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Should I even bother?
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 1:50 pm
by kendalcottages
Can we stay in your apartment for 1 night? please let me know
I politely pointed out that, whilst it was technically possible to stay for one night, he would in fact have to pay for three, as this is our minimum stay.
He then responded with:
Morning Paul,
I can pay you £90 for 1 night, I feel it is unfair that i have to pay for 3 nights when i can only stay 1 night. It is your call, If your apartment hasn't been booked then your better off taking £90 rather than nothing.
I know what i would do
(As it turns out, the £90 'offer' is actually less than one third of the 3 night rate anyhow!)
I politely declined, and this was met with:
your lost
...by which I assume he meant "your loss". Charming.
Actually, had we accepted, it probably
would have been our loss, as I don't think we'd make anything out of £90 once you take into account the clean, the laundry, etc. and all other overheads.
Anyway, that's not really my point. My question is, do I bother even replying? I took the decision not to, but was sorely tempted to explain why our terms and prices are as they are, but instead felt it would just land on deaf ears.
What would you do?
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:00 pm
by apexblue
Ignore
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:09 pm
by Marks
apexblue wrote:Ignore
Agree. Replying will only produce a response to which you feel you need to reply..........
Re: Should I even bother?
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:31 pm
by Nightowl
kendalcottages wrote:
Actually, had we accepted, it probably would have been our loss, as I don't think we'd make anything out of £90 once you take into account the clean, the laundry, etc. and all other overheads.
It's true but some people seem to think that our prices are pure profit! No taking account of any overheads.. I decline 1 nighters for the same reason but have had the same sort of stroppy responses. You still have to clean the whole house through even for 1 night. They're going use the bathroom and the rest of the place and it's all going to need cleaning.
Sometimes I do feel like replying with a breakdown of my costs but in truth, can't be arsed with it...
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 2:32 pm
by CarolineH
I have this dilema a lot. I frequently get asked for 1 nighters - this is usually because there is a huge function room in our village and people want to stay the night after a big party - which is mainly why I have a policy of not accepting (I don't want drunk people rolling in at 4am!)
My take is that if you have a policy, you stick with it (there was a reason for having it the first place, wasn't there?)
It's your property and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone. This guy isn't interested in the why's, he just wants to stay for one night and you don't do that ... Don't waste your breath
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2011 8:20 pm
by Maurmc
CarolineH wrote:
It's your property and you don't have to explain yourself to anyone. This guy isn't interested in the why's, he just wants to stay for one night and you don't do that ... Don't waste your breath
Agree totally. Not worth wasting energy on this one!
Re: Should I even bother?
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:24 am
by Normandie
kendalcottages wrote:Anyway, that's not really my point. My question is, do I bother even replying? I took the decision not to, but was sorely tempted to explain why our terms and prices are as they are, but instead felt it would just land on deaf ears.
Why would you bother continuing a "conversation" with a self-obsessed, ill-mannered, petulant plonker? Waste no more effort... definitely don't
ever think of explaining your business costs to him - or to anyone else trying to get a deal... delete him and move on.
Re: Should I even bother?
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:26 am
by Giddy Goat
Normandie wrote: a self-obsessed, ill-mannered, petulant plonker
Wonderful.
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:54 am
by Jimbo
Waste no more effort... definitely don't ever think of explaining your business costs to him - or to anyone else trying to get a deal... delete him and move on.
Agree, of course, but, recently, I had the opportunity to see this from the other side of the fence.
I spotted some second-hand sun loungers on a forum. Not really my favoured type, bit of an odd colour and rather too expensive (I thought), but might fill an odd gap. So, I sent a polite enquiry, explaining the above, plus the fact that I would have to travel some distance to collect them and offered 20% under the asking price. I assumed that they would accept, offer to meet me in the middle or ignore me. Instead, I received an angry reply and an increased price for the chairs (presumably for my impertinence). Not sure why people get so upset when you make them a genuine offer?
Jim
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:08 am
by Giddy Goat
Mmm, it depends on how the offer is made doesn't it Jim and for what type of purchase, to an extent. You were buying goods rather than accommodation which is less measurable in terms of profit.
You wrote very politely and the vendor's response was a total over-reaction. He too was a self-obsessed, ill-mannered, petulant plonker!
In due course I suspect he will have to reduce the price of the sunloungers in order to get a nibble.
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 8:20 am
by Normandie
Jimbo wrote:I assumed that they would accept, offer to meet me in the middle or ignore me. Instead, I received an angry reply and an increased price for the chairs (presumably for my impertinence). Not sure why people get so upset when you make them a genuine offer?
They take it personally - and somehow decide you are showing a lack of respect towards them rather than making a reasoned, businesslike offer on the product they are selling. Were you using an AngloMisInfo? Because if so, the sort of response you received does not surprise me at all.
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 9:34 am
by Mouse
I would have a standard reply for these type of enquiries explaining that you're not a B&B renting 1 room and that the costs don't stack up.
That way you just fire them off a reply and forget about it.
Mousie
x
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:52 am
by Jimbo
Normandie wrote:Were you using an AngloMisInfo? Because if so, the sort of response you received does not surprise me at all.
Ha Ha. Not on this occasion but, yes, aren't they a feisty and touchy bunch on AngloInfo. Even trying to buy something as innocuous as a pepper-mill will guarantee incoming salvoes about third-world exploitation, Dr. Pepper addiction, is 'Sergeant Pepper' a better album than 'Electric Ladyland' and what's wrong with those little shakers of pepper and salt that were good enough for his (always a him) parents! And that's before you've queried the price!
Jim
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 6:54 am
by la vache!
If you want anything, Jim, I can recommend Leboncoin. I've found everything I wanted to buy on there, and sold everything I wanted to sell. But whenever I advertise anything on there, I add 15% into the asking price because the people buying like to think they have a bargin.
Back to the thread, I wouldn't reply. I've had a few 'best price' queries and when I quote them the actual price and they come back with "its above our budget", I just ignore it.
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:37 am
by Normandie
I agree - leboncoin.fr is great. We did advertise a car on our local MisInfo a couple of years ago. At the same time we put it on leboncoin for slightly more money - as you say, LV.
We had a couple of muppets phone from AI offering half what we were asking before they'd even come and see it. Within an hour of it going live on leboncoin (takes 24 hours from when the ad is placed) we'd sold it for the full AI price and had 7 serious calls about it, none of whom were quibbling over the price.
Sorry for dragging the topic off again 
but I love leboncoin. I treat it as a sort of online TKMaxx.