"What's the least you'll take for it?"

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Flame_

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I have saddles for sale and in the past have sold horses. There is always a price and sometimes an "ono" on the advert. When people ask this or "What's your final price?" what would you say? Maybe its me, but I think its really cheeky. I said to one guy, "the price is on the advert, if you want to make me an offer, do and I'll consider it". Is that really rude? Is it standard to try bargaining this way? It makes me a bit narked off and I'm not just going to tell them a lower price than the one in the ad without them even attempting to justify it, is that unreasonable?
 
At my old job we used to have a sayin to these people

'I can't be the seller and the buyer.....make me an offer'
 
Depends on how its done. If they seem to just want to get something for nothing, then I'd rather give the item away to a friend or charity.
Polite bartering with respect is different, but scrabbing to save a couple of pounds is stomach churning. Thats probably why I tend to keep my extra tack or give it away free to nice people who need it.
 
The truth is that everyone loves a bargain and I have usually found (and do so myself) that people price items expecting to be knocked down a bit. It's done with houses, horses you name it, but generally people open to offers will say as much and have an appropriate ono or ovno or open to offers or NO OFFERS on the ad :)
 
devilwoman said:
That's my husband's favourite line and it drives me mad because I think it's so rude, he often gets earbashed for saying it.
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Ditto my husnband's too!!! But who can blame when even reputable company's like Everest Windows will reduce their prices by ridiculous %s when challenged!
 
When I was in business people would sometimes ask 'what is your best price' to which I would reply that a lot more would be best for me. Kind of left them stumped.
 
Id rather they asked me this question and then came in the knowledge that they know what price they have to pay. The alternative is they think they can barter you down, come along, try the horse, and then realsie they cant get it for the price they can afford, or want to pay. Its a waste of everyones time
 
Yes it really annoys me when people say this and it's not something I'd say to someone else and I do like a good haggle too.

''What's the least you'll take for it?'' I mean come on :rolleyes:

''Tell you what, what's the most you'll give me for it!!!'' cos two can play at this game.

:D
 
I think if you've put "no offers" then you should be firm about it when speaking to prospective buyers but if you've put OIRO/OVNO then you should be prepared to accept a bit of bartering and if a offer seems ridiculous just say so, they're being cheeky. I personally think if something is as described in the advert then you should pay the asking price. If you get there and find the advert was over generous then I would say so and suggest a lower price. Applies to any commodity.
 
I might say "is that your best price?" But I have both times just said "Okay" and bought my two without haggling, which I hate doing, even in countries that expect it.
FDC
 
I tend to offer a little under what I think I want to pay, they almost always counter with the price we probably both had in mind from the start anyway.
Mind you, I did once mumble about a horse being over budget which I wouldn't normally do ... and the seller dropped hi from 3500 to 2000 there and then before I could offer the 2500 I had in mind! (expecting her to take 3000).
 
my OH is an ex salesman so i always leave the bartering to him while i hide around the corner hoping he's not being embaressing!! I don't think he uses the 'least you'll take for it' line, rather he offers below what he wants to pay and ups his offer so seller thinks they've had a good sale and OH a good deal;)
 
Ibblebibble said:
my OH is an ex salesman so i always leave the bartering to him while i hide around the corner hoping he's not being embaressing!! I don't think he uses the 'least you'll take for it' line, rather he offers below what he wants to pay and ups his offer so seller thinks they've had a good sale and OH a good deal;)
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Oooh my stepdad (sale manager) does this, me and my mum hide until it's all over - the shame (the unexpectedly good deals):o
 
Ibblebibble said:
my OH is an ex salesman so i always leave the bartering to him while i hide around the corner hoping he's not being embaressing!! I don't think he uses the 'least you'll take for it' line, rather he offers below what he wants to pay and ups his offer so seller thinks they've had a good sale and OH a good deal;)
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Heh this!!!
 
When I am selling something - ie my horse trailer, I was asked what is the best price you can do. my response - the best price is what it is advertised at. Then i was aked if I would take an offer, I said yes. They made me an offer - by text. I refused, said not to waste my time until they had actually seen the trailer. Then I would be open to offers - realistic offers. I then had someone have a trailer vetting, i was there so saw it all. They then came back to me and offered a ridiculous price based on the vetting. They were claiming loads of things wrong which I knew had not been found. I told them my price and told them to take it or leave it. I hate salesmen /buyers trying to be clever, never works with me whether I am selling a car or a horse trailer or in fact anything. They bought it at my price.
 
Thanks for all the replies. I'm glad its not just me.

I don't mind offers, however ridiculous they start off, and will discuss from there, but I'm pretty sick of being asked this tbh and will be borrowing some of your cool answers, even if it means I end up not selling my stuff! :D
 
It seems so ridiculous to say "what's the least you'll take for it?" because surely the seller will answer with a much higher price, so that when it comes to bartering they don't really lose out at all.
 
This really annoys me too. I always expect that cars, horses, houses, trailers etc basically anything pre owned are priced at what the seller would like but realistically expects 90-95 percent of that. I'm happy to consider an offer but hate the "what's your best price" before they have even seen the thing. Just had this when selling my car plus the inevitable joyriders - these people I really do not get!
 
When I bought my horse the advertised price had ONO next to it. When I offered a couple of hundred less than the advertised price the seller got quite annoyed and told me the price was what he was advertised at and absolutely refused to budge an inch on the price - so I was a bit mystified as to why she had put ONO when she was clearly NOT open to offers.
But strangely she was prepared to drop a fair bit on the saddle which she was selling separately!
 
I think it only makes sense if you are the buyer to ask for a discount. I do this with almost everything. And definitely everything over £100. I have a rule of thumb that if the assistant hasn't had to 'ask the manager' then I've not got the best price.

This has saved me 1000s over the years and I wouldn't have some of the nice things I've got if I didn't do this on a regular basis.

BnBx
 
In business terms I always start offering a very low price and then you barter up. The rule of business is make an offer that embarrasses yourself.
 
Saying "what is the least you will take" is fairly pathetic negotiating.......

I negotiate for my job and there will always be an element of bluff. Never give away your best price! But don't begrudge someone trying. It would be better to ask something like what are you prepared to take for cash or a quick sale or whatever.

My dad bargains too so I've had a good example. He's a shocker with car salesmen, managed to get a guy to give away his own accessories when I bought one of my cars!
 
Flame_ said:
When people ask this or "What's your final price?" what would you say? Maybe its me, but I think its really cheeky.
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Not cheeky, just haggling. It means, I'm interested and here in front of you ready to offer now. It means, are you after silly money, I need to know! Though you may have a point as I do agree buyer may as easily just make a low offer, though with English people obviously money has to be such a sensitive subject. However would an "insulting" offer "insult" you further? If so, prob don't sell anything!! :D
 
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