Who should benefit from a local sale: Seller or Buyer?

[Turbo_J89]

If you buy or sell parts enough times on car forums, you've probably experienced something like this:

Seller lists item for sale for $400 shipped. PayPal and shipping fees will be $50 but the buyer got lucky! He/she is local. Buyer offers $350 (seller gets full asking price after fees. Awesome right!?!? This buyer is so generous...) and the seller politely declines because it sells for $400 in other threads and the buyer is offering $350. The buyer knows the seller gets $350 after $50 fees from another buyer. The buyer feels penalized for being a local buyer although the alternative is to pay $400 to buy from a non-local seller. The buyer knows that other sellers are getting $350 after they pay $50 in fees. The seller knows other buyers are paying $400. The seller believes anything less than $400 is a great deal.

Is the buyer wrong/right to expect to get a better deal from a local sale or is the seller wrong/right to expect more profit from a local sale? Meeting in the middle is an option but is that really the right thing to do?

[SynergyGreenSS]

Whenever I find something local I always pay a decent amount less than asking price because it is more convenient for the seller

[Turbo_J89]

Originally Posted by SynergyGreenSS

Whenever I find something local I always pay a decent amount less than asking price because it is more convenient for the seller

Do you factor in what the seller would pay to ship it to make your offer?

[Rusty35]

Is this about Walmart?

[SynergyGreenSS]

Originally Posted by Turbo_J89

Do you factor in what the seller would pay to ship it to make your offer?

If I’m looking at something that the seller is asking 500 for plus 50 shipping for example, I will NEVER offer any more than 450. If they don’t list a shipping price then I usually lowball a little bit. I know personally I would far rather sell something for a little bit less than have to deal with packaging and shipping unless it’s a relatively small part

[gm2376]

Originally Posted by SynergyGreenSS

If I’m looking at something that the seller is asking 500 for plus 50 shipping for example, I will NEVER offer any more than 450. If they don’t list a shipping price then I usually lowball a little bit. I know personally I would far rather sell something for a little bit less than have to deal with packaging and shipping unless it’s a relatively small part

Is it really hard to ship? And if i sell it is paypal gift or add additional 3%

[SynergyGreenSS]

Originally Posted by gm2376

Is it really hard to ship? And if i sell it is paypal gift or add additional 3%

I’ve shipped plenty of large items before and it’s honestly such a hassle packaging the items and stuff, is rather sell things for less then ship them. Now whenever I’m selling a splitter or strut tower brace or something large I just make sure the buyer is local

[Vegas Bound]

At the end of the day, the seller nets the same amount.

[Turbo_J89]

Originally Posted by Rusty35

Is this about Walmart?

Is this about Walmart?

[redcoats1976]

if the seller nets the same amount without the hassle of shipping it sounds like a win/win to me.

[Turbo_J89]

Originally Posted by redcoats1976

if the seller nets the same amount without the hassle of shipping it sounds like a win/win to me.

Would you consider the Seller to be unreasonable to ask for more than $350?

[Rusty35]

Originally Posted by SynergyGreenSS

Whenever I find something local I always pay a decent amount less than asking price because it is more convenient for the seller

I have always found shipping more convenient than inviting strangers to your home or loading your car and finding some acceptable meeting place.

[Rusty35]

Originally Posted by Turbo_J89

Is this about Walmart?

It is cheaper to have Walmart ship some items to your house than it is to purchase at local Walmart.

[Turbo_J89]

Originally Posted by Rusty35

It is cheaper to have Walmart ship some items to your house than it is to purchase at local Walmart.

Rusty loves Walmart...