# How insulting was this buyer? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 28, 2018, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417 "2018-08-28T17:26:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/41 "2018-08-30T08:46:29Z")
Not rude. However if I’m buying and negotiating, if the seller says Yes too quickly, I know I’ve offered too much. > [@septimus](#): > > In [this scene from a famous movie](https://youtu.be/KWbi-Lq1P28?t=1m49s), negotiators admit to other possible prices after agreement, though I’ll guess neither absolute max nor min was revealed. A good scene from a fun movie. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/42 "2018-08-30T11:46:16Z")
> [@seal\_cleaner](#): > > I bought a truck for $400 once. Burned oil, gears kinda iffy, upholstery shot. Got me around for a year when I was poor. How much did your insurance cost for that year? I’ve known plenty of people whose insurance cost more than their vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/43 "2018-08-30T11:53:03Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > **kayaker** , you got took! You should have renegotiated to at least 75% to cover all your time. Well, on the bright side, I sold her [SlamMan boxing dummy](https://goo.gl/images/bsdHvX) recently. I was going to list it for $20, but she insisted it was worth $200. I put it on Facebook Marketplace and a guy showed up later that day with the cash. ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/44 "2018-08-30T12:56:31Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > How much did your insurance cost for that year? I’ve known plenty of people whose insurance cost more than their vehicle. My daughter’s car KBB’s at 1200 and her insurance is 150 a month. Joy of being young. As to the guy asking the question. Doesn’t seem insulting or rude to me. He’s curious about his negotiating skills and if the deal is done, then it’s done. You don’t have to answer him of course. I can think of a dozen ways to deflect it, “I couldn’t have gone too much lower.” “I was hoping to get a little more out of it actually.” “I’m not unhappy with the price, but I think you got a good deal.” Shoot, you could even be honest and say, 300 was my rock bottom. What does it matter at that point? ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/45 "2018-08-30T15:03:35Z")
I use to buy and sell cars on the side to make some extra money. A few times potential buyers would ask me what the absolute minimum price I would sell the car. My response was to add a $1000 to my asking price. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/46 "2018-08-30T15:06:47Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > I use to buy and sell cars on the side to make some extra money. A few times potential buyers would ask me what the absolute minimum price I would sell the car. My response was to add a $1000 to my asking price. “I don’t know… what’s the most you’ll pay?” I can’t figure out why people expect sellers to negotiate against themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/47 "2018-08-30T15:15:53Z")
Because they’re clueless. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/48 "2018-08-30T15:55:56Z")
It’s a strange question, but probably not intended to be rude. He probably wasn’t unhappy with the deal but just overstepped the “casual one-time business acquaintance” boundaries a bit because he was curious. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/49 "2018-08-30T16:03:35Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Not rude. However if I’m buying and negotiating, if the seller says Yes too quickly, I know I’ve offered too much. My brother has bragged about how car dealers have given him gifts like TV sets or bottles of wine when he negotiates with them. I’ve never been offered any gifts when I buy a car. I never say anything to my brother but I feel that if a car dealer is willing to give him a gift then he must have negotiated a bad deal. I like to think that when I’m done negotiating there wasn’t any money left on the table. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/50 "2018-08-30T16:54:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > My brother has bragged about how car dealers have given him gifts like TV sets or bottles of wine when he negotiates with them. I’ve never been offered any gifts when I buy a car. > > I never say anything to my brother but I feel that if a car dealer is willing to give him a gift then he must have negotiated a bad deal. I like to think that when I’m done negotiating there wasn’t any money left on the table. Yes. I wouldn’t be bragging. Those gifts aren’t paid by the seller’s before-sale wallet (meaning not likely from the goodness of his/her heart), they’re most likely from the high(er) profit made in the sale. ---
**Author:** ![MarvinKitFox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MarvinKitFox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarvinKitFox)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/51 "2018-09-01T05:41:46Z")
Just one rude person involved, and it’s not the buyer. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/52 "2018-09-01T12:21:43Z")
> [@MarvinKitFox](#): > > Just one rude person involved, and it’s not the buyer. Kindly point out where the OP even _mentioned_ Karen in accounting.😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2018, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417/53 "2018-09-01T15:09:15Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > ”What was your real minimum price? How low could I have gotten you down if I had been a bit better negotiator and a bit more persistent?” “Ha, funny you should ask. This truck has been such a pain-in-the-ass that that at this point I was about ready to pay YOU to take it off my hands. Oh well, have a nice day!” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-insulting-was-this-buyer/820417.md?page=2)