MDS 2024#4: Learning with practice, the story of commercial negotiation

Recently, I needed to sell an old camera lens online. One day after posting the announcement, I was very glad that there was already someone who wants to buy it. Not only am I happy for having a buyer so soon, but I really hope to sell it quickly and move on to other things (note that I don't need to sell it urgently, I just want to make the process quick and simple). The evening of the same day, I continued reading the book "A Life of Negotiation (Original title: Một đời thương thuyết)" by Phan Van Truong as usual and found that the case I had just encountered and the story told in the book were too similar, so I shared it here. On the occasion of an exciting day, the instant meet of theories through books and practice through life.

The book says something like this: if you refuse, say it straight away, and if you agree, don't rush to answer ok and should include conditions (chapter 11). Going back to the my lens sale, with the excitement of having the first and quick buyer, I was ready to sell it immediately, but the attitude of the buyer is so important that I'm no longer eager to sell it to him. His first and the only condition is a reduction of 20 euros, from 80 to 60. For me, losing this amount of money will not make me poor, but unfortunately the reason he bargains was not reasonable. He needs to buy an adapter ring to use my lens on his camera. EH?! That's his problem. It has nothing to do with the value of the product or my common understanding, but he dares to ask for it. The common reason for being a student on a tight budget is much more reasonable and easier to accept than his reason. So I lost the will of selling. Seeing that he seemed demanding, even felt like winning on a bargain is more important to him, I reacted just the same way as he did. I looked for a middle point to see if this guy had good intentions. : 70 euros instead, meaning a decrease of 10 from my expectation and an increase of 10 from his. That's quite fair though, but no, he doesn't accept it, so I won't bother bargaining any more. I just quit selling.

Later, I realized my decision was very correct. Finally, he didn't forget to add an assuring sentence that if I change my mind (ie accepting a 20 euros discount as he offered), he will always be interested as he still needed to buy it. Saying so is like being dictatorial, not listening to the needs of the seller. Plus the fact that he didn't even bother to say a polite greeting at the beginning of the conversation (in French, not saying Bonjour to start a conversation is similar to not saying "Hello" in English), I give it a pass. When I read the book, what happened is exactly what the book refers, from the negotiation method to the speaking attitude, cultural context, language and commercial field. Even though it's a small thing, we have to learn it. Be good at each small step to do great things, right?!