For the last year or so I have been slowing selling items on Kijiji. Particularly for larger items there seems to be a trend. What has been happening is that buyers have become persistent on making their first offer a hard price?! They have the gull to first reduce the price usually by a 1/3 or more then make it their final offer?? I usually follow up by offering to meet them half way with the price and the response 9/10 is “no” and there is no more communication. I actually don’t mind on moving my price but how do you expect me to move on my price when you won’t move on yours?!?! It is so ignorant!!! Drives me nuts!!! —online seller
This article appears in Nov 5-11, 2015.
Oh those damn gulls! Noisy and awkward, they steal the bread I put out for the starlings. At least you weren’t pooped on by one…
Bartering? What do you think Kijiji is? A Greek market?
I know I’m not suppose to love in the bitch section. But I love these comments.
Hahaha, I think you’re one of the major problems with Kijiji.
The title of your Bitch was also misleading. I have travelled a fair bit and it seems stores in North America (not just Kijiji) aren’t into bartering at all. Asia, the middle east and continental Europe seem to encourage bartering at all levels. Makes everyone think they got a deal when in reality the seller probably just charged a couple bucks more on sticker price.
OB – Look up the definition of bartering because you obviously don’t have a clue what it means. Then, go get yourself a Timmies and a smile and then fuck right off.
Ghost jesus,
I saw someone get smacked right in the face by a blob of gull poo. What a mess!
They should be banned from flying over the city. Dirty birds!
I despise bartering myself. Just tell me how much you really want for something and I’ll decide if I want it. That’s my biggest gripe with car dealers.
Isn’t that ‘haggling’ over the price?
And people generally aren’t very good at it so they don’t want to bother.
OB means negotiating, not batering. One negotiates a price while the other baters to trade goods or services for the item.
Try bartering with the chick at Tim Hortons. “Trade you this pre-moistened lolly for a Double Double”.
Or maybe haggling with her? “2.50? That tax in? How about $1 tax in? No? Hows $1.15 tax in grab you? C’man, work with me here. Military Discount?”
^^^ Ooops! I fell into the OB’s trap and misused the word “bartering” when I meant to say I don’t like “negotiating” prices.
I do like the barter system, though. I’ll trade you all of todays crop ( one Buddy, his fiance, a Kiji baron, and a disillusioned high school student) for a box of crackers and a pack of 10 bus tickets.
I never take the bus, when I do it’ll be “Hey Buddy, that price (fare), got any wiggle room on that? How about we call it a Buck Sixty Five and call it even?”
It can be disappointing if the buyer doesn’t raise their offer.
But not all is lost yet.
Considering that you are generally expecting them to counter offer with their own “meet in the middle” price, you could choose to drop your price one more time before letting the buyer walk away from the deal.
OPs prices are too high. Simply put there is a lot of overpriced shit on kijiji.
It’s “bargaining” or “haggling” — not “bartering.”
And in Canada, it’s generally not something people consider acceptable.
“It’s just not done” as many an old-school aunt would say.