How and when to negotiate down.

There’s a misconception in the antique world that every sale has to be negotiated down—from the buyer’s side—as if getting a deal only counts if you shaved something off the price.

I have been buying and selling stuff since I was 17 years old and nothing turns me off more during a negotiation than when someone says, “I will give you $X for it.”

I never looked at it that way.

When I was going out every day and I saw something being sold by a vendor—especially a regular vendor—that was a fair price, I would pay it and buy it without a lower offer.

That did two things. It assured me getting the desired item, and it built a relationship for a future sale.

There is also a misunderstanding here. When someone leads with “I will give you $X,” it’s not just a number—it’s an assumption. It assumes the seller is desperate, needs cash, or doesn’t know what they have. It’s an attempt to put the buyer in a dominant position right out of the gate.

Experienced sellers see that immediately.

Now that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t negotiate—there’s a right way to do it.

Good buyers know how to open a conversation without putting the seller on the defensive. They say things like, “Do you have any room on this?” or “Is that your best price?” or even “If it doesn’t sell, would you consider an offer later?”

That keeps the respect in the deal and keeps the door open.

And now with all the information available online—and the tools people have today with AI and Google image search—when I see a buyer standing at my table taking pictures of an item, I already know what’s going on.

So when they look up and ask, “How much?”

I’ll say, “You just looked it up—what will you give me?”

I turn the tables.

Values are no longer a secret in this business. Anybody with a phone can get a ballpark in seconds. The game has changed.

Now it’s less about who knows the value—and more about who you’re dealing with.

Is the buyer a collector? A retail customer? A reseller?

And just as important—how much do you have in the item?

On the flip side, I can’t tell you how many times I would say to a buyer who offered a ridiculous offer, “never mind—it’s not for sale to you.”

Because at that point it’s no longer a negotiation—it’s disrespect.

What most buyers don’t understand is this: good sellers aren’t desperate. The good ones know what they have, they know the market, and they’re willing to sit on an item until the right buyer comes along.

I’ve seen it over and over again. The guy who had to try and save a few bucks ends up walking away empty-handed… and the guy standing behind him pays the fair price and walks out with the piece.

And more importantly, builds a relationship that leads to the next deal—and the one after that.

This business isn’t about trying to win every negotiation.

It’s about knowing when you’re already looking at a good deal—and having the sense to take it.