Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: What should I offer this guy?  (Read 7763 times)

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #15 on: June 11, 2013, 08:54:39 am »
Why? The guy is saying make an offer.

Offer him $500 for the pair and then work up from there. I wouldn't pay 2K for the two. Used like new- maybe. But used-used is like a old car. They are never worth what the owner thinks.

Negotiate hard in this case because of the pair's condition.

my point exactly. if he refuses to make a starting offer it's either because a) he doesn't know how much the stuff might be worth or b) he is hoping YOU don't know how much the stuff might be worth. either way if you wicked low ball him to start you will likely end up with a lower final price than if you offer what you think is fair right off the bat.

Unless you do your research and go it with a hard and fast amount you are willing to pay no budge. then offer whatever the stuff if actually worth and don't budge.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline tonyp

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 656
  • If it ain't broke you aren't trying hard enough...
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #16 on: June 11, 2013, 10:45:39 pm »
You could also work it like the way the guys on the Pawn Shop tv shows do it:

"What's your lowest bottom line price?" or "what's the least you'll take for it?"

Then offer him 20% of that and let him talk you up a little.
Live from the Jersey Shore!

Phrases for Creatives, #22:
"I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter."

Offline reverseapachemaster

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3777
    • Brain Sparging on Brewing
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #17 on: June 11, 2013, 11:24:20 pm »
Why? The guy is saying make an offer.

Offer him $500 for the pair and then work up from there. I wouldn't pay 2K for the two. Used like new- maybe. But used-used is like a old car. They are never worth what the owner thinks.

Negotiate hard in this case because of the pair's condition.

my point exactly. if he refuses to make a starting offer it's either because a) he doesn't know how much the stuff might be worth or b) he is hoping YOU don't know how much the stuff might be worth. either way if you wicked low ball him to start you will likely end up with a lower final price than if you offer what you think is fair right off the bat.

Unless you do your research and go it with a hard and fast amount you are willing to pay no budge. then offer whatever the stuff if actually worth and don't budge.

The only danger of lowballing too hard is scaring off the seller. If OP is really after these fermentors then he doesn't want to start so offensively low that seller won't sell to him.
Heck yeah I blog about homebrewing: Brain Sparging on Brewing

Offline klickitat jim

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8604
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #18 on: June 12, 2013, 12:09:38 am »
Or offer what they are worth to you

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #19 on: June 12, 2013, 07:19:45 am »
You could also work it like the way the guys on the Pawn Shop tv shows do it:

"What's your lowest bottom line price?" or "what's the least you'll take for it?"

Then offer him 20% of that and let him talk you up a little.

I've noticed that Corey automatically halves the sellers' price right off the bat no matter what it is.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline Roger Burns

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 22
  • Just call me Jack.... of all trades
    • Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #20 on: June 12, 2013, 08:58:03 am »
I travelled in Mexico once upon a time. The seller of any product would inflate the cost of something 4x it's value so if an inexperienced gringo talked him down to half the asking price, he would be ahead. Guess who the inexperienced on was?

Based on that experience, and knowing the condition is poor, starting at less than half for the pair is not out of line. And if he is not ok with it, he should counter offer. I would not worry about offending him. Unless he is stupid.

I've just given away hundreds if dollars of stuff because I needed to in a short timeframe. The value of the space it was in was higher than the cost, so I ate it and parted. Unless you know his motivation, start low. $1000-1250 would be my opener, for what it's worth.
Roger Burns
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
American Homebrewers Association: 155297
[3.9, 125.7] Apparent Rennerian

Offline rainmaker

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 91
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #21 on: June 12, 2013, 08:30:01 pm »
I am with the others who say start between 500 and 1k.  Used and needing 400 or more in repair work, plus the cost of pbw.

Start low, work up. Always give yourself room.

Offline Jo Diesel

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 40
  • BEER! Its what makes me HAPPY
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #22 on: June 17, 2013, 10:40:11 am »
Bartering is a sport. The better deal you get the more YOU WIN! When you feel you made a screaming deal it is like hitting a home run.

Offline macbrews

  • Assistant Brewer
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #23 on: June 18, 2013, 02:40:39 pm »
I've come accross a guy who wants to sell me two, 42 gallon Blichmann fermenters.  Both have the leg extensions and casters.  Brand new from Northern Brewer they are about $1850 each.  They are quite used, so probably would need new seals, and clamp rings. 

I'm thinking $2,000 for the pair?

42 Gallon fermenters aren't exactly something that fly off the shelf.  Kind of a specialty item without a big market.  I would come in low.


Offline punatic

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4583
  • Puna District, Hawaii Island (UTC -10)
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #24 on: June 18, 2013, 05:26:25 pm »
I'd start with the scrap value of stainless steel and tell the guy that you will not charge him for hauling them away.

My guess is this guy does not know the value of what he has, and is hoping for the best.  He just wants to make some money off of something that's collecting dust and taking up space.

Hell, he may take $100 for the pair and think he got over on you.

If you get them for scrap price, and they turn out to be useless, you will still be able to recoup your investment.

He asked you to make an offer.  Don't be in a hurry to give money away unnecessarily. 
« Last Edit: June 18, 2013, 05:31:51 pm by punatic »
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2013, 11:01:39 pm »
I'd start with the scrap value of stainless steel and tell the guy that you will not charge him for hauling them away.

My guess is this guy does not know the value of what he has, and is hoping for the best.  He just wants to make some money off of something that's collecting dust and taking up space.

Hell, he may take $100 for the pair and think he got over on you.

If you get them for scrap price, and they turn out to be useless, you will still be able to recoup your investment.

He asked you to make an offer.  Don't be in a hurry to give money away unnecessarily.

+1, this. he's not going to run away no matter how low you go. If he had that many buyers he would have named a price to beat.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4881
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #26 on: June 20, 2013, 08:30:12 pm »
Restaurant equipment typically sells for as low as 5-10% of its original price at liquidation.  Start at 5% and go from there.  Good luck.  Ultimately you may have to meet what he can get from someone else, but without another bidder, he can't be sure he can get any more for them.
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline micsager

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1179
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #27 on: June 21, 2013, 09:51:10 am »
I'd start with the scrap value of stainless steel and tell the guy that you will not charge him for hauling them away.

My guess is this guy does not know the value of what he has, and is hoping for the best.  He just wants to make some money off of something that's collecting dust and taking up space.

Hell, he may take $100 for the pair and think he got over on you.

If you get them for scrap price, and they turn out to be useless, you will still be able to recoup your investment.

He asked you to make an offer.  Don't be in a hurry to give money away unnecessarily.

He knows what they are and what they are worth.  He originally came to me, and I think I'll just play it cool, and let him bring it up again and see where that leads us........

Thanks for all the advice guys.  Quite a range of proposals to consider.

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4881
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #28 on: June 21, 2013, 11:52:30 am »
One last thought - Northern Brewer isn't necessarily the cheapest vendor, so price it around, including EBay or other auction sites.  Good luck - with that capacity, you won't need to brew often!
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline micsager

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1179
Re: What should I offer this guy?
« Reply #29 on: June 21, 2013, 11:54:39 am »
One last thought - Northern Brewer isn't necessarily the cheapest vendor, so price it around, including EBay or other auction sites.  Good luck - with that capacity, you won't need to brew often!

Well, right now we are brewing 2-3 times a week.  Maybe we can go to just once a week.  LOL