Being Un"reasonable"

I hate when people put an advertisement up looking for some service or item and they say they want it at a "reasonable price". I have found that most of these people don't really mean that they are willing to pay a "reasonable price", they actually mean they want the item or service "dirt-friggin-cheap or better yet, free".

My definition of "reasonable price" as the seller of the item or service is different than their definition as the buyer. As the seller, I want to get the price that is closest to the actual retail value. If I am selling a service, I want a payment that will cover my time, travel, and materials at their fair market value. I am usually not interested in giving away an item or offering a free service unless I feel the item or service is not worth value to me.



The buyer, on the other hand, wants the lowest possible price. I understand this. I am a cheap person and want to buy stuff for the least price possible. It bugs me when people who are looking for a product or service don't put what they are willing to pay on their ads. I have no way of knowing how much they are willing to pay unless I spend the time to contact them and find out. It is a waste of my time to contact someone who has no desire to pay close to what I want. I just wasted my time giving them a price quote and they wasted their time waiting for my response. I look like a scammer to them because I gave them what they believe is an unreasonable price and they look like cheap bastards to me because they are unwilling to meet my demands. This can certainly hinder future business for both the buyer and the seller due to the gridlock. It can tarnish both peoples names and reputations for sure.



If you are going to post a want ad for an item or service, please put a range of what you are willing to pay for that item or service on the ad. If your stated price is too low, I may be willing to work with you to agree to something we both can feel happy about.