What if the seller doesn't respond to my offer?

Give it a reasonable amount of time, then feel free to look at other listings — sellers aren't obligated to respond to every offer, and neither are you obligated to wait indefinitely.

Can I negotiate price and then ask about a swap instead?

Yes — nothing stops the conversation from shifting from a straight cash negotiation to a swap proposal if that turns out to work better for both of you.

Is it rude to negotiate at all?

No — reasonable negotiation grounded in real market pricing and honest reasoning is a completely normal part of buying and selling used phones.

Help article

How to Negotiate a Price on a Straight Sale Listing

August 26, 2026Buying

In this answer

How Straight-Sale Negotiation Works
Step-by-Step: Making an Offer in Chat
Negotiating in Good Faith
Once You've Agreed on a Price
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a formal "make an offer" button for straight sale listings?
How much below the asking price is reasonable to offer?
What if the seller doesn't respond to my offer?
Can I negotiate price and then ask about a swap instead?
Is it rude to negotiate at all?

How Straight-Sale Negotiation Works

Unlike a swap (which has a structured offer with statuses like pending, countered, and accepted — see How Does Phone Swapping Work?), negotiating a cash price on a listing you're not swapping for happens directly in chat. There's no formal counter-offer object — just a conversation between you and the seller.

Step-by-Step: Making an Offer in Chat

Message the seller, as covered in How Do I Message a Buyer or Seller?.

Ask any condition questions first — battery health, included accessories, reason for selling — before getting into price.

Propose your offer clearly and specifically, with a number, not a vague "would you go lower?"

Explain your reasoning briefly if it helps — referencing a comparable price on Mobile Prices, a known issue with the device, or your own budget constraint.

Be ready for a counter-response, and keep the conversation moving toward a number you're both comfortable with.

Negotiating in Good Faith

Ground your offer in something real — the Mobile Prices tool, comparable listings, or the device's actual condition — rather than an arbitrary lowball.

Respond promptly once a conversation is underway; slow responses on either side often just lose the deal to someone else.

If you're not going to buy at the price offered, say so clearly rather than leaving the seller waiting on a reply that never comes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a formal "make an offer" button for straight sale listings?

No — cash-price negotiation on a non-swap listing happens through chat directly with the seller, without a separate formal offer object.

How much below the asking price is reasonable to offer?

It depends entirely on the specific listing and market — check the Mobile Prices tool for the model to gauge a realistic range before proposing a number.