How to negotiate the price fairly and successfully

How do you prepare to negotiate a price?

A good negotiation starts before the first message. If you know what similar items sell for, you can explain your offer instead of guessing. The Australian consumer group CHOICE gives the same advice: research the market before you haggle, so you have an idea of what a reasonable price would be. It's worth the effort with used goods in particular, because their value is open to debate.

• Use the Afër search to look for the same model or a similar item, and look at several listings, not just the cheapest one.
• Filter by condition (New, Like new, Used, Heavily used) so you compare like with like.
• Sort by "Price: low → high" to see the range. When you compare by price, the search shows listings in one currency, because Afër doesn't convert between euros and lek.
• Note the age, accessories and flaws you can see in the description and photos. A phone with its original box and a new battery can fairly cost more than the same model with scratches and no charger.
• Set your limit in advance: the amount at which you'd rather keep looking.

The price in a listing is what the seller hopes to get, not an official value. Afër doesn't check prices; the comparison is your own work, and it's exactly what gives you your arguments later.

Also look for a small label next to the price. If the seller switched on the "Price is negotiable" option when posting, Afër shows Negotiable next to the price, on the listing page and on the listing card in the search results, in both grid and list view. That's a sign the seller is open to talking about the price. If the label isn't on the listing page, the seller didn't switch the option on, and that's all it tells you. The only way to find out whether there's room is to ask politely.

What should your first message to the seller say?

Your first message helps decide whether the seller enjoys negotiating with you. Say hello, name the item and start with questions about the item itself, not the price. That shows real interest, and the answers give you the reasons for your offer later on.

• How old is it, and do you still have the receipt or the box?
• Does it have any flaws, scratches or repairs that don't show in the photos?
• Which accessories come with it, such as a charger, a remote or spare parts?
• When and where would suit you, so I can come and see it?

For example: "Hi, I'm interested in your bike. Do the brakes and gears work well, and has anything been replaced?" That gets you further than "Last price?" or a low number with nothing else. Opening with a lowball offer before you know anything about the item can come across as not serious, and then the seller has little reason to meet you halfway.

Write in the Afër chat. Everything the seller tells you about the condition and any flaws stays there, and so does the price you agree on. That helps at the meeting, when you want to check whether the item matches the description. If you move to WhatsApp or a phone call, the chat's protections no longer apply.

How do you make a fair offer?

Once you have the answers, name a specific number and say why. CHOICE recommends staying polite and giving the seller a sound reason to meet you somewhere in the middle. Here's how:

1. Start from the prices of comparable listings and take off what makes this item worse: visible flaws, missing accessories, a weak battery or a repair that's coming up.
2. Pitch your offer a little below what you'd actually pay in the end, so you can still move up a step without going over your limit.
3. Use a round number, say €180 rather than €183.50. It's easy to say and easy to count out in cash at the meeting.
4. Put the offer and the reason together: "Similar bikes in this condition go for about €200 on Afër, and the brake pads need replacing. Would €170 work for you?"
5. If the seller comes back with a counter-offer, reply with at most one counter-offer of your own, somewhere between the two numbers. After that, accept or politely decline instead of going back and forth forever.
6. Stay in the listing's currency: if the price is in lek, offer in lek; if it's in euros, offer in euros. If you'll pay in a different currency, write the exact amount in the chat.

If the seller won't move on price, ask for something extra instead: a case, a bag, a charger or spare parts. CHOICE mentions this too, as an alternative to a discount. For both of you it can be easier than knocking a few euros off.

And if the price is already fair? Then you don't have to negotiate. Accepting a fair price quickly can secure the item for you before someone else gets there first.

What about the price when you meet the seller?

If you agreed on a price in the chat, it's fair to stick to it at the meeting. Pushing for more off on the spot, with no reason, costs you trust and sometimes the whole sale. The price should only change if the item isn't as described.

• Check the item carefully before you pay, and compare it with the description, the photos and what the seller told you in the chat.
• If you find a flaw the seller didn't mention, raise it calmly and suggest a price that reflects it, for example lower by the cost of the repair.
• If the flaw was in the description or clearly visible in the photos, it's already part of the agreed price and isn't a new reason for a discount.
• If you can't agree, say no politely and leave, even if you made a special trip.
• Pay only once you're happy, right there, in cash or by a transfer the seller can see straight away in their banking app.

Never pay part of the price upfront to "reserve" the item, not even a small deposit. German police crime prevention advice warns that getting money back once you've transferred it is extremely difficult and rarely works. A serious seller can wait until you meet.

Meet during the day in a busy public place, and bring someone along if you can. There's more in our safety tips.

When should you walk away from a negotiation?

A negotiation is allowed to fail. Sometimes the price just doesn't work for you, and sometimes something about the offer is off. These are good reasons to stop:

• Pressure: "Today only, or it's gone" or "Whoever pays first gets it". German police crime prevention advice calls lines like "Whoever pays first wins the deal" a classic manipulation attempt.
• Answers that don't add up: the age, condition, town or name changes from one message to the next.
• A price far below comparable listings, especially for expensive things. Australia's Scamwatch lists an unbelievably low price as a warning sign, and the US Federal Trade Commission says an expensive item at a very low price might be fake.
• Money before you meet: the seller wants a payment first, for a reservation, delivery or insurance.
• Your own limit: you notice you're only still bidding so you don't feel you've "lost".

If an offer looks like a scam, stop writing and report the listing, or the person through the chat menu, on Afër; our team reviews reports. To learn how to spot scams, read how to buy used without scams.

If it only comes down to price, say a quick thank you. A friendly no leaves the door open; the seller may get back to you later if nobody else bites. And the next offer is waiting in the search.