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Do you bargain at retail stores?
- Thread starter Doctor Q
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theBB said:Well, I don't know the statistics about female ones, but my mom is a serious haggler. I once saw her haggling about the price of a pencil at mom and pop stationary store. This was no fancy pencil, either. Just a cheap pencil. Now, that felt embarassing.
I try to negotiate for large ticket items as well, but there are few stores in the US where you can actually do it. Who do you negotiate with at IKEA? That pretty much leaves cars and mechanics. Of course, if you go the mechanic with a dead battery, he does not give you a good deal on a new one. What am I gonna do if I refuse his price, ask for a jump so that I can drive to the next store?
In any case, I don't enjoy negotiating. I'd rather search for low prices on the internet and shop online or at a large retailer with the lowest price for that particular item.
The numbers are generalities, we can all find exceptions. I know plenty of guys who would never ask for any money off anything.
I actually find that in the right scenario doing internet research can net you a great discount in person ...
Yes, I bargain at retail stores, but only on "open items". I recently got a good deal on a $50 hand vac, I got the display model for $18 at Linens-N-Things. Works perfectly and looks clean. Also haggled for a $39 electric cooler at Target, got it for $10 because there was no box or manual. Works great and I use it on road trips.
Never hurts to ask.
Never hurts to ask.
I never bargain but i think i might have to start. I cant see the point in bartering over a £100 purchase but everything above say, 500, i think i should. It might get me a good deal so that i can save money and buy some addons for it to make it even better.
At book stores, you can sometimes get on request a discount for books that are dog-eared or noticeably scuffed. This is known in the trade as "shelf worn." At some point, I presume these books go back to the distributor.
The best way to get a "deal" in a consumer electronics store is to have a lower price in hand from another dealer, online or otherwise. If the salesperson can't match your price, or at least come close -- walk, and buy from the other source.
The best way to get a "deal" in a consumer electronics store is to have a lower price in hand from another dealer, online or otherwise. If the salesperson can't match your price, or at least come close -- walk, and buy from the other source.
Yeah, I do do that... if some clothing has a slight stain, or a tiny hole (that I know I or my mom can fix) then I'll ask for a discount of sorts. Otherwise, haggling is left for bigger purchases (cars*, furniture, etc.) and usually done by my dad who doesn't mind looking like a cheap, hard-assed, bas#ard.erickkoch said:
*My car price could not be negotiated since MINIs were/are a hot item and in high demand, most dealerships were charging anywhere from $500-$2,000 ON TOP of MSRP and the dealership I was at charged exactly MSRP.
They were impossibly firm and there's no wiggle room as other people were on wait-lists for over 1.5 years.
Some people get that feeling after unsuccessfully asking a girl (or boy) for a date. Perhaps it takes a similar amount of bravery.Zwhaler said:
I notice that some posters have said "it never hurts to ask" and that what I heard was right, that it's just business, not personal. But others who have worked as salespersons say they resent such questions and even hold a grudge if the customer comes back for service!
*shrug* I also feel it doesn't hurt to ask (as long as it's done politely and with tact) and I've worked in both retail (commission and non-commission based) in direct sales; it wouldn't really bother me if people ask because I figure everyone would like to save a buck or two and I know it is about business.Doctor Q said:I notice that some posters have said "it never hurts to ask" and that what I heard was right, that it's just business, not personal. But others who have worked as salespersons say they resent such questions and even hold a grudge if the customer comes back for service!
My second home and where I spent the summer is Turkey. and let me just say that Turkey and maybe even all of eastern-Europe is the king of haggling.
They have huge markets and it's assumed that you haggle for everything. People even barter the price of a hot dog.
Also, one of my friends works at Best Buy and he said that most of the managers there will lower the price on big ticket items if you are polite.
They have huge markets and it's assumed that you haggle for everything. People even barter the price of a hot dog.
Also, one of my friends works at Best Buy and he said that most of the managers there will lower the price on big ticket items if you are polite.
tringo said:
I work at Circuit City, and let me tell you, I get hagglers ALL the time, and I can't stand it.
Just the other day, a guy comes in to buy a 50" samsung plasma TV. Nothing else. No cables, no dvd, no sound system, not even the highly, highly reccomended service plan. He has the audacity to ask "so take off $300". I blink and ask him " sir, what have YOU done for ME to ask for that?" This guy has no answer. I politely told him we could take care of his tax for him. That's it.
However, we ALWAYS will take care of you if you're getting everything you need. If you buy yourself a shiny new 40" lcd tv with service plan, a wall mount or stand, installation, sound system, and dvd/hd cable package...I will GLADLY give you 10-15% off. In those cases, I have no problem saving you upwards of $500.
Most people don't understand that we as retail stores with no comission only start with 30 points of margin on MSRP. So say we run a 15% off sale. We're down to only 15 points of margin. So then, it starts to get tight. We've got to stay profitable. And then customers get pissed and say "i'll just go to best buy!"...well then...good! Let them lose money, not I.
so when haggling, please be courteous and know your product.
I'm going to buy a ring for the woman, and have found that many diamonds are marked up 200% in the retail stores. THAT I will haggle on!
IJ Reilly said:
But it should be THEIR job to be educated before making a purchase. There is much, much more room to haggle on something that has a super massive markup and where negotiation has been happening since always. It is widely accepted that haggling on electronics in a non-commission stores gets you nowhere.
(that is unless, it is an open box item, in which case I will sell it to you for our cost, since I want that thing out of there!
)
Jschultz said:But it should be THEIR job to be educated before making a purchase. There is much, much more room to haggle on something that has a super massive markup and where negotiation has been happening since always. It is widely accepted that haggling on electronics in a non-commission stores gets you nowhere.
(that is unless, it is an open box item, in which case I will sell it to you for our cost, since I want that thing out of there!
Not sure what you mean, exactly. If a customer knows that he can buy a TV for $2,500 online or by mail order and you're selling it for $3,000, then the customer is really just giving you an opportunity to make a sale you'd otherwise have no shot at. If you can't meet that price or at least come close, you should expect that customer to walk away -- just as you would do in the same situation.
IJ Reilly said:
IJ, you bring up a good point.
If a customer were to be stubborn and pig-headed because they are looking to be cheap, it is one thing. But lets say you don't know the benefits of buying in a store (after the sale support, return policy, etc) then it'd be different. Once customers realize that we have overhead to pay for, plus we'll take care of them, offer them a GOOD service plan...etc..they will gladly pay retail store price.
You mention that I would be given an opportunity to make a sale I'd have no shot at. Well, that's one way to look at it, but..many online retailers are fishy and have b-stock, refurbished..etc. and their cost is lower than ours. If lets say, bobsplasmadepot.com sells said tv for $2500, and I have it for $3000, and my cost is $2550. Well, no...I will gladly, and promptly send you out of the store, since you'd be wasting your own and my time. I don't feel bad about that at all, but the customer gets pissy all the time, like we just did them a big injustice. Too many people feel like retail revolved around them 100%.
Like I said before, I understand everyone's hunger for THAT big deal, but all things must be taken into account.
Doctor Q- the two biggest electronic retailers, best buy and circuit city are no longer commission. Most ma and pa shops will be, Fry's included. Sears is still commission. I suppose you really wouldn't know, but generally we'll tell you right off the bat. I make it a point to tell people I'm non-commission.
Some online dealers are good, some are bad. Just like bricks and mortar stores. And it's not too difficult to find out which are which. The bad ones aren't in business for long. If any dealer sells a refurbished product as new, then they are committing a fraud. I've never had this problem.
But I've had enough bad experiences in consumer electronics stores that I now go out of my way to avoid the way they "take care" of me. I recall one time a salesperson wouldn't allow me to put a tape measure on a TV to find out if it would fit on my shelf, unless I bought it first. Seriously, this happened to me. And more.
No, I've been taken care of plenty. These days, I prefer to use a good online retailer and have the goods dropped on my doorstep by UPS. I suspect I'm not the only one to feel this way. Salespeople working in consumer electronics stores should understand this, and that it isn't entirely about price.
But I've had enough bad experiences in consumer electronics stores that I now go out of my way to avoid the way they "take care" of me. I recall one time a salesperson wouldn't allow me to put a tape measure on a TV to find out if it would fit on my shelf, unless I bought it first. Seriously, this happened to me. And more.
No, I've been taken care of plenty. These days, I prefer to use a good online retailer and have the goods dropped on my doorstep by UPS. I suspect I'm not the only one to feel this way. Salespeople working in consumer electronics stores should understand this, and that it isn't entirely about price.
IJ Reilly said:
This is true.
However, you've got to understand that customer service varies store to store.
Funny though, I am VERY comfortable buying a $2000 laptop online, delivered to my door, though I feel weird buying a TV set online.
BTW, I've purchased TV's from Tigerdirect.com ..so I know exactly where you're coming from!
Jschultz said:
i mean this with absolutely no disrespect to you whatsoever, but i can assure you that the store's profitability and margin is the absolute last thing on a consumers mind when they are negotiating a price for a purchase. i for one, could care less about your profit margin, i only care about my final cost. the only thing that matters is reaching a price that i like and that you are willing to take for the product. if either side is not happy, no sale. very simple.
and as a side note, it is all about add-ons. i think most people understand that stuff like cables are more profitable than the hardware, but i am not sure they know the real mark-up. i have a relationship with a few comp usa's near me and i usually get cost on all product. i needed a 10' USB A/mini-B cable recently.
retail: $28.
my cost?
$3.20
shecky said:
Right, which like I said...if neither side is not happy, no sale..whatever, no big deal. But like I mentioned before, customers will cuss us out, make a scene, and "swear I'll never shop here again" because they tried haggling and failed to reach their price. If it's a busy Saturday and I have only 2 $3000 tv's of a certain brand to sell, why would I sell it to you for less when 2 other people will pay full retail? It's just like a car dealership with a hot car.
And you're right..accessories such as cables have huuuuuge markup. I feel bad selling someone a $150 HDMI monster cable when it's true cost is about $20. THAT is insane markup. Making a few hundred bucks on a $2000 TV is not. but what about when a customer doesn't want add-ons, just the TV? Well, no go.
So yes, I agree..even as *I* am a consumer as well...profitability is the last thing on my mind as well. I understand that as a retailer, and as a consumer.