stuarthesmith Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 This is a piece of business advice that really works for me. Anytime I see a deal on craigslist, or a buy it now deal on ebay that I just have to get, I move like LIGHTNING. The reason a mongoose always defeats a cobra is that the mongoose is FAST. The other reason the mongoose wins is that the mongoose has sharp teeth (in other words, I always bring cash to the deal, and not promises or checks). I also never delegate a deal to someone else. No emissaries can be as enthusiastic as I can be, so when I go to buy something that I want or need, I do my own dirty work. Second place just doesn't cut it when you are trying to purchase a bargain, especially on the internet. Buying a deal is a FOOTRACE, and there are no silver or bronze medals on craigslist, only a winner who walks away with the deal. Procrastination, when trying to buy an anvil or forge, will insure that an earlier bird gets the worm or bargain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulKrzysz Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Also if you see something that is a steal, so will everyone else. Offer up $10 more and they will be more likely to contact you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarthesmith Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 wow, paulky, that is an excellent idea, I am going to do that from now on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiley904 Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I think the general idea of hoptoitiveness is important in most aspects of life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 Thomas Powers Applied Anvil Acquisition Technique or TPAAAT has a lot of good advice for finding anvils and all manner of things. Put the word out to everyone about what you want. Carry CASH at all times cause you never know when you will find the deal. If you use an agent, the agent will do your bidding for that ONE ITEM. If you go in person, you can decide if it is a deal, or not, and if there is another deal on the other side of the room. Carry extra cash cause there may be more in the background that you will want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuarthesmith Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 I recently bought something on craigslist, after they guy told me over the phone that he recieved thirty calls. I told him "the 31st caller, me, is the winner, now give me your address so that I can use yahoo directions to find your house"..................I got there in two shakes with money in hand..............sometimes you just have to be assertive.............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzer Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 +1 I have always gone by these "rules" and often walk away with the item at a good price. While I keep a few "feelers" out on prices, I won't look for an item unless I have cash in hand. Having been the seller a few times, I can attest to the number of "tire kickers" and people wanting me to hold an item while they come up with the money (who will never call again) etc. I have also had a seller contact me now and then when they are going to sell another item along similar lines, to see if I might be interested. I've gotten a few great deals here and there over the years, as they sell direct to me rather than go through the hassel of dealing with placing and ad, etc. since they know I will show up and pay cash. It also never hurts to chat with a seller and let them know what else you are in the market for. I have gotten calls from friends of theirs later on, wanting to sell other items, and I already had a good rep with them from their friend. Networking! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 I've had a lot of people tell me that they can't get the good deals as they have spent all their money on the bad ones! Often it's far better to wait building up the cash while looking for a good deal than to run out and pay twice as much for a bad deal and then not have any money when a good one shows up. (there are situations where Soon is more important than Cheap though) Get something like one of the "christmas savings accounts" at the bank and dump $10 in it a week and then when a great deal shows up you may have the money to cover it just waiting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macbruce Posted November 19, 2012 Share Posted November 19, 2012 The mongoose may always win in nature but in business I prefer to be the wise old cobra if I can, when I'm the one doing the selling that is......I always start my price higher than I think it should be or in other words factor in some money you weren't counting on anyway cause most folks will always do a little dickering if they're smart, I ALWAYS do unless the price is listed firm. If the the phone starts ringing off the hook and your email gets stuffed with replies, you're too low (I hate that). If I don't get any bites then I lower the price every few days by 10% or so and keep my cool.....Case and point; I sold an 80LB PW anvil in ''good'' condition awile back and paid $245 for it at an antique store, smoothed it up and made it pretty then sold it for $390 on CL (yeah, I'm a filthy capitalist). I threw in a stump to put it on and my gratefull customer wanted to give me another $10 which I refused cause we were both happy with the deal and to take $10 for the stump seemed CS on my part.....If he'd offered less, I would have taken less but some folks don't have the dicker bone in they're head, God love em.... :) ....He was the only call I got in 2-3 days and that's the way I like it..... B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Creek Posted January 2, 2013 Share Posted January 2, 2013 I saw a CL ad for "scrap metal" for FREE. In the pic of a pile of junk I saw what looked to be a post vise hooked to a table. Called and guy said someone else was on the way. I told him "I really need a junk metal table for some welding. I will give you $20 to let me take only that" It worked. He put the table with vise behind his van and I got a heckuva deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nuge Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 Remember, it isn't a deal unless you are getting the one you really want. Sucks to buy one size down because its cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matto Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 i let a lot of antique dealers, estate appraisers, and "junk" deals know what i want. i now have two that will call me on items when they are at auctions or estate sales. one will just pick the stuff i want up and then keep them in the back of his shop for me. he always charges me the same unless i can show him something wrong on the item. like missing parts or badly abused. i have recently got 5 leg vises from him, one 85# peter write, one 50# iron city, one 50# columbian, one 35# columbian and one 50# i think peter write. all for under $35 each. he also gets and keeps a couple boxes of hammers and files for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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