How to Decline a Discount Politely
Buyers will ask for discounts. Here are the polite Japanese phrases to decline without losing the sale.
On Mercari and Yahoo Auctions, discount requests (値下げ交渉) are constant — sometimes within minutes of listing. Refusing the wrong way kills the sale and can earn you a bad reputation. Refusing the right way often results in the buyer purchasing at full price anyway, because they feel respected.
The soft decline — keep the door open
Use this when you might consider a smaller discount, or when you want the buyer to feel respected even though you're saying no.
コメントありがとうございます。 申し訳ございませんが、こちらの価格は既にギリギリの設定となっております。 ご検討いただけますと幸いです。
| What it means | Thank you for your comment. I'm very sorry, but this price is already set as low as I can go. I'd appreciate your consideration. |
| When to send | When buyer asks for any discount on a fairly-priced item. |
| Tone | Apologetic-default. The 'ギリギリの設定' (already at the limit) is the standard polite refusal phrase that doesn't sound rude. |
The firm decline — for lowball offers
Use this when the discount asked for is unreasonable (like 50%+ off). Still polite, but clearly final.
ご検討いただきありがとうございます。 大変申し訳ございませんが、ご希望の金額でのお値下げは難しいです。 ご理解いただけますと幸いです。
| What it means | Thank you for considering this item. I'm very sorry, but a discount to your requested amount is not possible. I appreciate your understanding. |
| When to send | When the requested discount is unreasonable. |
| Tone | Firm but polite. 'ご理解いただけますと幸いです' (I'd appreciate your understanding) signals this is final. |
The counter-offer — meet in the middle
When you're willing to discount slightly but not as much as asked. Most successful negotiation pattern on Mercari.
コメントありがとうございます。 ○○○円までであればお値下げ可能です。 ご検討よろしくお願いいたします。
| What it means | Thank you for your comment. I can lower it to ○○○ yen. Please consider this. |
| When to send | When you want to counter their offer with your floor price. |
| Tone | Practical and clear. Replace ○○○ with your actual minimum. |
| Skip if | Buyer asked for free shipping instead of discount — different response needed. |
Wait for the buyer to confirm before changing the listing price. Some buyers ask multiple sellers and pick the cheapest — if you drop the price first, they may walk away with a screenshot to use against another seller. Update the price only after they say 'yes, I'll buy at that price.'
Closing the door — "no negotiation" listings
If you don't want to negotiate at all, mark your listing accordingly from the start. Saves both sides time.
お値下げ不可となります。 ご了承の上ご購入ください。
| What it means | No discounts available. Please purchase with this in mind. |
| When to send | Add to your listing description, not as a message reply. |
| Tone | Direct but polite. Most buyers will respect this and not even ask. |