Negotiating online and in writing

More of your negotiations will happen by message and email: selling on marketplaces, agreeing freelance rates, settling details with a landlord. Text gives you time to think, but it strips out tone and gives scammers cover. This lesson shows you how to write offers that work and how to spot a 'buyer' who is really a fraudster.

Watch the 1-minute overview

Watch the full video guide for this module

Why text is tricky

• PON reports research by Justin Kruger, Nicholas Epley and colleagues in which people tried to convey sarcasm, seriousness, anger or sadness. Senders consistently overestimated how accurately recipients would read their tone, and the overconfidence was strongest in email.
• PON says email negotiations often involve less information sharing, more impasses and less efficient agreements than talking in person or by phone.
• PON adds that without facial expressions and tone of voice, rapport is harder to build, so think about how each message will be read before you send it.
• Rule of thumb: no sarcasm or jokes about price in writing. If a thread turns tense, suggest a short call.

Writing offers that work

• PON reports a study by Jennifer Parlamis and Ingmar Geiger, in which US and German graduate students negotiated a deal by email over 10 days.
• Negotiators who anticipated problems (time differences, unclear wording, mismatched expectations) created more value for both sides and were more satisfied than those who reacted later.
• Offers covering several issues at once, creative solutions and pointing out shared and differing interests also increased joint gains. Negotiators who communicated more often claimed more value, while small talk did not improve outcomes.
• Structure for an offer message: thanks; a one-line summary; your offer with a reason; a question; a clear next step.
• Example: 'Thanks for your interest in the desk. It's 300 dirhams, in line with similar listings. I can include the chair for 350 if you collect by Saturday. Which day suits you?'
• Read the message aloud before sending. If it would sound harsh spoken, rewrite it.

Marketplace etiquette and replies

• Before listing, use the preparation steps from earlier in this module: research comparable prices and decide your lowest acceptable price.
• Polite reply to a very low offer: 'Thanks for the offer. That's below what I can accept; the lowest I can go is 280.'
• Reply to 'Is it still available?': confirm, restate price and condition, and ask when they would like to see it.
• Once a price is agreed, confirm in one message: item, condition, price, payment method, date and place. That message is your record.
• For checking items and sellers before you pay, see the Contracts, Purchases and Your Rights module; for in-person handovers and scams, see the Scams, Fraud and Money Safety module.

Scams disguised as negotiation

• Overpayment scam: the US Federal Trade Commission describes 'buyers' who pay with a cheque for more than your price and ask you to send back the difference. The cheque later bounces and the seller is liable for the full amount.
• FTC advice: never accept a cheque for more than your selling price, never send money back to a buyer, and be wary of pressure to 'act now'.
• Fake buyer links: the Singapore Police Force describes scammers who agree a price in a marketplace chat, then send a link or QR code claiming you must use it to receive payment. It leads to a fake bank page that steals card details and one-time passwords. Police counted at least 594 victims between April and mid-June 2024.
• Never share card details or one-time passwords (OTPs) with anyone, and confirm any payment or delivery claim directly in the marketplace app or your bank app.
• Dubai Police, reported by Khaleej Times, warn that fake websites can copy real ones with only a changed letter or a slightly different domain name, and advise verifying who you are paying before transferring money.
• If something goes wrong, Dubai Police urge victims to act quickly, secure the affected account and report through e-Crime, a Smart Police Station (SPS) or a police station.

Closing well in writing

• Summarise every agreement in a short message and ask the other person to confirm it.
• PON's preparation checklist asks how much of a negotiation will happen electronically and what the pros and cons are. Decide in advance which parts are better done by call or in person.
• Keep screenshots of listings, chats and payment confirmations until the deal is fully complete.
• A courteous final message ('Thanks, it was good dealing with you') protects your reputation on platforms that use ratings.