Reticence about pricing in agriculture

20silkcut

Was moved to start this thread after a phone call this morning with a guy enquiring about a part for a tractor.
He had the particular part I wanted but no matter how much I asked he would not tell me the price. He kept saying come in and I'll talk to you. Like what the jaysus did he want to see how much of an idiot I was before deciding how much to charge me. What is it all about? It is rife on done deal as well I don't know how many times I have rang guys and they refuse to tell you what they want for an item.
Like you go into a shop or a supermarket and the price is on the item. why is there such determination to keep the buyer in the dark in the agricultural community.

mythos110

I know from selling a few larger value items on DD that I am slow enough to give too much away over the phone as you can get some eegit wanting to haggle with you on the phone before seeing the machine. Then expects that they'll come and get more off in the flesh, or not turn up at all. That being said, I always give my ballpark price on something and don't usually keep a whole pile in reserve as I like to think I'd have a reasonable idea of the price of the item I'm selling, not like some dreamers out there.

I do see your point though, that not getting any indication of price puts a potential buyer off and can often be a sign of a guy fishing to see what the value of his item might be before committing to selling.

cute geoge

I had this argument with sales man of agri shop over they could not give price to me over phone .In fairness they told me ,they did not know if i was a similar agri shop just checking to get a competitive price on items.
Another thing i find most annoying is ringing for prices i am in the know and sales man telling he will get back to me .By the time he rings me back with prices ,i would have moved on to some other job and could not really compare prices .Is this a bit of a gimmick by sales men .Even the oil sales man has to get back to me with a price and only has prices for green ,white and kerrosine

Bass Reeves

I have come across it a few times. Some swellers fail to understand that the buyer have to travel to see the cattle or the machine. I have done a deal over the phone at times where the item is something that you have no worry about it mechanically wise. Once was a front weight box for a tractor, another time it was for a small trailer and also for a oil tank. In the case of the oiltank it allowed me to bring the trailer with me and do it in one spin.

I have seen it with cattle where a lad was less than 10 miles from me and he was secretive about the price. I explained that I would not go accross the road to see cattrle unless I knew the price as it was a waste of time to arrive at a place and find that owner was looking for top mart price. I had a sh!tty experience with a tractor about 6-7 years ago where I travelled over 100 miles tpo buy a tractor to find the dealer wanted cash for it and was adding 21% VAT for the tractor if I paid by cheque.:eek:. What a waste of a day.

Part of it is that if you turn up to see something, you are interested and you have already invested time and effort you are more likely to buy, rather than walk away empty handed.

It also filters out some time wasters.

Limestone Cowboy

It's fair annoying. Rang about a bull in the local paper a few years back. No way would he tell me the price over the phone but he was local enough so I went for a look anyway. Asked me 2500 for what I could only describe as a bad bullock. I told him the best thing he could do is squeeze him and left. I'd be fair thick if I had travelled any distance. I wouldn't bother even trying to do a deal with someone like that any more, waste of time.

Bass Reeves

Deleted User wrote: »

Part of it is that if you turn up to see something, you are interested and you have already invested time and effort you are more likely to buy, rather than walk away empty handed.

It also filters out some time wasters.

The problem with this thinking is that to alot of people time is money and you have diesel costs as well. It costs money to go and see something. There is no point in travelling 30 min-hour to see something have have no knowledge of sellers price on the product or animals. Some forget that a buyers will be reluctant to travel in such a case and I personnelly would not.

The truth is that if you advertize the price in general lads will eith decide it worth a visit or will not be bothered ringing.

ganmo

I don't understand why a shop wouldn't give ya a price over the phone. You either have confidence in your pricing or they should change it.
As far as DD goes theres ppl that put crazy high prices on the ad so that they can drop the price and buyers that get pissed when they don't get anything knocked off when something is realistically priced

Mooooo

It can be a pain in the hole, even pricing sheds or anything can be like pulling teeth to get a price

Bass Reeves

Mooooo wrote: »

It can be a pain in the hole, even pricing sheds or anything can be like pulling teeth to get a price

Even going into agri stores or machinery stores to see nothing priced on the shelves. You have to ask for individual prices for everything. It actuall discourages you from buying stuff

kowtow

It's all part of a random and irritating haggling game.

There are some weird and wonderful ideas of what something is worth... quite often based on what was paid for it.

I was asked recently to pay about four times over the odds for a mobile tank on the basis that It "cost nearly that 25 years ago" and the (new) replacement was shockingly expensive.

Haggling bores me so I have a strict policy and I warn sellers in advance 1. I always pay the first price asked if I am going to buy at all and 2. I never get ripped off twice by the same person.

On the other hand some people live for bargaining!

_Brian

I don't deal with guys who aren't open about pricing.
I never even ring adds on DD with no price, far too many either want a chat of know well they are selling sub standard goods and hope that when your there you'll be pressured into a sale.

If your hiding prices then your likely hiding something else.

We sometimes sell stock on DD and always put a price on them.

In no other industry have I come across this practice.

Muckit

Bass Reeves wrote: »

Even going into agri stores or machinery stores to see nothing priced on the shelves. You have to ask for individual prices for everything. It actuall discourages you from buying stuff

This is why online agri businesses are doing so well. You know your cost upfront and can now get it delivered to your door at very reasonable rates.

Bass Reeves

Muckit wrote: »

This is why online agri businesses are doing so well. You know your cost upfront and can now get it delivered to your door at very reasonable rates.

That along with the fact that they are often 40% cheaper than co-op stores.

patsy_mccabe

In fairness the COOP stores do have the prices up on their website. Half the item not priced in the store though.:D
Every chancer in the country is selling in Donedeal. Buyer beware.

tanko

kowtow wrote: »

It's all part of a random and irritating haggling game.

There are some weird and wonderful ideas of what something is worth... quite often based on what was paid for it.

I was asked recently to pay about four times over the odds for a mobile tank on the basis that It "cost nearly that 25 years ago" and the (new) replacement was shockingly expensive.

Haggling bores me so I have a strict policy and I warn sellers in advance 1. I always pay the first price asked if I am going to buy at all and 2. I never get ripped off twice by the same person.

On the other hand some people live for bargaining!

The haggling sketch from "The life of Brian" comes to mind.

MF290

Had to google what "reticence" meant...

MF290

kowtow wrote: »

It's all part of a random and irritating haggling game.

There are some weird and wonderful ideas of what something is worth... quite often based on what was paid for it.

I was asked recently to pay about four times over the odds for a mobile tank on the basis that It "cost nearly that 25 years ago" and the (new) replacement was shockingly expensive.

Haggling bores me so I have a strict policy and I warn sellers in advance 1. I always pay the first price asked if I am going to buy at all and 2. I never get ripped off twice by the same person.

On the other hand some people live for bargaining!

I'd always ask for a discount tbh. Was getting the battery replaced in my phone and laptop the yesterday, tenner knocked off the price which I wouldn't get if I didn't ask. Not much but it's the price of two pints for a poor student like me!

Attie

MF290 wrote: »

Had to google what "reticence" meant...

Ah go on go on go on go on go on go on Ah go on go on go ongo on go on go on

_Brian

MF290 wrote: »

Had to google what "reticence" meant...

Every days a school day on Boards

The part time boy

I think a lot of people do it in the hope of getting the sucker into his yard and once his driven all the way he pay the stupid high price to make it worth it while

Another bug bear of mine is people not putting up prices on done deal. I won't actally ring people who have no prices . I deal with some one who put a price up

lazybones32

I think it might be a remnant of shame/embarrassment of talking about money.
Protocols had to be followed and habits die hard. If they're not straight, hang up and move on. Don't waste time.

20silkcut

Muckit wrote: »

This is why online agri businesses are doing so well. You know your cost upfront and can now get it delivered to your door at very reasonable rates.

Yes online stores are great and the likes of e bay etc. it is extremely jarring to switch from operating in an online world to operating in the real world where lads won't tell you prices.
While I find it hard to accept the done deal situation I can understand if lads can't really think of a price to put on stuff and are open to offers.
But to be luring people on long journeys by not putting up prices is just the height of mickeying around.
And it is totally unacceptable for machinery stores and business to be so coy about their prices. Makes no sense. The next store man that won't tell me the price of a yoke over the phone will be told to shove it where the sun don't shine.

patsy_mccabe

The culture in Irish farming is that lads expect to get a bit off the asking price. So you put in on, to take it off. Sorry, but that's the way it is. It's like the equivalent of a tip in the USA.

20silkcut

lazybones32 wrote: »

I think it might be a remnant of shame/embarrassment of talking about money.
Protocols had to be followed and habits die hard. If they're not straight, hang up and move on. Don't waste time.

Yes often came across that when you'd ask a lad a price he would say "ah don't worry about that" as if he was doing you a favour by not talking about such a burdensome topic as money.
Another favourite is a fella fobbing you off on the price until the very last minute while organising all the finer details of a job and building rapport so that it is awkwardly offensive to refuse him over such a trivial matter as the price.
No doubt about it would be a much simpler stress free life if every product and service had a clearly marked well defined justified price. Stress levels go through the roof if you think you are being screwed on price and this muddying of the waters with price reticence is a major contributor to that.
It seems there is still room for the con man and those to be conned. Hopefully technology and the online world will someday eradicate it.
There is a market opportunity for someone to come up with a way of outing such behaviour and achieving pricing transparency.

blue5000

I think agri stores are the worst.

No prices on the shelves, then there are two prices, or in some cases 3. A pay today (cash) price, a pay in a month price or a credit price with 1.4% interest per month on top. I am just buying more and more inputs on-line, pay by debit card and courier delivers it the next day or the day after.
I'm not in a purchasing group, but I feel that people who are not in a group are being forced to pay extra to subsidize group discounted sales.

Bass Reeves

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

The culture in Irish farming is that lads expect to get a bit off the asking price. So you put in on, to take it off. Sorry, but that's the way it is. It's like the equivalent of a tip in the USA.

I do not think that is the total story. Know a contractor that is looking to buy silage plastic at present. He is looking for a particular brand silo-king. He cannot get a price from any distributor as none want to price until main silage season starts when he will be up to his tonsils. Last year he ended up having to buy in 2-3 lots rather than order at start of year.

Not sure about adding it on to take it off. There a real case that when selling cattle in particular lads do not know the value. They then put up a stupid price where by lads will not bother making a call and if you do ring ''sure call anyway and we will do a deal''. Even if you call they still do not know the value of them.

Yes I will look to haggle but if item is priced right I will pay anyway. Bought a front weight carrierfor a tractor lately. Lad had it priced at 150 called to his yard looked tp haggle he refused to budge got him to put it in the back of the van and stumped up. On the other side rang about a oil tank about 1kL smallish tank he was looking for 110 told him if I was calling I have the trailer and would he take 90 euro ( I have paid the 110) but he was happy with 90 euro.

I have sold small bits and pieces on DD and never had to drop by more that 10-20 euro and usually stuck to my prices and gave them 5 euro for a pint going out the gate

blue5000 wrote: »

I think agri stores are the worst.

No prices on the shelves, then there are two prices, or in some cases 3. A pay today (cash) price, a pay in a month price or a credit price with 1.4% interest per month on top. I am just buying more and more inputs on-line, pay by debit card and courier delivers it the next day or the day after.
I'm not in a purchasing group, but I feel that people who are not in a group are being forced to pay extra to subsidize group discounted sales.

Animal medicines are a case in point buy all on line. Electric fencing reels, string staples gate springs etc. Buy ration from the mills in bulk, fertlizer is a pain in the butt to buywish there was 1-2 online dealers that you could ring up

cute geoge

Lads buying stuff on dd ,is it mostly cash deals .You would see some stuff priced right on dd but only cash accepted

patsy_mccabe

If you cash buy, you pay twice the price.

ganmo

Bass Reeves wrote: »

I do not think that is the total story. Know a contractor that is looking to buy silage plastic at present. He is looking for a particular brand silo-king. He cannot get a price from any distributor as none want to price until main silage season starts when he will be up to his tonsils. Last year he ended up having to buy in 2-3 lots rather than order at start of year.

it could be that they don't have this year's prices yet

Attie

[/QUOTE]
it could be that they don't have this year's prices yet[/quote]
He could try these people

http://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/silage-wrap-prices-set-to-increase-by-e7roll/

Bass Reeves

ganmo wrote: »

it could be that they don't have this year's prices yet

30 day before the silage season starts and they cannot give you a price on plastic.

Mooooo

Bass Reeves wrote: »

30 day before the silage season starts and they cannot give you a price on plastic.

You could argue its the start of season really, a lot of lads doing more with paddocks just before main season