Here's the deal: these people don't usually need the money. They want a sale, but they aren't hurting. Often, they are playing the Greater Fool theory, hoping a greater fool than they will come along.
The answer is to be a negotiator. This is a lost art, these days. We tend to throw our hands up, get pissed or pass judgement. Too bad. You'd be amazed what just talking to someone will reveal, if you only listen.
Try some of these things:
Do some research into something called the Fibonacci ratio. It will help you learn about the psychology of setting prices.
There is a psychology to it, believe it or not. It is actually cultural, and has been around as long as there has been money in use. In essence it says that the selling price is somewhere between 60 and 80% of the inflated asking price.
Then understand why people sell things on classifieds. Most of the time, it is to clear space or get money for more stuff. Neither really hurts them, though, if it doesn't sell. In other words they don't need the money, so you have to figure out what they DO need.
So ask them why are they selling? where did they get it? and so on. Dont be a jerk about this, just get them talking. Get some basic information you can work with. Get to know what motivates them.
In reality, most of those who are sincere know they will eventually sell for less than asking price. The insincere ones, on the other hand, will show themselves pretty quickly once you contact them. If they turn out to be idiots, rude or both, you can move on, that much wiser.
Getting the seller to a reasonable price will be the challenge, and doing so may have little to do with the price itself in the end. I got a once-ridden, name brand road bike last year for 60% off the retail asking price this way.
I just asked some questions, got the dialogue going and worked with the seller until she sold. It took half a dozen emails over a month to get there.
She wanted to get the bike out of the way because she was moving - that was her real motivation. Finding that out was the key.
Last edited by dahut; 09-26-11 at 07:31 AM.