Most people don't realize that they can negotiate prices at retail outlets other than the local flea markets and car dealerships. When one approaches a the staff or management of a local store, they make the assumption that the prices are fixed and that there is no Wiggle room. This may not be the case. In some cases, you may qualify for discount programs for seniors, military, and frequent buyers. But in other cases, you may be able to leverage better prices by talking with the staff and management. This is especially true when dealing with independent stores. There are often items that have been taking up valuable shelf space and the proprietors would just like to see them go, in order to make more room for newer more profitable items. Asking for a reduced price never hurts. Sure, on occasion, there may be the long pause of awkward silence. Don't fear it! Chances are the seller may also feel somewhat awkward as well. Use this to your advantage. Make them a reasonable offer, or what you may think is a reasonable offer and then let them think about it. Do not say another word until they speak. If you think they will judge you for asking, you may be right. But the reality is, you are not shopping for friends, or trying to impress anyone, you are there to conduct your business transaction. That's right, it's business. If you think that businesses don't bargain with one another everyday, you would be wrong. They do. They bargain over everything and if they can't get it cheaper, they will ask for more, or faster delivery, or better goods. Your business (household, budget, or savings) is no less important than theirs is. You might just find that the long silent pause breeds respect, one business person to another. Respect, that is, if you make allies and not enemies. Here are my personal rules for bargaining: • Be friendly.- No one wants to give a deal to a jerk. • Make your offers reasonable- Asking for more than 5-20% off, may be taken as an insult. • Make concessions where you can- If you offer 20% of the full price, offering to assemble the product, pick it up (if it's a delivery item), package it yourself, or or buy the items in bulk, can help. • Be creative with your bargains- From bartering your services and goods, to making your offers in a poem form, be imaginative. Tap into your personal skills to help gain a sense of partnership. • Don't be pushy- Being overbearing, making demands, and handing out ultimatums only marks you as an unruly customer. No one likes a poor sport. If they refuse an offer, smile, thank them for their time, and take your business elsewhere if you can. The alternative is to pay full price. • Win/win leaves everyone feeling good and leaves the situation open for future dealings. What are some of your best bargaining skills?
I would never try to talk down a price unless, like you said, I'm at a flea market or buying a car. If I can't afford it at the listed price, then I must not need it that badly. I especially would not try to talk a price down at a local, mom-and-pop store. I believe in supporting small, local businesses, not trying to haggle with them for a bargain.
Bargaining has proven to be very useful for me because I save enough money to purchase extra items. I assign money to purchases and there are optional items that I buy depending on how much I can bargain for the main list.
I have always been to afraid to bargain. When we got married in Jamaica we went to a local marketplace and my husband bargained for everything we bought. I am glad he did because almost everything we bought broke before we even got it home lol. Oh well, however bargaining in a marketplace like that is one thing, but it never occurred to me to try to bargain at a store.
I'm never good at bargaining, but indeed you can often get a better price if you fight for it a little bit. I find that the less awkward way to do that is to say you'll buy, go to the cashier, then make a face and say you don't know if you should, because you found something similar at another store for a similar price. Chances are you won't even need to fight for it, the salesperson or store manager will offer a discount just there. For example, I didn't even know you could get discounts on medicines, and the other day I went to a drugstore to get some medicines, but they were more expensive than I had seen online. So I told the salesperson they were cheaper somewhere else and I wasn't going to buy them. She immediately took over 2 or 3 bucks off each medicine!! And I didn't even intend on a discount, I legitimately had found them for cheaper!
This is really good advice, especially on big-ticket items. Electronics and appliances in particular, you can almost always get a discount. I got about $200 off my laptop, and also $20 off my webcam (at different times). It helps to be friendly and develop a repartee with the salesperson. It's also worth inquiring if you can buy the floor or display model, because they will usually discount that as well because it's "used". When I want to haggle, I usually just say something like "Is this the best price you can do for this?" and they will generally offer to drop it. If they can't, then I might enquire elsewhere, but if I really want the item and the price isn't ridiculous I'll buy it anyway. I also wouldn't haggle at a local mom-and-pop store (I should say Mum and Pop, since I'm Australian) but for large chains and for large items it's totally acceptable. It also only really works at speciality retailers, and when you're dealing with a salesperson one-on-one. You can't just walk upto the check-out person at a Target and ask for a discount. It needs to be from the salesperson who is helping you and showing you the products.
I don't bargain often but since stores sell their products at different prices if I hear that someone has been bragging about obtaining a product at a relatively lower price, then IF I'm going to buy the same or a similar product then quite definitely, I'll do my best to get such a deal. Sometimes it doesn't work but most of the time it pushes the price a little lower . . .
I have never tried bargaining over prices in retail stores. In my opinion, this technique might work in flea markets because the vendors there are more eager to clear their stocks. This is due to the reason that they generally transport their goods to the flea markets and if the goods remain unsold, they would have to transport them back to their warehouses incurring further costs. While this is not the case with the retail stores. They incur the cost of real estate in order to save this hassel.
I don't think I would ever try to haggle at a retail store. Oftentimes the person I'm talking to doesn't even have the power to change the price of what their selling, so me trying to bargain with them would just end badly for both of us. I want to try haggling at a flea market but I'm pretty shy and I don't want to end up embarrassed so I never do. I think I'll give it a try though and keep all of this stuff in mind. The only place I have ever haggled or bargained is yard sales because I know that sellers want to get rid of their stuff and don't mind docking the price.
I live in the Philippines which I believe is the Bargain capital of the world. There are loads of bargainaries here in the Philippines, everywhere you turn. People sell things on the street, people walk up to you and try to sell to you, and of course the flea markets at every corner. We never settle for the first price they give us. I'm not as good as my mom when it comes to lowering down the price, but I don't go to a flea market without her.
I couldn't agree with you more. I would be horrified if I was with someone who walked into a department store with a friend and they tried to haggle over the price of an item. There are many companies where bargaining is not only expected but the only way to shop, but in the United States that really isn't acceptable. I've seen people haggle because there is a tear in a shirt they like, or because something is missing but they still want the product. That kind of haggling is a bit more understandable, why would you pay full price for a damaged item? But under normal circumstances that is pretty ridiculous. Most managers in most stores nowadays don't have the power to lower the price on the spot, so all it is doing is putting everyone involved in an awkward spot.
Absolutely, I totally agree. I never pay full price on anything. I negotiate prices wherever I can, especially in stores like Harvey Norman or Dick Smith. The other day I needed a tablet and managed to get a price reduction of nearly $150 for it, simply because I talked the assistant down for over half an hour. He was desperate to make a sale, but I kept telling him that I can get a better deal elsewhere and that I wasn't happy with certain features on the tablet that he was offering, and so on. It went on for a while, until I got a great deal. Keep trying, the competition out there is big, you will get a bargain in the end.
Like some of you, I have never even thought about bargaining at a retail store. I consider that to be a bit taboo, but if I was at an Italian market I'd barter. To me it's a matter of agency. If someone doesn't directly own the product but is rather selling it for another, I don't think I'll ever be comfortable in negotiating a price. The only exemptions are when the person is working on commission (car salesman, realtors). Maybe I'm just too polite, I really don't know
