Say you have a big price proven show horse for sale Some one emails you and all they want to know is price. You care where the horse goes and needs a proven show home. How do you handle inquiries like that. I personally feel I don’t want to blurt out the price to every one because a lot them are of looking for a $5,000 or less horse, or they really have no intention of buying, are just curious.
Well, considering how many threads there are out there about sale ad pet peeves, with no price being listed always the #1 issue, why not at least HINT at the price in your ad?
People probably don’t want to waste their time or yours asking a ton of questions until they know if the horse is something they can even consider. What’s the harm in giving them an answer?
I personally get very frustrated with sale ads listed with no price guildelines. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time if I simply could never afford the horse listed. I’m sure the OP’s horse is very high quality… but just as a personal example, in my search for young prospects, I see TB’s started under saddle wtc jumping small courses priced anywhere from $1k-20k depending on the seller and quality. It is hard to guess!
I think it is respectful to the buyer (and a whole lot easier) to at least post a price range!
I agree. At least give an idea to price range. When i was searching for a year there were horses that I had to email sellers to get a price on. I was looking up to 20k and some of those horses could have been ithat range IMO yet some were and some were not. I wouldn’t ask a lot of questions until I knew if that horse was even in a price range i was looking at. If it was then i would email back and ask more etc or call the seller.
Give a range, something like, “Hi, Dobbin is priced in the high five (or low six) figures”. Doesn’t need to be the exact price. I’d put a range in the ad to eliminate at least some of those emails.
What do you mean by “Big Price”? One persons big price is over 10k. Another’s is over 100k.
So, what in your ad copy tells the buyer what range your asking price falls within? Over 10k? Between 10 and 20? 50k+? How are buyers supposed to know how you define"big price" when that definition depends on individual experience?
At least attach a price range to the ad and be aware the real “big price” horses are offered thru well known agents to well known agents. I mean, I really don’t know anybody who buys at 6 figures so I really don’t expect that group to respond to an Internet ad from me, an unknown in that rarefied atmosphere.
So, what in that ad tells a buyer why the horse justifies a “big price” and be upfront about how big the price is as well as what it’s doing. After all, big prices are very relative to the level of competition. 50k is a big price for modest 2’6" move up to 3’ in Hunters or a <1m that can handle 1.2m. But bargain basement for 1.2m that can handle open water and move up or a competitive 3’Hunter that can handle 3’6" under an A/O.
So, what you got? Share that with at least a price range.
If you were shopping for a car, wouldn’t you want to know the price upfront? Speaking as both a buyer and a seller, I don’t want people spending a lot of my time and theirs inquiring about my very competitive and HB zone champion four year old hunter prospect if they only have $5,000 to spend.
Similarly, when shopping for a horse, I have a price range in mind that I am willing and able to pay BEFORE I start seriously looking. So, if my price range is under $50k, I don’t bother calling about horses listed at $100k and up.
I don’t deal in horse sales one bit but I still never could understand why pricing is not listed sometimes.
When I have been horse shopping I first want to know just a few things before I waste anyone’s time further inquiring…
- age
- Mare, gelding or stallion
- Price
- height
- breed
I think it’s okay if it says low four figures but still never understood why horse sales people don’t want to list prices…
[QUOTE=GoForAGallop;7088267]
Well, considering how many threads there are out there about sale ad pet peeves, with no price being listed always the #1 issue, why not at least HINT at the price in your ad?[/QUOTE]
I so agree with you. “Reasonably priced” to one person is not reasonable to another. “Serious Inquiries Only” can mean a lot of things. I never get why people dont put prices in their ads.
[QUOTE=Silk;7088483]
I so agree with you. “Reasonably priced” to one person is not reasonable to another. “Serious Inquiries Only” can mean a lot of things. I never get why people dont put prices in their ads.[/QUOTE]
Maybe they do it so people WILL inquire? If it says reasonably priced then I with the 25,000 budget may have a chance?! :lol:
If you don’t want tire kickers you should list the price.
Of course you should respond. If you are hesitant to give an exact number, you can say between 45 and 60k or something like that.
As someone currently shopping, I send that email often. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time if the horse is out of my budget. I’d much prefer it was actually in the ad.
[QUOTE=blueribbonpanel;7088251]
a lot them are of looking for a $5,000 or less horse, or they really have no intention of buying, are just curious.[/QUOTE]
You could get rid of most of those inquiries by listing price, or at least a price range.
W/O at least a price range “proven show home” could just get you someone actively showing on a local non-rated circuit.
Po-tay-toe, Po-tah-toe: to them it is still a “show home”
If you truly are not comfortable listing a price range, then perhaps add something about AA Circuit (or whatever level you feel horse is showing/winning).
That may separate the sheepsies from the goatsies.
I think you should just give the price or at least a range, as others have said. Don’t assume that everyone who asks that question cannot afford your "big price. I personally don’t see the harm in responding to that type of inquiry. That is how many of my prior horse purchases initiated. And some of them would have been considered “big money” to some people and pocket change to others. It’s all relative!
I have never understood why the price is such a secret anyways and agree that at least a price range is a must.
I get put off by “Serious inquiries only” or “Private Treaty.” Just say what you mean. If you are pricing the horse according to the home, and many do, then at least have a leaping off point so people know if their budget is even in the ballpark.
Sometime the tone of the email and the email addy of the sender can be a guide. An email in “text speak” from someone calling herself “beiberfan2001” isn’t the same as one from “'MyName@fancypantsfarm”. If the sender says nothing but “what’s the price” I’d be less likely to be forthcoming than if they inquiry asks other questions about the horse and his record.
I do agree that pricing guidelines are useful. I tend to think that horses advertised without prices are often those where a deal will be cut by trainers that benefits the pros more than the buyer and seller.
Blueribbonpanel, you’re selling something. Why in the world is the price a secret? If you would do the sensible thing that every horse buyer wants you would list the price. Then you wouldn’t have to deal with the irritating (to you) buyers who only have 5K to spend.
I don’t inquire about any consumer item if the price is not up front. There is an appliance store here called Pacific Sales. I went there to price some appliances for a remodel and nothing had prices. Nothing. There was a large display of sinks, probably thirty, and I asked the clerk where the prices were and he responded, “Which one did you want? I’ll look it up.” I said it depended on the price and he wanted to know the price range. Well, just because I might be willing to pay $400 for a porcelain cast iron sink does not mean I will pay the same for a stainless steel sink. I want to be the one to do the screening, and I want to look at the items without someone questioning me and breathing down my neck. It had the feel of a car dealership. Anyway, I said no thank you, and left, and found a perfect sink at Home Depot which happened to be on sale.
It seems to me there is an intrinsic dishonesty when a seller doesn’t state the price of a higher-priced item. I assume they are sizing up the customer and hiking up the price if they feel the customer will pay. Of course, the ultimate value of anything is in what the buyer will pay, and if it works for the seller, fine. It doesn’t work for me.
I also think price ranges are stupid. If you list the range as being between $5,000 and $6,000, no one is going to offer $6,000; why would they? They are going to offer $5,000, and since you have defined that as the low price you are willing to accept, they know you will agree to it. Yes, the terms of the sale can change the price, but stating the cash-in-hand sales price is the best way to go, in my opinion, and it just makes more sense to say the price is $6,000, cash. If the horse is in no way worth that, no one will respond, and it should be obvious from the description approximately what the horse is worth.
Another thing is, do you really want to deal with calls from people who are not potential buyers? Are you hoping those who are looking for a substantially less expensive horse will call so you can sell them on your horse? I would not want to do that, but I know some people who are good at sales and would actually enjoy the challenge.
