Why You Should Never Feel Guilty About Sellers Wailing About How Much Money They Lose In Selling You Products
Or
Why Should Never Feel Guilty At Buying items At Low, Low Prices
I got much motivated by writing this piece when I overheard a conversation two of my friends were having. Friend A asked Friend B to help her buy a laptop under the student discount she had at her university. But Friend A felt guilty and said that it would not be fair as the company selling the laptop which is giving a big discount would lose money... RUBBISH! I say! (For those wondering, I did in a more gentler manner pointed that out.)
Let's lay down some general facts and general behaviour. People sell goods and services1 to earn a profit2 or some sense of satisfaction. Correct?
Next general fact,
People buy goods to derive satisfaction3 in using them. Correct?
Next general fact,
If a buyer feels that the seller is selling him the good at too high a price, he can walk away. Correct?
Next general fact,
Similarly, if the seller feels that the buyer is not offering a good enough price, he can refuse to sell. Correct?
Alright, assuming you agree with those general stuff, now we can get that settled, let's move on.
So if you go to a seller and try to bargain with him, a very Asian thing to do, he will come up with, I have to feed my children, my cat, my dog, pay my bills, etc. You in turn go, but I also have not much money, I have to feed my children, my cat, my dog, pay my bills, etc. Both comparing their terrible and dismal life stories, juggling prices, till they can reach a satisfactory price. Of course, the seller will put up a great show of, shaking his head, sighing, going, this price is *just* for you, I would not sell this at this price to anyone. (Yeah right, I snigger). The buyer hands over his money, the seller pockets the money, and they both walk away, both feeling SATISFIED (aka. HAPPY) with their purchases. Unbelievable? Of course not, that's how the free market works.
Don't feel guilty about the wailing seller, simply, because if he was TRULY VERY UNHAPPY and UNSATISFIED with the price, he can simply go, NO! I AM NOT GOING TO SELL IT TO YOU and he can walk away. If he really is in such a horribly unhappy state of affairs by selling you the goods at that price, he can just WALK AWAY and sell it to SOMEONE ELSE who is willing to buy it at a higher price.
Think of it this way, both the seller and buyer are doing favours for one another by doing business. The seller apparently DOESN'T want the good he has and the buyer WANTS the good. The seller WANTS the money and the buyer HAS it. So, as trade goes, both exchange and walk away happy. When a person is doing business, he thinks, I want to sell my good. Is the price this person is offering to me worth me giving it up? Will I be able to find SOMEONE ELSE who is willing to pay me more? If he answers yes and no to the questions respectively. Only then, will he go, the whole head shaking routine and accepts the price offered.
So never feel guilty.
You are doing him a favour, just as he is doing a favour for you.
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I don't know why, but during bargains and sales, sometimes, people feel very bad at buying the things at drastically marked off prices. Or, they feel very bad in asking the sales persons for help. Or, they don't want to ask for new pieces. (Eg. Normally when you buy clothes, you would ask for a new piece, yes, yes? If not, it's time you tried that, 'coz new pieces are generally in better condition than those showed out in the shop) Or you feel very bad buying only all the really cheap stuff in the shop. Again, to all this, I go RUBBISH!
Remember the argument above about the seller being able to walk away. Well, ESPECIALLY in the circumstances when the prices are fixed, where you can't bargain, like in most shops, the sellers ALREADY fix the prices they WANT to sell their goods at. So what is there to complain? They want more, they put higher prices. Simple as that.
Even if you find they really ARE selling below cost, like selling a working computer for a dollar (or pound or baht or whatever currency you want), you should not feel guilty. Besides remembering the paragraph before this, the sellers do gain something out of the whole transaction. For example, if a shop is just opening, they would normally give crazy bargains, simply because to generate publicity and goodwill of the public. So don't feel sorry for them nor guilty. You don't have to. If a shop is closing down, the reason why they are selling at those low crazy prices could be because they need to sell the goods FAST (for all we know their lease is going to be expired) and they need people to buy lots. Or they may realise (especially those after season sales) that if they DON'T sell it at that price, nobody would buy it and feel equally happy with their shop.
Another thing to think about is that you don't need to feel embarrassed or guilty at buying the goods at cheap prices. Simply because if they were not that cheap or that prices, you would not EVEN be buying them in the first place.
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A special case to take note of is the case of perishable goods4. Like bakeries, grocers, etc. I remember of this hotel which has a very delicious assortment of pastries and has a high standard and quality about the freshness of the food. When it reaches 9pm, a few hours before they close, they would sell all their pastries at half price.
Feel guilty?
No need. Simply, because it is much wiser to sell the pastries at half price, than to have to throw them away and earn NOTHING.
Back to Why You Should Never...
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Foot Notes & Explanations
1. To put is simply... Goods are tangible things like your food items, furniture, etc. Services are intangible things like fixing your air-con, waiting on you at a restaurant banking, etc. Return
2. Profit to put it simply. Total price minus total cost. Return
3. Satisfaction. In other words, happiness. Let me give you a simplified example, being selfish people, we generally buy things to make ourselves happy, correct? I buy an ice cream cone to satisfy my hunger and make me feel happy. Doesn't have to extremely, ha ha happy happy joy joy, but just happy, no matter how minimal it is. You may argue how about those horrible bulky textbooks you are forced to buy and you wouldn't have bought it if you didn't have to. Think of it this way, you get happiness or satisfaction NOT in buying it, but USING it during classes or especially mugging during tests. You may not feel happy studying, but you definitely feel much happier that you can study from a good textbook, not a crappy one with missing pages. Return
4. Perishable Goods. Things that have a limited life span. Like bread can only be good for a week or so. Or vegetables can only be good for a few days before they rot, etc. Return
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