miriam

This is NOT MY AD but it is the kind I like for buying:

Brother sewing machine $25 obo
Sears Kenmore Green Sewing machine, older but works amazing Heavy duty $25
Four spindle Serger/ overlock works great $30
All three machines work good, Moving and must sell.
Make me an offer. Thanks.
I can send pics, but having a hard time uploading them here.

Cecilia S.

This is fascinating! I am enjoying everyone's answers. Thanks, CD, for starting a great topic!

It seems to me that the person who says "make me an offer" is typically trying to fetch the highest they can. (See Rodney's earlier reply!) ;-) They are afraid that if they name and price and get it, they will kick themselves wondering if they could have fetched more. In my own observation, people who say "Make Me An Offer" tend to come across as greedy, ignorant (not in the rude sense, but simply as in not knowing the value of the item), or both. (Not everyone, not always; just in my observation, as a most-of-the-time rule. I have seen some pretty amazing make-me-an-oofer-I-know-what-it's-worth ads, as I am sure we all have! ;-) .)

The person who does not want to make an offer (when no price ballpark is stated) is typically afraid that if their offer is accepted, they will feel that they have over-paid. Or, they fear that the person who is saying "make the offer" is being greedy and will not accept a reasonable offer (as Cathienut pointed out.).

CD, as someone who prefers to state "Make Me An Offer", why is it that you don't like being on the other side of the table? From the outside looking in, it does seem inconsistent to be saying "Make Me An Offer" on your own dealings, but then not to like it when others say that to you. That said, it would be interesting to know where your reasoning is, being on the receiving end of the "Make Me An Offer".

(BTW, CD, I love the vintage machine section of your site! I just took another peek and I do not see the make me an offer thing, but just for the record, on a site like yours, you do not appear greedy; your prices seem reasonable and you come across as Having Lots of Stuff, and I would just assume that Dude Does Not Have Time To List And Price Every Wee Part. That is quite different from the person who wants $800 for Aunties's old Featherweight but can't even spell Sowing Mecheine...)

Ron, I like your way of car-buying! I also hate to haggle. I don't mind stating what I will pay and why, but the haggle culture just feels so uncomfortable to me.

Cecilia S.

Ooooh, green Kenmore! Green Kenmore!!!! Cecilia Want!!!!!

Mrs. SewNSew

I agree with the not know what an item is worth. We have a local garage sale site on Facebook and I have eone that before when I wasn't sure what an item might go for and didn't want to sell it too cheap. I HAVE noticed that people that do NOT specify a price frequently get NO offers even if the item is really nice. After noticing that I would venture that most people do not like "make me an offer" items.

ArchaicArcane

I agree that it feels like most people who say "Make me an offer" or "Please Contact" usually want too much for their items. I've stopped contacting the ads that say this because I've never had a reply that fell into the range where I was willing to even try to negotiate.

I have only one ad that says "Please Contact", and that's for a wanted ad. I won't set the seller's price. If I see a wanted ad and I have what the buyer wants but they've set a price - usually unrealistic, I also don't bother contacting them. "I want a new sewing machine, electronic, has 10000 stitches - $20" for instance.

In my experience, most of the way too high sellers fall into 4 main categories:

1. Sentimental value - it was grandma's, I want $800 for this sewing machine even though it's missing pieces, seized solid and the cat's peed on it. (Seriously! What's with cats peeing on sewing machines? There have been 3 of them brought into this house before I realised it!)
2. I can't be bothered to look up what it's worth, maybe you'll do the research for me, and I can be offended if you come in with an informed (or uninformed) offer that's below what I wanted for it but was too lazy to state.
3. I have a price in mind based on no real information, or current Ebay buy it nows, but I will only tell people who email with a request for a price.
4. I wonder how big a sucker I can reel in.

HelenAnn

I like the "make an offer " only if the owner responds to the offer.
When I make an offer I am not "opening negotiations".
I have had very good luck making offers.
What really got my goat was the CL lady who listed her machine in cabinet for $150. I sent her an email saying that yes I would take it and could pick it up that day. She called me and said that she heard the cabinet was really worth $500. and she would split the difference. I said no thank you.

Prim Quilts

I do not respond to ads that say "make me an offer".

I also do not respond to ads on CL that says "barter". They usually list an item they are wanting in return and it's value is way more than the value of the item/sewing machine they are trying to unload.

tropit

I usually don't deal with the, "Buy It Now," or, "Make Me An Offer" ads. That being said, I think that the market is pretty soft right now, so why not? Just be sure that you know exactly what you are getting. Ask a lot of questions about the item and hopefully, that will bring to light the actual value of that item.

~ Cindy

sdhaevrsi

I always assumed that "make me an offer" meant they were desperate to sell it, and whatever the highest price was that they got, no matter how low, would be the one they took.

Wanabee Quiltin

Yes, I do like it when they ask me to make an offer. My DH and I saw a beautiful treadle with oak cabinet for sale on Craigslist and when he went to look at it, the man said he wanted it out of the house. He told my husband to make an offer and my husband offered exactly half the price of what was on CL. The man said "Great, I will help you load it." I got a beautiful Singer treadle with Oak cabinet and all the drawers were full and it cost $30. I always feel that communication is the most important part of any transaction and if the price is too high or too low that you offered, then you know where you stand. My DH is a great bargain person and I know the value so we usually end up with what I want at a price we like too. I am never offended if I think the price is too high, it's theirs to sell.