PDA

View Full Version : Opinions- seller consider tax paid



Craig D Peltier
03-16-2010, 10:50 AM
I have an item im interested in on Cl. The guy is selling it brand new never plugged in. He is claiming with freight and tax it was over 4 k so he wants 2800. Unit is 3470 new. Wth tax and freight it came to 4k.
I dont think someone should consider the tax into the equation for selling a used item ( meaning not buying from retail store)? do you?
To me its like selling a car , once its off the showroom floor you loose 5k.You cant say well I paid 2k tax so add that on too.

I think more reasonable would be %65-70 percent of new no tax.

Sean Nagle
03-16-2010, 11:02 AM
Craig, without knowing what is being sold, it's impossible to suggest a fair price. The value of anything is what the buyer is willing to pay.

Robert Reece
03-16-2010, 11:04 AM
For a certifiable new item, never plugged in, I will frequently consider tax. Because if I want that item and I am only willing to buy it new, then I get to pay tax if I want to buy it from a retailer. Now if you could purchase this item from out of state and have it shipped to you, you wouldn't pay tax (unless you are not in the US...then I don't know). So in that regard you wouldn't consider tax.

I guess what it comes down to is forget the tax and forget what he paid for it. What are you willing to pay for the item from this guy? That's the number you offer him. If it's a unique item and you are going to buy it new anyway, then you might as well save yourself something and buy it from him. If another might come along soon, then pass this one up.

Craig D Peltier
03-16-2010, 11:15 AM
Craig, without knowing what is being sold, it's impossible to suggest a fair price. The value of anything is what the buyer is willing to pay.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/tls/1644382487.html

Ellen Benkin
03-16-2010, 11:18 AM
I'd consider the total price I paid for it including tax and freight (if that was required). You can negotiate with him but I think his cost basis is correct. By the way, it looks awsome. I wish I had room in my garage for something like that. 30" wide -- WOW!

Sean Nagle
03-16-2010, 11:22 AM
Robert's argument has merit. Still it comes down to what you are willing to pay and not feel you should have just bought new.

Victor Robinson
03-16-2010, 11:24 AM
Agree that from the seller's point of view, considering all his costs is reasonable. That should bring him to a number he's willing to let the item go for.

What he paid really shouldn't matter to you and shouldn't affect your decision on what to offer. He could have gotten ripped off...doesn't mean you should also by paying a percentage of that. And if he got a great deal, he isn't obliged to pass it on to you, either.

john bateman
03-16-2010, 11:37 AM
What difference should it make what the seller paid for it.

Suppose he got it for free, or won it as a prize. Would you expect him to take 60% of zero as a fair price?

Eric Gustafson
03-16-2010, 11:39 AM
As earlier stated, tax and shipping are included in the cost basis of the tool. Reseller has to consider that when selling. If you were going to buy the same tool new, you would have to pay those costs, too. However, the resell market is subject to "hem and bah!" Thats what my dad called bantering for the best price. The asker's price is irrelevant to what the market may be willing to pay.

Jim Terrill
03-16-2010, 11:44 AM
Living in a state with no sales tax, I will be the lone dissident. If someone in MA has a tool that I want and wants to calculate a price including sales tax, I will politely inform them that I have an NH address and can get whatever I want shipped there without the 6.25% sales tax, so if they want to price it compared to a new unit, omit the sales tax. But if I lived in an area where I would have to pay sales tax if I bought new, I would consider that in the price.

Brandon Weiss
03-16-2010, 12:04 PM
The value of anything is what the buyer is willing to pay.

Sean, I agree 100%. There is no set percentage of what a used item should sell for. Offer him an amount equal to what you value the item to be worth. If he disagrees that's where negotiations begin. If you can't agree, unfortunately there won't be a sale. Don't worry too much either way. It's a fantastic tool, but you'll come across another good deal. Best thing about CL is it's free and good deals are a constant on that site. Just a matter of finding them at the right time.

Mike Cutler
03-16-2010, 12:13 PM
Craig

All you can do is offer your best price. It's up to the seller to decide to sell or not.
I don't consider tax and shipping, normally, but if you were interested enough to buy one new from Griz', you'd be saving $1200.00.

David Prince
03-16-2010, 12:23 PM
If you live somewhere and don't pay sales tax that is up to you to negotiate that as part of your tactic. But, it would still be up to the seller to decide if he wants to sell at that price.

The tax should be taken into consideration for the seller. It IS a cost that figures into your total expense.

If you buy something for $1,000 and put a part into it that costs $60 you have $1,060 into it or if you buy something for $1,000 and pay $60 in tax you STILL have $1,060 into it.

It isn't the seller's fault he has to pay taxes. If you don't like the price the seller is offering it for, you are free to Pass!

Imagine you are a builder and build a "spec" house for sale. I come up to you and offer to buy it, but I minus all of the taxes you paid on the materials you purchased to build the house! Hooey!!!:cool: That's insane!!!

Robert McGowen
03-16-2010, 12:28 PM
I agree with other posters, that what the person paid or did not pay for something really has no bearing on what you should pay. On topic for the thread, I tried to purchase a tool from a company that advertises here and matches or beats prices and one of their big selling points was that I would have to pay sales tax locally, but not if I purchased from them and had it shipped into my state. I guess it works both ways when selling something. :rolleyes:

Bob Vavricka
03-16-2010, 1:05 PM
The seller didn't have to say how much he paid for it or if he was considering freight and tax in setting his price. I see it done a lot on CL and I think it is sometimes counterproductive. If the seller had just listed what he wanted for it; would you still be interested in it?

Don't worry about it, I'm on my way over to pick it up--just kidding:) look where I live.

Myk Rian
03-16-2010, 1:36 PM
Consider the Dewalt DW735 planers. If someone got it for $137, and asked $300, would you buy it?

Mike Cruz
03-16-2010, 1:54 PM
To answer you question, with an opinion of course, I don't think it is unreasonable for the person to add tax in for value sake. Because, after all, you won't be. What the person is doing is trying to compare apples to apples. If a new BS costs $1000 new, with tax and shipping it could have cost the buyer $1300 easily. Now, 5 years later, he goes to sell it. Asking $750 isn't unreasonable. YOU the person in the market for a BS have the choice to purchase new or used. If you purchase new, you will likely have to pay shipping and tax. Also, 5 years later, the price of hte same machine will likey be slightly more. So, at $750, he isn't only at 25% off original price, he is more like 40% off.

I certainly understand where you are coming from. And the bottom line, as others have pointed out, is that the piece is worth whatever the market calls for. In your area, that thing might fetch the $2800. In another area, he might actually be able to get more or less. But this isn't what you were asking about. You asked if it seemed right to include tax in the value of the machine.

In short, yes I think it is fair. It is money that came out of his pocket and into that machine. Whether he recovers that money is another story.

And I would like to reiterate that while a new version of this machine is $3450 (if I remember your quote properly), you can't get one for that price... you'll have to pay shipping and...tax.

One more thing. When I think about/consider a used machine, I never think about the tax and shipping when I figure out what the "value" is. I also don't figure in shipping and tax when I am selling stuff on CL either. No, I'm not vascillating here. I'm just saying that I understand where this guy is coming from, but don't apply it in my transactions...though maybe I should. :rolleyes:

Craig D Peltier
03-16-2010, 4:14 PM
Phew alot to read here. I think he mentiond how much he had socked into it cause at first he was over 3k and it was new 3495.Seemd to high regardless if new.
Thanks for all the opinions. This is how I feel now on a new machine or very very close to new, I can see why he would consider tax. Anything else I wouldnt even bother.
I may purchase it, I will know soon.

It requires 75psi to run it. Any idea how big of a compressor I would need to be able to maintain that while sanding. I dont think my pancake will work :)

Dave Johnson29
03-16-2010, 4:18 PM
It requires 75psi to run it. Any idea how big of a compressor I would need to be able to maintain that while sanding. I dont think my pancake will work :)

Pretty much any compressor will do that, the big thing is CFM. How many of those?

Karl Card
03-16-2010, 5:03 PM
If I own something it is worth nothing, if the next guy owns it, well then it is worth retail....

But honestly a good deal to you may not be a good deal to someone else... But I try to stick around the 50 to 60 percent off retail for used stuff...then there are exceptions to every rule. on a 200 dollar item i will buy retail before id give 150 for used, but that is just me..

Craig D Peltier
03-16-2010, 5:40 PM
Pretty much any compressor will do that, the big thing is CFM. How many of those?
I think the PSi is to kepp the belt tracking if im not mistaking.
Anyways I have a 3hp 220volt woodtek double bagger set up. Says online 1200cfm and the sander needs 8-1200 at it.

Bob Borzelleri
03-16-2010, 10:36 PM
Other than this thread being mind numbing;), there's at least one aspect that don't seem to add up. Like it sells new from Grizzly, delivered for $3469. If the seller lives in a state that assesses $531 on a $3295 product, I would think that's his problem.

Still, if I wanted it, I make my best offer and not think twice about what he paid. I would only consider how much I would have to pay from another source.