"What's Your Best Price?"

Asking a seller "what's your best price" as your first communication -- without expressing any independent interest or making a counter offer to the seller's asking price -- is ALWAYS an a-hole move. Period. It should be ignored or responded to in-kind. The question is an insult to the seller b/c it suggests that you think the seller stupid enough to negotiate against himself. The fact that the seller might be willing to take less than the asking price is no defense to this strategy and doesn't relieve the buyer from making a counter-offer to find that out.

it suggests that you think the seller stupid enough to negotiate against himself. The fact that the seller might be willing to take less than the asking price is no defense to this strategy and doesn't relieve the buyer from making a counter-offer to find that out.

That says it all, Jeffrey. Never negotiate against yourself. If your ad says OBO, then its up to the buyer to make an offer.

After making 3 purchases here on Audiogon, and perpetually being a potential buyer, here are a few thoughts from a buyer's perspective FWTW:
1. When a seller lists an item for sale, especially with the "OBO" stipulation, I, and I believe most buyers, consider the asking price to be similar to a MRSP (manufacturer's suggested retail price) for new products. We could, if we were complete dorks, call it the SSP (seller's suggested price).
2. The seller's asking/listed price is his optimal or highest expected price. But the buyer may accrpt a lower price.
3. When a buyer asks for the seller's best price, I agree with sogood51 that he is basically saying: "I know your optimal price but let's cut to the chase, what will you sell it to me for?" Understandably, this is irratating to sellers since they are now required,in effect, to make the opening bid in the expected price and terms negotiations. The seller, rather than just denying or counter offering the buyers' bids in the expected negotiations, has lost the initiative to the buyer and must instead decide what price is actually acceptable to both parties.I think sellers should determine this price prior to negotiating with potential buyers.
4. If the seller uses the "Firm" designation, confusion is eliminated since the buyer knows the asking price must be met in order to obtain the item.
5. I take offense at the suggestion that asking What's your best price? is moronic. I am a noted and very obvious moron of the highest order and I never asked for a best price but I might have, I'm not sure. After all, I am a moron.

"OBO" means just that. Make an offer--A specific price with a clear statement of what it covers or does not cover (shipping, PayPal, etc.).

OBO is NOT a request for a buyer to respond with "what is your best price". The seller has already made an opening offer and it is incumbent upon a potential buyer to make a specific bid.

Classified buying and selling (especially OBO sales) is very similar to an auction, just not as formal and the price frequently goes in the opposite direction from an auction. In an OBO classified the seller asks for the best price they think they can get and then, if there are multiple potential buyers, they secretly bid against each other with specific offers.

Many Audiogon auctions don't start out at the sellers best price because there is a hidden reserve. If a buyer wants to buy they are forced to make a specific offer.

So buyers, if you are serious make an offer already otherwise don't waste the sellers time.

I believe most here, including myself, who won't acknowledge a "what is your best price" buyer (particularly as an opening statement) do so from prior experience. I am sure there are just a small hand full that might actually be buyers, but most are not. I think they are in hopes that the seller might be desperate and perhaps the buyer thinking he might get this "deal of a lifetime". I say this from experience of selling a fair amount of audio here on Agon. I get this occasionally in my business as well (not audio related). Never, ever had a buyer.