Does anyone else find it a little odd that often people are reducing prices of 5-10k+ USD watches by 100 bucks? Thats 1-2%. Like, oh, this watch was 10300, but now 10200, totally within my range!

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the free market, and noone HAS to lower prices, but I can't help but wonder what goes through one's head with these miniscule price drops. Make it proportional with the price! Say 5%. Then the drops actually have some teeth.

 

I kind of agree with you, it is like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic on the higher priced stuff. Understand that some of those pieces are for trade as well, and the price is somewhat of an indicator of trade value.

All sellers are different, for instance PAM sellers I have seen raise their prices by $100 or more after no one is interested.

My thought is that if someone states FIRM, then if and when they make a drop, it should be meaningful. If someone has a watch a OBRO, then an interested party knows that they can make offers.

For instance, if I have a watch and have it as OBRO, and I do not get any offers at my price, then I will drop like a rock, as my pricing clearly is not within the market realm at that time.

Overall, most sellers on here have pretty realistic price expectations.

 

Totally agree, if I'm selling something that's not moving then I like to reduce by a good chunk to hopefully attract:

1.Somebody who was on the fence in the first place
or
2. A cheapskate bottom feeder

I do think for a lot of these 1% discount sellers it is more a token reduction to otherwise disguise the number of bumps.

As we all know nothing says, "come and make me a low-ball offer" like an old and heavily bumped sales listing!

 

Better than RAISING the price like those Paneristi do.

 

I have a somewhat different view. I think many people selling on forums price things way high. They hope to then enter into negotiations with a buyer. Or, they get free "bumps" every time they lower the price by a smidgen. With watchrecon's new policy of only updating listings where a change in price has occurred, this helps.

A better technique (in my opinion) is to price things so they sell fast at the listed price. I don't enjoy watching something sit for 3 months, getting into endless negotiations, etc. That's just me.

 

A couple of things crack me up. One is the sellers who don't adjust prices at all or in any meaningful way for weeks or months and just keep with the bumps. I guess they are hoping for new blood reading their ads after it has been recycled many times. The other is the sellers who post with silly prices, don't get a bite, and then drop the price by 30% or whatever. Did they think that the initial price would attract an auction buyer? Love that optimism.

In any event, it's an art, not a science. JMHO.

 

Maybe we should be allowed to offer watches for sale without a specific asking price, and let anyone interested make an offer?
Too much like e-bay I suppose.

 

Agreed.

 

Yikes. Really dislike those posts. But it is funny when those ads appear on some sites and the sellers say "no lowball offers" for some obscure pieces that have no readily known price point.

 

I have played with the idea of doing a "negative auction" on some watch at some time.
Basically starting a FS thread a tad high, and then reducing it with, lets say 3% every day at noon for 20 days running (no it will not be 60% off at the end). Could be interesting to see, and perhaps a bit borderline with the FS rules?

 

It will still be almost half off though (nearly a 44% discount). There's no rule against a daily bump with a price reduction, so have at it if you like. Let me know before you begin, especially if the Day 1 price is fair market value.

 

I guess the key is that the chance of reaching the 44% discount is not too high.... Of course depending on the quality of what is posted.
I will find you a nice Quartz to start the show.......

 

So it's quite acceptable for someone to list a watch for sale at a ludicrous price and say they are open to offers, yet it's a no no to offer a watch for sale with no price and the seller saying they are open to offers?

 

Yep. A seller can say they are open to offers as long as they do list a starting price.

(...... and now we wait for the inevitable "$100,000,000 or best offer" listing because we all know about things like this and internet smart asses)

 

Every time I've inquired about a "price on request" ad, the price has been double the going rate + $1000 or so. Every. Single. Time.

 

I despise the "price on request". It tells me the seller is afraid of selling it too cheap. I never inquire. If you want to sell something, NAME YOUR PRICE or auction it off. Let the market decide.