So tell me, good people. In the the industrialized world, today, what should a buyer try to get a better deal on? Also, please note if such haggling would get a lower price than is available elsewhere or if it would merely get the price down to the same level. For example, if one could bargain with the manager at the Safeway supermarket in order to get a better deal on a can of peas, would that price be lower than the one already available at WalMart?
Do you mean for a flight that day, or for a future reservation? Because the 2 times I’ve bought plane tickets at the counter, the attitude was very much “Take it or leave it”. Of course, I was in imminent danger of stranding, so maybe they realized they had me by the neck.
Rents
Computers. if you are a company buyer
Anything at an “antiques” store or thrift shop
I often, as a student, negotiated for end-of-day bread at the small bakery. They had a mark-down price but would still drop it if you were nice and looked hungry.
Big company chain like Wal-Mart, where you are talking to a low-level corporate drone – hardly anything is negotiable. Those people don’t even have authority over when they are allowed to use the restroom.
Locally-owned store, where you are dealing with the owner or manager – everything is negotiable. Everything!
You can *try *haggling for almost anything. For instance, I successfully negotiated an almost 60% price drop on a leather jacket in Marks and Spencer (big chain high street department store, very much fixed prices) because it was the last one and had two sales tags punched through the lining instead of one. Speak with confidence and make sure you don’t talk yourself out of a purchase you really want or need, though you should be prepared to walk away if you don’t. I tend to try to haggle on everything except groceries. It’s always worth a try, you have nothing to lose as long as you do it with grace, and it’s saved me thousands.
I was shopping with a friend of mine and I saw a shirt I liked and the button was broke and it was the only one. So she goes up to the sales clerk and says “We want this shirt but the button is broke, we’ll buy it if you give us a discount” And the clerk gave me 10% off and that was at the Gap so sometime it pays to ask.
Most furniture is negotiable if you’re getting it at a department store or furniture warehouse. This includes most types of furniture, from console tables to mattresses. I have never paid full price for a piece of furniture.
Depending upon how much you’re spending, jewelry is frequently negotiable as well (and, yes, I’m talking about a nice jewelry shop, not a pawn shop). In other words, if you’re purchasing an engagement or wedding ring or even just jewelry for a nice occasion, you can often get at least a moderate discount.
Leather jacket. My wife wanted one so we went in. She was in the process of selecting one when a salesperson say me eyeing this neat leather jacket - the thing was great. It was very light…but warm when put on. It looked very stylish (to me). When I looked at it the price was $825.
YIKES! I put it back down.
He comes over and proceeds to try to get me interested. I like haggling but no way was I going to pay even close to $825.
I walk out with it at $259…officially $199 but buying 3 leather cleaning products for $20 apiece was part of the agreement (the sales person must have been getting especially comped for those).
Still have the jacket 15 years later and it still looks and feels great!
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I’ve tried haggling for many other things. The problem is:
You are usually dealing with low level employees that don’t have the authority
Those that do have the authority are many times turned off (or even repulsed) by your attempt to haggle. The culture of the U.S. I guess.
If they do haggle, they are not very good at it. They get emotionally involved. Use tactics that don’t work well. Take too long to do it. LET YOU WALK AWAY! (even car salespeople (!)).
Places that I have negotiated and it worked out well:
cars
leather jackets
Contractors - like door/window installation, decks etc.
Landscappers
Higher end clothing & shoes
Orthodontist (I know…weird…but I actually found myself haggling with one (he started it)when I need teeth fixed when I was 30…and I paid about a third of what he asked for at first :). Unique case because the guy was young and just put out his shingle…I was one of his first customers)
Hotel rooms
Places that you would THINK would work well but has fallen flat:
Furniture stores (!) {This one I don’t understand but I have tried several times}
Any item over a couple of hundred dollars where there a salesperson on the floor can be negotiated. I don’t like haggling but have been in many situations where I told the salesperson, I’ll think about it, and started to walk off, and that’s when they start dealing.
I’ve also negotiated a lower phone bill by complaining that they put me on the wrong plan, and several times have gotten my credit card company to lower my rate.
