Ads without a price

[David Kennedy]

I often notice ads in the classified section that do not list a price.
Is this through forgetfulness when placing the ad or is it some selling ploy to get you interested?
Personally, I find it very annoying when the price is not displayed and skip over the listing. Am I alone in this?

[FLATROCK HILL]

No... you are not alone in this. I never, ever respond to an ad with no price listed. No price... No Dice.

[pops1]

Same here, how do I know if I am interested if I don't know the price.

[sblock]

Some folks are just not very good at writing ads, or they lack experience, and simply forget to include the price. In some other cases, the price isn't found in the body of the ad, but it can be found in the title. However, in those cases where the price has deliberately been omitted, it would seem that the seller is playing a manipulative game with potential buyers. In my opinion, buyers should not take the bait and play such games.

[Jeff Mando]

It is actually a holdover from my father's generation. Money wasn't discussed, in fact, it was rude to talk about it. After you bought it, you never mentioned how much you paid for it -- if someone was rude enough to ask -- he would look them directly in the eye and say, "I'd rather not say." -- thereby ending the discussion. Along with politics and religion, money was not something polite people discussed. I never knew how much my father made or how much he had in the bank, until he died -- actually, not until my mother died, since he died first, FWIW -- it was not something children needed to know.

In business and when selling, not listing a price is always intentional. The seller wants you to make that much of a commitment to contact them, if nothing more than to ask the price. Some "old school" salesmen think if I get their foot in the door I can sell them on it. Pretty dated, in this day and age, IMHO, but it still seems to be a fairly common practice.

[Pittsburgh Bill]

I find no price is almost as disturbing as someone posting a guitar or banjo in the mandolin classifieds.

[rcc56]

An opinion from one of my friends: "They're embarrassed to publish their price because it's too high."
My take on it: If you don't publish a price, I'm not interested, and you've lost a potential customer.

[MontanaMatt]

I’m guilty of inquiring on unpriced listings that I have not interest or ability to buy, just out of curiosity. I figure the lister might want the bother.

[M19]

On the AGF it is policy that Classified ads must have a price. Even ones for trade. It the seller doesn't respond to a Mod request for a price, the thread is closed/deleted.

[multidon]

That may be the policy but it doesn’t seem to be consistently enforced.

[Jeff Mando]

I should add that sometimes a seller is looking for a "special" buyer. I have a friend who is a true "collector" of instruments -- much more than just a player. His interest is in finding instruments that are completely mint or having an amazing pedigree and backstory or BOTH. He often pays double the going rate for a vintage instrument because he feels it is better than the average ones out there.

Even though most of us can ascertain the retail price of something with a few google clicks, there are still a few old school dealers who realize some buyers will pay a premium for certain instruments, way beyond "blue book" prices and are happy to cater to those buyers. Of course, those customers like being pampered through the process of buying an instrument and sometimes have unreasonable demands as to condition, details, packing, etc., IMHO.

[poul hansen]

It could just be greed. They are so afraid to set a price too low, so they miss out on the last 10$, so they want you to bid and if others do the same, these modern Scrooges can sit in their little dark chamber and find the one that will give them a 11.72$ higher profit.

[Tom C]

I assume they are over priced.

[CES]

Unless it’s something I’m really looking for or unusual that I can’t pass on checking out, I pass by the priceless adds as well. I know there are some people who love to barter (or “dicker,” as my dad would say), but I’m not one of them...

[mrmando]

Yes, ads without a price really frost my grits, but if I am interested I'll ask about the instrument anyway. Most of the time it's a case of the seller forgetting to mention the price.

[jimmy powells]

Perhaps it is wanting to click on the link to a dealer's website which is just a normal entrepreneurial thing to do. Doesn;t bother me at all. If I am seriously interested in the instrument then it's no hassle to enquire. I have to say though that it is not the best way to advertise as I agree that many potential buyers will by-pass that advert.

Some people genuinely do forget. I've done that myself on a rare occasion.

[fatt-dad]

Just pitch your price. May happen?

f-d

[A-board]

I bought my current mandolins through Cafe classifieds. I had a short list of wants. Knowing the price was the trigger for me each time. No price, no response. But fatt-dad makes a valid point.

[lflngpicker]

It occurs to me, and I hope I didn't miss anyone else above adding this, that those that have no price are often the mandolins that are $10,000 and above. They seem to be saying, "There is no need to list a price because if you know what it is, then you will be realistic about what it will be priced at." It is confusing to me because I am not necessarily familiar with all of the various builders. Interesting topic!

[Ranald]

We were talking on another thread about how many of us dislike haggling while some thrive on it. In some cases, perhaps the ads are from the hagglers.

[Tom Sanderson]

If you have to ask you can’t afford it.

[M19]

That may be the policy but it doesn’t seem to be consistently enforced.

On the Acoustic Guitar Forum (the aforementioned AGF) it certainly is. I was a Mod there for a few years.

[Hudmister]

Although not in the No Price category but similar are ads that only picture the back of the mandolin. I suppose it's to draw you in further by trying to get you to visit the site to see what the front looks like. Another strategy to manipulate a potential buyer and draw you in further.

[slimt]

Im not into fishing .

[JeffD]

Price is just a piece of information. Like condition, history, case included, shipping, return policy. Whatever information that is "missing" I just ask about it. Easy.