When selling, i typically set a price and forget it. Ocassionally i will drop but never will i deal with a haggler like that. If you agree to a price on the phone and thenwant to haggle again when you show up.... you just wasted a trip and the better odds are that I will tell you no thanks even if you come back up to the original price.

When buying i would never think of renegotiating an agreed price.

The only caveat is if there was something not disclosed or previously noticed prior to in person inspection. Then there is a discussion to be had.

If the buyer finds an unknown problem with the machine I will lower the price.

If a buyer comes at you with “what’s your best bottom number” then that’s not making a deal. That’s them trying to convince themselves they can afford this thing. In other words, a tire kicker. Occasionally that does turn into a sale, but usually that sort of opening raises all kinds of alarm bells for me.

I respond in general with “the price you see is the price im looking for”, which is true. If the buyer comes out and they spot something i missed, or was otherwise not disclosed, then I’ll budge. If I’m a hundred bucks off my sale price, ok then fine, but you get there by putting in the work, not by trying to get the best deal in the world and not bring anything to the table.

I get annoyed and the Haggle beat down before they even see machine.
Come see and play machine and let's talk in person. If you don't, your not a serious buyer.

If they are there with anything other than cash we are not making a deal. But anyway, haggle once.

I’ve never had this experience as a seller. But as a buyer it’s not something i would think is cool. We agree in price - and if the game wasnt as described or something wrong that was undisclosed i’d reconsider if it was still worth the agreed price. If i didnt, i’d thank them for their time and leave. If i can easily fix it then im not too worried. Most cosmetic issues are easy to see in pictures so shouldnt be any surprsies there. I mostly deal with pinsiders, and only respond to ads that are reasonable to start.

I hate the haggling process. #1 reason why I don’t sell too much.

I don't agree. I always negotiate a price before I waste someone's time in their home. Then, assuming there are no undisclosed issues, I go pick it up and pay that price. I personally prefer this to going to the house and wasting their time if I don't intend to pay full price to begin with.

I’ve had guys show up and try to knock some pathetic amount like $50 off the price we’ve already agreed upon.

I usually give in. If it’s really worth it to you to sacrifice your dignity for 50 bucks and it’s something I really want / need to get rid of, so be it.

That's the price listed in ad.

That's when we haggle.

Don't list a machine if you don't think at some moment your wasting your time.
I personally feel selling pinball should be done in person.
Anything until their in my garage looking and playing the game, is a waste of time.

I never allow haggling. I set a fair price and that's it. Buy it or don't. And I always get the price I ask because it's always fair. Makes things a lot simpler.

That being said I don't mind someone asking, I just explain that the price is fair and they usually agree and buy it.

Any game I've sold, the price was worked out before they showed up. I have never had someone try to talk me down at the house, as I try to describe games accurately and send honest pics so there are no disappointments. It has worked for me.

If you talk about price before they come see it, I expect that price when they arrive. If they just ask to come see it then I'd expect to maybe haggle there. No double haggle.

We'll if there not coming with CASH then don't bother coming at all. The only way I'd double haggle would be if they found something majorly wrong with the game that I somehow overlooked but it's never happened yet. I do miss the good old days when the haggling was done in person and not in a email or over the phone.

John

I love the " what do you want for it" replys. I want what I'm asking for it. Duh!
I understand that no one wants to travel a fair distance and waste a couple hours of your day if buyer and seller aren't close to being on the same page as far as a price so when I buy I like to give a range low end to high end of what I am willing to pay and if seller agrees I will travel to go see. If your close I just so see and haggle in person.

You made my post much easier.

Yea... what he said.

You cant skin a cat twice! People who severely lowball me get me aggrivated and I cut the deal off

I *hate* that question and I never respond with my actual bottom line, always higher. I'd much rather have someone lowball me than ask what my "best price" is. I've also never had a "bottom line" guy buy anything or express serious interest.

Ive never had anyone ask what my "lowest price" is and not make a lower offer after lol

Interesting to see people's buying and selling preferences. When I buy, I usually don't make an offer on the phone, on an email, or text. I usually just ask if the price is negotiable or not, if the seller wouldn't mind meeting up at his/her convenience, and negotiate on a price in person. I have the cash, shake on a deal, and be done with it.

To me, that's the easiest. Seller gets a cash-on-glass sell, and I get to inspect the game in person before committing to a price both parties are comfortable with.

How about... haggle once in the presence of the machine. How can a buyer agree on a price before seeing it?

Typically I set a price that I think is "fair" for a machine then hold firm on my price when selling. When buying I pay what I think is a "fair" price regardless of what seller was originally asking. I can't begin to tell you how many times I paid more than asking price for project machines advertised on Craig's List or Mr Pinball. Doing that has opened more doors for future deals than you can begin to imagine. Both of my warehouse deals came from being more than fair with seller on original machines I bought from them.

My wife thinks I am crazy but it works for me.

Totally fair point, it would be stupid to have to spend the time to set up a new deal. Worth way more than $50 not to have to do that. Especially if the buyer has come a long way

No haggling. Price as advertised, but I end up giving all kinds of other stuff with pin I’ve collected. One was $300 worth of stuff for free.

I’m a collector and player. I have respect for other collectors and players and if they aren’t happy with the price we can discuss like fellow hobbyists.

I haggle, so I expect it back. There is a threshold though....

This. If you show up and try to get $50 or $100 off the price we already agreed on, I may let it happen but I'm not going to bother with you again. That $100 was your last and only favor.

Same thing here, plus it depends on how much I can click with the person during our meet and greet time or how badly I need to get rid of a game......LOL.

John

I had a guy haggle with me for like 10 minutes on the phone. We agreed on a price and when he came over he tried haggling the price even more, he said he didn't bring the money with him. I told him to go get it or I'll just call the next guy, he then said he was just kidding and went to the car to got the money.

It's irritating, I can understand why people would though. Half the time the item isn't anywhere close to what is described, unless they are familiar with the item... even then it's hit or miss.
love driving 4 or more hours to hear one of these
"oh it works, the ball is just stuck in the trough", "I swear it worked.... last month", "perfect condition, except for the big ass gouges on the back of the cabinet that I forgot to tell you about", " its upstairs btw" (I know to ask now, at least)

No haggling....one price....Pinball, LEDs, my other businesses....too old to bother with I perceive, as
"What Money can I take from you with a few words"

Ive thrown out many customers over the last 12 years.....it wasnt that way when i was younger....no patience.

I yell at the clouds too!

Ok, what about this.....had a nice Who Dunnit for sale, was asking $2700.00. Guy emailed me - "I'll give you $2200.00 for it". He lived 10 miles away. I said "Sure, I'll take the legs off and fold it up, just back up to the garage and load it up".
And he says, "Well, I have to play it first and check it out, if everythings ok I'll take it".
I said "No, you're 10 miles from me, didn't bother to get off your couch, didn't ask me anything about the game, just offered me $500 less than my asking price. For that much effort, you back up, load it, and leave."
"Well you don't expect me to buy it without playing it??"
I said "You didn't ask to play it, you offered to buy it, just like a "Buy It Now" on ebay. I agreed to your price, so come get it. "

So, what is the proper protocol in THIS situation?

For the record, I did sell it. Not to him. He stayed on his couch.

Haggle twice, Pay once

haggling fine before you agree but if they come to pick up and haggle more, even if it's for $10, I'm out. OUT! Absolutely no movement for onsite haggle.

Based on the quotes, I say thats the way to handle it. If he had said something like--I would be somewhere around 2200 on it if it matches the deiscription/is nice/works/etc then that leaves a little room to interpretation. He made an offer and you accepted. He would probably want you to come to his house and help him unpack it too after he plays it and tries to break it at your house to get an even lower price!

I had a boss that if a customer started haggling to much would take a $1 bill out of his pocket, hand it to them, say thanks for stopping by and turn around and walk off. Some people just aren't worth the trouble.

I usually price a game at what I really want for it. I always did and know I'm reasonable with my prices.
Getting that price makes me happy, a lower price will make me less happy.

Starting to lowball me in advance (first email is: whats your best price) lowers my opinion of this person as an interested buyer and I prefer to give priority to someone from whom I feel is more serious or will be less trouble.

I know I have to change my way of selling. On most sites people expect to haggle, on some sites even everyone starts very high and lowers their price every few days until someone is interested.. I don't want to do all that.

I just put a price on it, we make an appointment that you come and see it. When you like it, the condition is what you look for and what you expected, then you pay and take the machine. If it's not the condition you look for (you want real CQ ?) then you leave. If you start to haggle because there's a scratch or plastic broken - that was probably already included in my asking price so don't try to lower it more. Especially don't try to haggle with stupid excuses like you had to drive a long distance.

Unfortunately I'm not assertive enough to tell people to pay the asking price or leave. In the past I almost always gave in when people tried to haggle me down. Usually I really needed the money and space because another game was already coming in.

When someone haggled me in the past they bought the game and that would be it. Someone who paid my asking price, when they would email me later with questions or had a problem I'd help them. Even give some kind of warranty and try to fix it at their place. People who haggle me down - you're on your own. With the price difference you got, you can pay a tech to come and fix your problem.

It's weird but after a while you get a feeling for it. When emailing with someone interested I can almost tell in advance if someone will haggle me even down when they're at my place, or even be a problem later (at home they'll discover something they didn't see and complain or they had unrealistic expectations).
Now I'll try to be more patient and selective, more assertive and communicating better when selling a game..

I think the "what's your best price" question is dumb, but I try to be diplomatic about it anyway. I'll say I posted the sale price, the next step is up to you. Or you can be a bit more direct and tell them "I don't negotiate with myself." Unlike others, I also try to reveal as much as possible about the machine so there's no surprises and need to renegotiate. Some morons try to point out stupid and insignificant stuff, and I feel like telling them to get lost, I don't need the money that bad, but I'm too nice to do it. I'll try to be more diplomatic, that doesn't affect the value / I don't agree with that / the price is fair / I'll hang onto it at that offer.

If buying, I'll try to come up with my best offer from what I see in the pictures to see if it is worth going for a look. If when I show up, there's other issues that weren't revealed by pictures or the description, I'll definitely haggle again. Misrepresentation is pretty common. I've also wasted my time going out to see something that was described one way and it turns out it's another. You then try to negotiate because of that but it can be difficult because they'll say I got another guy offering me $XXXX. Yeah, cause he hasn't seen it and the shape it's in yet either.

Also, I always try to fix everything up on a machine before selling, whereas the pins I go out to see are more often neglected.

Usually when I go to look at a pin its something I really want and upon first sight and first game its a deal, on the selling side its usually a pin I'm done with and now just want to get it the hell out of my house so I'll take less than I asked for, is that stupid? sure it is but I hate both processes so for few hundred either way couldn't care less.

Damn thats ice cold, im stealing it.

Whats your bottom dollar? questions get returned with: whats the most you're willing to pay? That rebuttal has saved me tons of time and heartache negotiating with cheap f*cks.

I think so to, but I also completely get it.

I am a known buyer and people have so many different tactics when selling (some expect a haggle, and some set for exact what they want/ plus everything in between). Sometimes I want to cut all the bullshit and just know, "what is your best fair price... that you are willing to sell for right now?"

If it matches my reality, then I will make it an easy sale. Hell, I often buy games I have to ship across the country.

When you had done enough buying and selling, sometimes you get tired of the games some people want to play and prefer to just shoot straight.

What's even worse is the "what is your cash and carry price"?

From my perspective, it depends on the pins condition. For games with "issues", haggling is fine if the seller didn't disclose (or wasn't aware of) issues. For near perfect games that are fairly priced, haggling isn't as acceptable. I recall selling a near perfect CQ TOM back in 2011. Asking price was 5k...paid 5k in 2010. Buyer tried to haggle, but I disclosed my purchase and explained why the pin was worth every penny. He agreed and paid 5k. OTOH, when I sold my JP, buyer haggled and pointed out some issues I was unaware of. As a result, I lowered the price to pay for the mechs that needed tweaking.

So I guess it depends on the game & situation, and assumes the pin is priced fairly in the first place.

snaroff

If someone tries to haggle twice I have no problem telling them no in person. Depending on the game I may budge a bit. The ones that drive me nuts are the slicksters that say they will take it at asking price to secure the game. Then show up and try to negotiate.

I never give in, last time I got into it with a $50 difference after agreed upon number-I literally said ok I am no longer offering original agreed upon price-It is now $100 more than what I said. They then changed their tune.