats McGee said:

I'm a trial attorney. In part, that makes me a professional negotiator, and that's one of the best parts of my job. If I buy or sell a gun, sometimes I'll spend 15-30 minutes talking to the other party. It's part negotiation, part shooting the breeze.

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My grandfather on my dad's side (passed years ago) and one of my stepsister's husband, were/are lawyers. Their first response to most discussions was to be the devil's advocate. That is, they almost always took the opposing side of a discussion to see if they could win that debate. They always did this with a smile they and they loved/love it. I think it was their human nature to begin with before they became laywers.

Spats McGee said:

Here are my questions:
1) Do you haggle at all?

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Almost never when buying new, but I will seek the lowest advertised price before I go into a gun shop. I know the local gun shops aren't making a decent profit on new gun sales. So, I might pay more at a local gun shop over a large chain because I have reasons to make return visits to the local gun shops. Especially if they have a shooting range attached.

Spats McGee said:

2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores?

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I'd definitely do a price match with a large chain like Academy. They are a volume seller and just want to move inventory. Also, I will make lower offers on used guns at local gun shops.

Spats McGee said:

3) How old are you?

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52 and I'm not a natural salesman or debater.

Spats McGee said:

4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural?

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I'm suburban in the same county as the 4th largest US city. I have access to urban and rural gun shops due to road travel for work.

Spats McGee said:

5) I try not to low ball anyone.

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I don't low ball either due to my personal experience dealing with low ballers when I'm trying to sell. An example of something I was selling in December that finally got sold last week. The item for sale was a demo that was unboxed but never used. MSRP was $21K. Due to the demo being 2 years old, and we were trying to move it, the listed price was $15K but we were willing to go as low as $12K if the offer was presented. Potential buyers that knew the retail price were offering $6K, $7K, and $8K. I turned 'em all down and got the $12K we were willing to take. We still made a profit of $3K as our costs were low on that item.

Spats McGee said:

1) Do you haggle at all? This is partly covered in the other thread, and it appears that some folks just detest it.

Click to expand...

I'm not fond of it,but I realize it's a part of the experience. At shops I generally don't-at a show, yes.

Spats McGee said:

2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores?

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Used guns, and accessories (my LGS sells holsters and such that come in with guns separate) only. If a shop or dealer at a show has new guns absurdly over 'street price' or MSRP, I don't even bother, and tend to not shop there.

Spats McGee said:

3) How old are you? I'm 48 and I always seem to find myself haggling with folks over 40. I don't know if that means younger folks don't haggle, or simply haven't learned the art.

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53. I agree with you, the younger set isn't much on haggling, and when they try they usually lowball insultingly.

Spats McGee said:

4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural? I live in a city of ~100K, but I grew up in a town of ~6K. In a town that size, you could get a good deal by barter and bargain, but you really couldn't afford to rip the other guy off. You didn't want a reputation for cheating folks.

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Raised in a Major Metropolitan area, live in a small town. Haggling is not unusual in either setting, but more open and on the level in a small town, for the reasons you mention.

Spats McGee said:

5) I try not to low ball anyone. I'd rather leave a few bucks on the table than insult the other party. Frankly, I may want or need to deal with them in the future. I don't want them coming back to the table with a bad taste already in their mouth. The question is "What do you consider low-balling?" If I have a gun solidly worth $1k, I'd consider any offer less than ~$750 a low ball. If someone wants to offer me $800, I'd just consider that a buyer trying to get a good deal. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.

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Here's a good example; I bought my truck for $3000. The guy I bought from had been getting offers as low as $500; the closest one to mine was $2200, so it sat a while. I did my research and determined it was worth the $3300 he had on it, but he took my offer of $3000.

Spats McGee said:

6) Did I miss anything? What else do you thin affected your attitude towards price negotiations?

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Some folks lowball themselves. A friend of mine picked up a Rem. 700 in 7mm-08 for $200 from and old co-worker of his. The seller set the price, telling him it was a "7mm" over the phone, and my friend wasn't enthused about buying a 7mm Mag. but the guy needed money, so my friend went to look at the gun. He tried to give him more, but the guy insisted on the $200, as "I set the price, I'll stick to it." The scope on it was worth that. He hunts with that rifle, and would only sell it to one person-the guy he bought it from.

On my off days I go gun hunting. I hit the local pawn shops in my area. They all know me and know that I know my guns. But I also know that they pawn for 1/3 the resale value and buy for half. If a gun I'm interested in is marked too high, I just wait a month or two and then ask for a better price, if they ask me to make an offer, I lowball . I did that on a Star Super B last month. It was priced $299.99 with an extra mag. It sat on the shelf for three months or so. It was worth $250 to $275. I asked the owner one day for a better price. He said make an offer. I said $200. He laughed and walked away saying he was not going to give it to me. The next day I stopped in again ready to offer $250. With the gun in hand I told the owner that he should give it to me for Christmas. He just laughed. He then said you offered $200 yesterday, I can do $200 plus tax. I said deal. Know I knew that he only had $100 tied up in the gun,
Know when it comes to buying from a personal seller, If the price is right, i'll buy it. If the price is too low, I'll buy it. If the price is close to what I'm willing to pay, I'll ask for a better price or make an offer. Most often when the price is too high, I just grin and pass. At one gun show there was a guy I knew selling some of his personal guns. They were all marked above market value. We shot the bull a little and I asked why his prices were so high. He said to discourage tire kickers. He saw that I had been eyeing one of his guns and made me a sweet deal.
If your one that likes to haggle, be polite, shoot the bull if the seller is friendly. If someone likes you or has a positive interaction with you, they are most likely to give you a better price.

I'm 60 and live in a rural community of less than 3000.

I stated in the other thread that I felt that courtesy and politeness were important. If the price is way too high I just ignore the whole deal. If the price is near what I'll pay then I'll politely make an offer. I never try to squeeze the seller to the point that he has tears in his eyes and hates me. After we make the deal and money changes hands I'll extend my hand for a handshake and I ask "are you ok with this"?

As a seller, I try to know what my item is worth and price it to sell with a little room to discount a little. Sometimes a buyer just has to get you to come down, so I try to accommodate them.

As someone who worked in retail a number of years--for a large retailer and a small family owned one, I don't like to haggle as a result of those experiences as I did not particularly enjoy those customers who felt every transaction was an opportunity to haggle no matter how small.

In fact, when I worked for the large retailer, if someone approached me nicely--I knew of upcoming sales, price matching, or items not carried in the store typically, I would try to help them out with a deal. Those customers that were insulting, rude, abrasive, etc. got nada even though I worked on commission.

As a manager of a small retailer, I would politely tell them to take their trade elsewhere because I wasn't going to play their reindeer games. As a retailer, you learn pretty quickly that some customers aren't worth it.

"I'll pay whatever the price tag says.....for the right gun." This is what I recently told a staff member at the LGS, when he commented that I was giving the guns I chose to look at a very thorough inspection. To walk away with a gun that I'm not entirely happy with, is not worth the money I'd save.

As a seller, I sell at fair to low prices. The extra hours I might spend trying to get a little more are just not worth it to me. I look at it along the lines of how much I get paid per hour of work, and figure that as I'm "working" at selling a gun, I should consider what my free time is worth to me in a dollar value sense.

Spats McGee said:

LoonWolf started a thread called: At what point is the line crossed between being an informed buyer and overly demanding? I didn't want to derail his thread, but I have some related questions, because LW's thread got me to thinking.

Let me premise this: I love haggling and horse-trading. I'm a trial attorney. In part, that makes me a professional negotiator, and that's one of the best parts of my job. If I buy or sell a gun, sometimes I'll spend 15-30 minutes talking to the other party. It's part negotiation, part shooting the breeze.

Here are my questions:
1) Do you haggle at all? This is partly covered in the other thread, and it appears that some folks just detest it.
2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores? I haggle on guns just about no matter what. When I bought my S&W Shield, I saw Academy's "Price match minus 5%" guarantee and used my smart phone to find a better competitor's price.
3) How old are you? I'm 48 and I always seem to find myself haggling with folks over 40. I don't know if that means younger folks don't haggle, or simply haven't learned the art.
4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural? I live in a city of ~100K, but I grew up in a town of ~6K. In a town that size, you could get a good deal by barter and bargain, but you really couldn't afford to rip the other guy off. You didn't want a reputation for cheating folks.
5) I try not to low ball anyone. I'd rather leave a few bucks on the table than insult the other party. Frankly, I may want or need to deal with them in the future. I don't want them coming back to the table with a bad taste already in their mouth. The question is "What do you consider low-balling?" If I have a gun solidly worth $1k, I'd consider any offer less than ~$750 a low ball. If someone wants to offer me $800, I'd just consider that a buyer trying to get a good deal. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.
6) Did I miss anything? What else do you thin affected your attitude towards price negotiations?

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I am an auto dealer for 30+ years, so I have haggled a little. I have found the under 40 generation will haggle using a text msg. or e-mail, but will not engage in conversation to reach an understanding. They will also trash your online social reputation if they perceive a problem with a product, even much older used vehicles. It seems the art of conversation and expressing ideas verbally is a lost/dying art? It seems only politicians, attorneys and car dealers still practice this art.

1) Do you haggle at all? This is partly covered in the other thread, and it appears that some folks just detest it.

On an item I actually want, I see how flexible or not the price is immediately and go from there. If I have to ask for a lower price and th price is firm, I pass. If not, I make an offer and stick to it.

2) If you do haggle, when? Used guns only? Or on any gun? Mom & Pop LGSs vs. large chain stores? I haggle on guns just about no matter what. When I bought my S&W Shield, I saw Academy's "Price match minus 5%" guarantee and used my smart phone to find a better competitor's price.

I find the best price on a given item no matter the location. Sometimes I go to the other location - often I should say. Which usually means I buy online. But even Walmart will price match, so...sometimes I haggle the big box stores. If someone needs $700 out of their polymer 9mm that’s worth $450, they make an agreement all but possible.

3) How old are you? I'm 48 and I always seem to find myself haggling with folks over 40. I don't know if that means younger folks don't haggle, or simply haven't learned the art.

35

4) Do you consider yourself urban or rural? I live in a city of ~100K, but I grew up in a town of ~6K. In a town that size, you could get a good deal by barter and bargain, but you really couldn't afford to rip the other guy off. You didn't want a reputation for cheating folks.

Rural. Township outside a town of 1500ish. 25 miles from a city of 65,000.

5) I try not to low ball anyone. I'd rather leave a few bucks on the table than insult the other party. Frankly, I may want or need to deal with them in the future. I don't want them coming back to the table with a bad taste already in their mouth. The question is "What do you consider low-balling?" If I have a gun solidly worth $1k, I'd consider any offer less than ~$750 a low ball. If someone wants to offer me $800, I'd just consider that a buyer trying to get a good deal. Nothing worth getting bent out of shape over.

Lowballing to me is knowing the cheapest the item usually brings and then going varying degrees of lower. People buy used glocks all day for $400-500, but offering someone $300 is a lowball, but I can’t fault people for trying - if they’re polite.

6) Did I miss anything? What else do you thin affected your attitude towards price negotiations?

Tact. Honesty. I’ve refused to sell to people at full asking price if they come off demanding or rude. I’ve also walked away from in person deals when when the parameters were “I’ve got a little room to talk” on a $1500 gun and the guy only shows up with $1000 and says take it or leave it.

I’ve never gone to look at a gun from a private party without having the full asking price in my pocket or what we already agreed.

I almost always do some haggling over phone or email so we are on the same page in person. I usually tell the seller if the gun is what he says it is, $xxxx is good with me. If I have to pick some nits, I’ll go a little lower in person, but too many reasons to go lower usually just means I thank them for their time and walk away. Rarely happens, but goes to honesty in descriptions - if I’m looking at a mint cindition gun it better be pristine; missing sights and worn blue ain’t mint!

WrongHanded said:

As a seller, I sell at fair to low prices. The extra hours I might spend trying to get a little more are just not worth it to me. I look at it along the lines of how much I get paid per hour of work, and figure that as I'm "working" at selling a gun, I should consider what my free time is worth to me in a dollar value sense.

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Same goes for me when it comes to buying. I usually don't have the spare time to go into gun shops or pawn shops throughout a work week. And I hate spending the gas money and time on weekends if I don't have a reason to leave my home. Too many chores to do on weekends which leaves little time for shopping stores in person.

Of course, the city here is a bit iced in this morning so no customers are calling and I'm not going driving. Plenty of time to type on the interwebs the last two days.

I don't even try to haggle at LGSs and I don't frequent pawn shops except for one that does my FFL transfers (and he never has anything I'm ever interested in gun-wise). Every time I've tried haggling at a LGS I've made reasonable offers only to be flat out rejected. The staff I've dealt with always seemed offended that I'd offer anything less that what the item was priced at. What irritates me is that the items I've previously been interested at in the LGS's where I live were used guns that they had priced higher than a new gun. A good example was a used SA 1911 "mil-spec" that a LGS was firm on at $775. I ended up buying it less than $700 online. And that dissuaded me from ever going back to that store. I'd prefer to buy in a local brick and mortar store- and I wouldn't mind paying a premium either- but not if I'm going to be gouged.

Jinx0760 said:

I am an auto dealer for 30+ years, so I have haggled a little. I have found the under 40 generation will haggle using a text msg. or e-mail, but will not engage in conversation to reach an understanding. They will also trash your online social reputation if they perceive a problem with a product, even much older used vehicles. It seems the art of conversation and expressing ideas verbally is a lost/dying art? It seems only politicians, attorneys and car dealers still practice this art.

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Negotiating via written message seemingly evens the playing field for those who are not great at verbally debating, especially when dealing with professionals who make a living by selling items in person, sometimes in a high-pressure environment.

I like buying stuff. I hate being sold stuff.

On something like a car, just like a gun, I know ahead of time whether the price is firm or flexible and with whom I’m dealing. I also know at what exact price the exact model has actually sold before I go make an offer. If the vehicle doesn’t sell to me very close to the lowest it’s sold before or elsewhere, I won’t buy it.

My dad is 68 and cheap. Super cheap. Really, really really cheap.
He never goes anywhere or buys anything without trying to haggle down the price. Walmart, the gunshop, the dentist- everywhere.
As a result I spent untold hours as a kid examining the magazine racks or the ceiling tiles while Dad argued with the grocer or the waiter or whoever. His policy was harangue them endlessly until they caved.
He has never paid more than $200 for a gun, and his gun collection is pushing the 300 mark, including dozens of Mauser's, Garands, and antique .22s. Was it worth it? He thinks so.
I'm 42 and I will not haggle. I know what guns are worth and what a particular gun is worth to me. If a seller has a fair price on a gun and I want it, deal done.

Wisco said:

Negotiating via written message seemingly evens the playing field for those who are not great at verbally debating, especially when dealing with professionals who make a living by selling items in person, sometimes in a high-pressure environment.

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Very true. It definitely avoids the high pressure sales tactics.

Wisco said:

I like buying stuff. I hate being sold stuff.

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Same here.