Censorship: Discussion Topic About Including Asking Price On For Sale Items Deleted!!

[Brian Oshman]

Originally Posted by parrot head

I'm also an impulse buyer and if the price isn't listed, I'm not interested. My feeling, as well as almost everyone elses, I'm thinking, is that if the price isn't listed the item is over-priced. I don't want to nogotiate or haggle price. It makes it so much easier to shop if the prices are listed--period.

Yeah right. Everyone wants to haggle the price. It is absolutely no fun having to do that and becomes quite insulting after awhile. The prices are what they are, take it or leave it. If you think you can do it for cheaper then do it yourself.

I have been getting like the Bed Nazi lately, if you ask stupid questions then you get b.itch slapped on the phone or in a E-Mail.

NO BED FOR YOU!!!

Disclaimer: This post is not directed at Parrot Head, just using his quote to make a point.

[Ezliving_Jim]

Ann, I am not trying to indict sellers who do not post Asking Prices as con men. That is just not the case.

However, I believe that not requiring Asking Prices in ads is inflationary. To say that it is unfair to buyers isn't accurate but it does shift negotiating advantage to the seller and will result in more money being paid for equipment than would happen otherwise. I don't think you will argue that point.

Publicly posting the Asking Price moves the baseline offer from blue sky "What can I get?" from a specific prospect to the reality of "What is it worth?" based on the community's judgement of value. I don't think you will argue that point either.

The truism is that one can fool all of the people some of the time (if lightening strikes) and some of the people (read as "suckers") all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

I'm sympathetic to sellers trying to make an extra buck in a tough buyers market, but not enough to accept an artificial shift in a free and open market to their advantage. Give the suckers an even break.

[Brian Oshman]

Originally Posted by parrot head

Maybe a seller of equipment could take a survey. How many responses are gotten when the price is listed vs when it's not. Are most responses, when the price is listed just tire kickers, or what one would consider a potential buyer. An inquesitive mind would like to know.

The responses are the same. No matter how much info is put down there is always the negotiating, the haggling, the stupid questions.

Once the price, freight or delivery and setup, hours, lamp life, and all of the other pertinent info is covered then the tire kicking continues.

Then the expected freebees such as transformers, timers, installation of such items, electric, freight, etc...

They want refurbed beds like new without a single scratch with new lamps, new acrylics, transformers, timers, electric, frieght etc... all for the as is used price. Are you kidding?

Everyone, go look in your salons right now and inspect your beds. Are they 100% scratch free? Did you get all of the extras for below retail?, wholesale?

Nice beds for a fair price is how it's done around here. You want to give me a hard time then you can go talk to someone else or go do it yourself because you would be hard pressed to find a better deal or a better job done. Blue lights on the ceiling makin' money when I walk out the door.

Again, it is insulting to be so low balled on pricing. It is already as low as it gets for what you actually get.

	Bodi Tox

[eileen]

Note to buyer.... post the price you are going to pay in public. Nothing in the rules that say you can't do that. I get many emails saying I'm buying such and such from so and so for so much...... is this a good deal and can I trust this seller. I say post it in public and get everybody's opinion and if you did get ripped off dispute that payment on your credit card. If you got a good deal post what a wonderful person Matt was! LOL Matt was a ficticious character I used for that example. :P

[mr belvedere]

On the topic of "censorship", imagine the things you never hear about. Does anybody "truly care" if an inflamatory thread or two bites the dust on this site? As for posting asking prices in the "For Sale" threads, does anybody truly care? Personally, I think the threads should be locked as soon as they are posted, and any further discourse between interested parties and the seller be conducted through PMs or other modes of communique'. Where's the beef? -Belvy

[sunsally]

Originally Posted by Ezliving_Jim

Ann, I am not trying to indict sellers who do not post Asking Prices as con men. That is just not the case.

However, I believe that not requiring Asking Prices in ads is inflationary. To say that it is unfair to buyers isn't accurate but it does shift negotiating advantage to the seller and will result in more money being paid for equipment than would happen otherwise. I don't think you will argue that point.

Publicly posting the Asking Price moves the baseline offer from blue sky "What can I get?" from a specific prospect to the reality of "What is it worth?" based on the community's judgement of value. I don't think you will argue that point either.

The truism is that one can fool all of the people some of the time (if lightening strikes) and some of the people (read as "suckers") all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

I'm sympathetic to sellers trying to make an extra buck in a tough buyers market, but not enough to accept an artificial shift in a free and open market to their advantage. Give the suckers an even break.

Oh Jim, you don't know me at all if you think I won't argue these points!!

Truly - you feel that by not listing prices, the interested buyer will have to make the phone call or send the email and then the process will stop? They will accept the information they are given as is and immediately send over their credit card number?? They won't look for other ads, do their own research, or make their own opinions based on the year, condition, original price, etc of the unit?? A LISTED price up front somehow changes all this for them and, by definition, lowers the price and gives them a better chance of not being a "sucker"?

If I list a Classic Ergoline 600 for 10K, is this the 'right' price? I recently leased one for someone for 14K. Another for 11K the same week. I bought one a few years ago myself for 7K. The first was from a dealer, all refurbished, warranty & installation included. The 2nd was a private seller as is. And the third was from a private seller who was a friend of mine and gave it to me for below market out of friendship and in exchange for the service and help my partner had provided to him and his salons over the years. Which one of those is the "fair price" Is one "inflated". If a buyer is willing to agree to the terms, does that make them a "sucker" because you (or the "community") wouldn't have agreed to the same ones???

Again - I am in the business of leasing tanning beds for folks. I see invoices for new equipment every day. I can guarantee you that there is no "one price" for much of anything out there! It is a negotiation, based on volume, relationships, sales skills (of both the buyer, and the seller!), etc.

This has nothing to do with anyone "making an extra buck" off the "suckers". It is a free will system -- if you don't want to list prices, don't. If you don't want to buy from someone that doesn't list prices, don't.

By the way - when callers to my salon want to know my prices over the phone, our strategy is NOT to just give them the quick answer, but to get them talking. Have they been here before? Do they know we have 5 levels of equipment as well as spray? We offer several different pricing options depending on their needs, not just a 1 month unlimited. Yada yada yada. Why? Because if we just say $44.95 and the next salon says "$43.95" then we may never get the opportunity to explain how, even for an extra $1, our salon will be a much better value for them. They may not KNOW we do teeth whitening which they were thinking about too. Etc etc

Same with buying a bed. Who owns it? Where is it now? If uninstalled, who did the uninstallation and are they qualified? What assurances it will "light up" upon delivery? Is delivery offered? What financing options (if any) are offered? Fresh lamps or as is? WHen can it be available?

Lots of details. Which is why you pick up the phone and call. So if people HAVE a price listed, that will be one of the things you talk about. If they do NOT, then maybe that will be your first question. At any point you don't like the answers - the call is ended, as is the sale.

THAT is a free market system.

	First Merchant Funding

[Brian Oshman]

Yup.

[movieking]

Are those the same reasons for not even being able to post a picture of the actual bed that is being offered for sale?

[sunsally]

^^^ Well, I don't think I've ever posted a picture, but I'm a computer dummy! :-)


I know some of the professional, regular re-sellers will often get a "heads up" that something is coming, and will try to "presell" before they go get it so they may not have an actual pic at the time.

When Highline has repos, I get pics after they are picked up, but usually not before (unless the current owner sends some over).

That said - I would INSIST on pics of the bed before purchase. And really - it is protection for both the buyer AND the seller, so that if it gets damaged along the way or if there is any dispute, they can go to the pics for backup.

And if you are spending a lot - strongly consider going to see it in person! You can get a flight most places in the country relatively cheaply with a little notice, and if you are spending 10-20K on a bed, if it was me, I'd spend $300 on a flight to make sure I was confident about my purchase!

[Gidget]

Originally Posted by eileen

Note to buyer.... post the price you are going to pay in public. Nothing in the rules that say you can't do that. I get many emails saying I'm buying such and such from so and so for so much...... is this a good deal and can I trust this seller. I say post it in public and get everybody's opinion and if you did get ripped off dispute that payment on your credit card. If you got a good deal post what a wonderful person Matt was! LOL Matt was a ficticious character I used for that example. :P

What????????????? Matt is a ficticious character!!!!!!!!!!! Now my heart is broken