"Or best offer"

[NightShade]

I think it's a deal of you offering to trade something plus something more, cash ammo etc. so they can get a better deal out of it. May as well trade up and get more, who knows maybe a bidding war will happen and you can get more than what you were asking for.

But honestly I have done some offers and had it work out fine. If something has sat for a week or two with little to no interest and you offer 5 to 10 percent less than their asking price a lot of people will jump on it. For me to buy something it either has to be a good value or something I really want. If you are selling an item for retail and it sits you either have to be prepared to wait a while or take less than your asking price.

 

[264killer]

I have offered to split the difference when they are to low. Some times they will .Some are just to cheap to do it. If I see a OBO on something I ask what is there best offer & I may offer more.

 

[O4L]

OBO has always meant Or Best Offer in any deals I've been involved with.

It usually means they will consider offers lower than the asking price.

If it means offers over the asking price then it basically becomes an auction with the asking price being the reserve.

I have asked 'what has been your best offer' a few times over the years and usually they won't say. They just expect you to make an offer.

Someone that states OBO and won't entertain offers must not know what it means or they have been offered the asking price and are hoping for more.

I've said it before...Negotiating has become a lost art.

 

[adamsredlines]

And an ad on here has a price and says OBO....

I show what they're going for NEW shipped at a normal place and offer a bit lower than that for the one on the classifieds...he tries to tack on the shipping cost to that price so now his counter is 2 cents less than the original asking price.
Apparently he's a dealer posting it as a leftover part, not in the dealer postings, wanting full retail for the part.
I think I'll pass on that nonsense.

 

[O4L]

And an ad on here has a price and says OBO....

I show what they're going for NEW shipped at a normal place and offer a bit lower than that for the one on the classifieds...he tries to tack on the shipping cost to that price so now his counter is 2 cents less than the original asking price.
Apparently he's a dealer posting it as a leftover part, not in the dealer postings, wanting full retail for the part.
I think I'll pass on that nonsense.

If someone is asking more than I can find it new anywhere I don't usually even respond to the ad.

 

[adamsredlines]

He wasnt "OFF" for new shipped prices, but I dont know why a dealer is posing as an individual and trying to get shipped prices for a face to face transaction.

$200 OBO in the add
$189.99+9.99 shipping on Gunbroker

His new counter is $199.98 face to face for something that is advertised as a part thats a leftover.

 

[adamsredlines]

Had it been in the dealer postings section, advertised as such, I would have never contacted them or made an offer even if the ad says OBO.

Live and learn I suppose. The search continues.

 

[65ny]

I guess a recent example is an item on ebay.
Completed item history shows the exact same item has sold for $26-56 over the last two months.
Guy lists the same thing with a BIN of 75 or make offer. Make him an offer in the ballpark of what the others have sold for and he proclaims how the offer is under his BIN price.
No kidding...isnt that the point, to offer them something reasonable based on recent sales history?

You're right. That doesn't make sense at all.

 

[caojyn]

If it makes you feel any better I won a rifle auction on GunBroker for something I'd been searching for, only to get a message from the seller saying that he had already sold it in his brick and mortar, and that he was sorry he didn't have that as a stipulation on the item description. He then told me he'd be more than willing to give me a good deal on something else. He then refused to sell me a shotgun for a $200 loss.

 

[Ace_on_the_Turn]

I recently brought an item (bathroom faucet) on eBay that was listed at $129 or Make Offer. I made an offer of $99 and they accepted. I paid and they shipped it, happy as can be. A few days later I see they have listed another identical faucet for $199 or Make Offer. Heck, I would have been happy to pay $199. Never hurts to make an offer.