I certainly agree that when negotiating a price for a firearm, that "knocking a seller's wares" is neither professional nor a polite course of conduct for a potential buyer. It is also almost never productive. That being said, I am perplexed how one would bargain for a lower price without politely explainly why the buyer feels [e.g. excessive bore wear] his lower counteroffer is in order and fair. Unless you could intelligently discuss the merits of a firearm [as you both see them] your only argument for a lower price would be "I just don't want to pay your price! or Would you accept $xxxx?" After having grown up in a gun store and seen my father buy and sell thousands of guns I can tell you from experience, that the next response from the potential seller or my father would be "Why?" So to start off with a counteroffer without explanation, is in MY OPINION more offputting to dealers than a polite explanation of what you are basing your counteroffer on, and that while the firearm is nice and you are interested, this is what YOU can pay. I believe in most negotiations, it is more important HOW YOU SAY SOMETHING, THAN THE SOMETHING YOU SAY. JMHO
You are a right as the mail, Suh. The very few long guns (non-military) I have ever bought (my main area is used gun parts, etc)at a gun show were from gentlemen who would be open if I asked "Do you have any room on the pricing for an outright non-trades cash money buy"? I keep the flaws I may have noticed to myself, if the dealer knows his stuff and has been in the game for some time, he will know them as well. If he says "No- sorry, but that's a firm price today" I say' OK, thanks anyway" and spend some more time looking at his other items, to "settle the foam on the beer" so to speak. Once I came back an hour later and the dealer waved to me- I went over and he still had the Model 70 .300 H&H Magnum- a 1950 std grade with a replaced red pad (a brown Pachmyer- but a good installation job indeed and a Lyman Alaskan scope with a damaged ocular and out of alignment cross-hairs-- He would consider my offer on the rifle without the scope-- I passed it up, but Alvin, my friend, your points raised in your reply are 100% "right on the money" Be polite, and wait and see what might happen. Still looking for that Masuer stock for your for the .257R you are creating for your Missus- nothing yet-however--
