‘TIS THE SEASON TO BARGAIN!’
The holidays fast approach.
Ever a budget-busting time, for those swimming up-stream against the Great Recession, this gift-giving season is likely to prove tougher than normal.
Before you drive yourself crazy or succumb to despair, how about bargaining before pulling out that credit card? If you ever needed a good reason to take the plunge and try negotiating in a store, this is the moment.
What can you hope to save? It’s not at all unreasonable to figure you can cut your costs by 15% to 20% without too much trouble. Even more if you hunker down and get really serious. Say you plan to spend $1000 for gift presents, a few minutes bargaining for a better deal could put an extra several hundred dollars in your pocket.
Here are some good tactics:
1. Comparison shop in advance:
Before you go to the store, do some research about what other merchants are charging for comparable items. Check on-line, too. Invest some time in comparison shopping so you know the range of what sellers are asking. The single most powerful thing you can say to a merchant is that you can get the same product elsewhere at a lesser price so if she wants your trade she’d best beat the competition.
2. Present yourself as an eager ‘wanna be’ buyer.
“This is exactly what I’m looking for,” is a good line to use. Give the shop-keeper incentive to work with you when you then say “I just wish it weren’t so expensive!”
3. Ask to deal with power.
The store’s first line of defense is for the sales person to insist prices are fixed and “we don’t negotiate.” Perhaps that’s true for clerks, but managers (or better yet, owners) are empowered to be flexible. They’re the ones you want to be talking to.
4. Inquire about forthcoming sales.
Retailers are cutting prices more readily than previously to combat sluggish demand. She may offer to give you the future sales prices immediately. If not, suggest you’d be willing to make the purchase at a ‘sale’ price a third off the tag (which still gives the shopkeeper an acceptable profit margin and eliminates her inventory).
5. Take your time.
Don’t be in a hurry. ‘Stalling’ is a key negotiating tactic to get the other side invested in the transaction. Discuss the product. Point out flaws or defects as you admire it. Maintain the merchant’s attention. The more time she’s put into you, the more eager she will be consummate a transaction.
6. Pay with cash.
“Okay,” you say, “I’ll take it!” Then you clinch the deal by saying that if the merchants sells it to you at the price you’re offering, you’ll pay cash on the spot (not only saving the merchant the 3-5% fee the credit card charges them but also putting money in their hands right away instead 30 days later).
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by sarahmassey, Neil Shister. Neil Shister said: Tis the season to #bargain! Dare to ask this shopping season http://ow.ly/38SjQ #shopping [...]