#so i actually made this script for him with specifically inbuilt politenesses

[hellenhighwater]

you said you had a script for negotiating for secondhand things. What is it?

For me, for these kinds of small person-to-person sales, the goal is to get a good deal but also leave the seller feeling like they didn't get hosed, like they talked me into a deal. So there's strategic reasons for this script, but it's also honest. I'm not going to lie to the seller, and I'm not going to be rude.

I mostly use this on Marketplace. If someone lists something as a firm price, I'm not going to ask them to reduce it; if it's been listed for a long time I may ask if they're still firm on price, and if the answer is yes, I respect that. If it's something awesome and it's a good price, I don't bother with this. Otherwise, here's how it usually goes.

Availability: Still for sale?

Inquiry: I have a question about _____. (Size, color, function, etc. Not a question already answered in the description.)

Gratitude: Thank you for answering the question, that makes things clearer for me. This, and the inquiry, are about building rapport and investment in the conversation. They've put a little time into talking and they don't want it to be wasted.

Reservation: I have a concern about why this may not work for me. (Indicating you're on the fence on the sale, and they should move their price point to hook you.) This can be concerns about matching with other things you have, functionality, whatever.

Opening Offer: Your ideal, too-good-to-be-true price. For me this is often about a third below the listed price.

Answer: The seller either counters with another number, agrees to your opening offer, or says they're firm on the listed price.

Counter or Close: If they're firm on price, take it or leave it. If they countered, you can make another offer (typically somewhere around the halfway point between your two numbers) or accept the number they gave. You can continue making offers as long as you want but for most people it'll be offer-counter-final offer.

Say thank you. Arrange payment and pickup.