ballpark price?

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goodstudent

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"please let me know a ballpark asking price so that I may understand whether it is feasible for me to make you an offer"

I received an email from an interested buyer with the above sentence.

What does ballpark price mean? Is it a single price or a price range?

How should I reply?
 

charliedeut

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goodstudent

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The interested buyer says "please let me know a ballpark asking price so that I may understand whether it is feasible for me to make you an offer"

If lets say I reply $500, how is the interested buyer going to make an offer?

Is ballpark a single figure?

The ballpark estimate - Wiktionary explanation does not help me in understanding the term
 

Barb_D

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Yes, it's a single figuure, though I guess it can be a range as well.
Let's say you're looking for a new job. You would be willing to accept $50,000 a year. You say you're looking for a job that pays $55,000. That way, if the person can pay you $50,000, he knows he's in the ballpark. If he only has $35,000, he's not in the ballpark.

In your case, you want $500. You say you were looking for $500-$550. If the person planned to spend only $300, he's not even in the ballpark.
 

BobK

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:up: Yes - it's both a figure and a range. It's a figure that represents or suggests a range.

In Br Eng, we used to say ono [='or near{est} offer'], but nowadays everyone plays baseball. ;-)

b
 

TheParser

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***** NOT A TEACHER *****


Government official (taking a survey): How much money do you contribute to charity every year?

Citizen (hesitant to answer): I'm not sure.

Government official: You don't have to be exact. A ballpark (approximate) figure would be fine.

Citizen: Oh, I can give you the exact figure.

Official: Wow! Thanks. What is it?

Citizen: I give nothing. Not one penny.

Official: Why is that?

Citizen: Because I do not like human beings.
 

5jj

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