Advertising 'Open to Offers'

volatis

volatis

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Warwickshire, England
www.volatis.co.uk
Does reading 'Open to Offers' in an advert put you off enquiring?

I am advertising one of my colts (8 months old) and was thinking about advertising the other one too. Paddy, the one I advertised, I put open to offers in the advert, and had 3 emails, all just asking me the price.
I really need to sell him so really am open to offers on him, but do you think that puts people off? He is such a cracking little mover, correctly made, super temperament. 2 or 3 years ago I would have sold him long ago, since moving up here to Lincs, and combined with the recession, just no interest, and yet he's a little corker.

I dont want to waste money on a H&H advert for him or the other colt if the wording is going to put people off.
 
It does put me off enquiring - I would be scared of either offending or (less likely!!) offering more than was wanted for him!! I think a buyer needs at last a rough ballpark figure as a starting point.
 
'Open to Offers' would put me off enquiring, I think you need to put a guide price or a price and then open to sensible offers.
Good luck!
 
This year has been really bad for selling youngstock and this year like you i could really do with selling at least one due to trying to change breeding direction and the following facts that i inadvertently bought two more and have two extra adult horses at home that i wasnt anticipating having back at home just yet meaning i now have 13 horses at home and only 12 stables.
Earlier i advertised one at open to offfers, tbh i had a lot of enquiries but no one offering anything except one person who offered £500 for a foal whos stud fee had been £750 so thats my experience of open to offer adverts.
 
I would put a rough guide price - I didn't price mine, and when I finally changed the advert and did, the person who bought one said she had seen him advertised ages ago but because of lack of price she hadn't bothered calling.
 
If I really like the horse then no it doesnt put me off contacting the owner. I am quite aware of market values so I normally know what the ball park price is going to be, however one thing I will say about people who put "offers" rather than a price, to me, says that the seller doesnt know what price to put the horse at and makes me think they are inexperienced in knowing their market. This may not always be the case but often I have found it is. Some people have highly inflated ideas of what the horse is worth and others have a little gem there and dont know it so thats why I always think it is worth contacting the owner as you never know where you might find a bargain.
 
Open to Offers to me is exactly the same as POA.

i don't know if you're looking for £2k or £10k.

i never contact in either case as presume it is very expensive.
 
Thank you for putting this post on V, I have the same question on a TB filly who's stud fee was £1000. So I will re do the add too. Many thanks.
 
Volatis why not stipulate you will accept the hightest bid over your advertised offer £xxxx than your driving the price upward, and if you say that the offer will be open for say 1 month with a closing date and state that you will only accept an offer by email in writing no text's and that intested parties should ring first to talk to you, gives you a chance to check them out.
Very best wishes and good luck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Open to Offers to me is exactly the same as POA.

i don't know if you're looking for £2k or £10k.

i never contact in either case as presume it is very expensive.



[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with this, that's exactly what I did when I was looking back in November. I just completely discounted any adverts with no pricing, as just assumed that they would be out of my price range.
 
TBH I would just put a sensible price in the add, something in the region of what you would sell for. Most people will ask if you are open to offers when they contact you or come to view.
I would never ring up about a horse if there is no price on the add.
 
i think open to offers sounds a little desperate (sorry) and POA I wouldnt phone for because I expect it to be $$$$$!

I think people should just state what they want, I hate trying to do deals!
 
LOl Smartboy, I am desperate to sell him. I am moving soon and he has to be sold before I move, hence why I thought I would let the market decide on his value

It seems I cant get it right at all - if I put a low price on him to sell him asap, people think there is something wrong with him, if I put a higher price on him, people dont want to pay that for a weanling. Its so hard to find a middle ground
 
I genuinely wish that I had some spare money at the moment!! I think that Paddy is stunning and can't believe that even in this market you haven't sold him yet!
 
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