Haggling!

NervexProf

Do you haggle when you shop?
Do you have any success stories?
What are your favourite ploys to win a good buy?

Interested in reactions following reading this link of 'tips and tricks'

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shoppi ... ccessfully

snowman1080

Yea I haggle. Usually try the charm offensive. Most of the time it works.

However. Evans are as tight as a nuns a$$. Dont give anything away, not even chain lube when id bought two bikes from them. Lemond Filmore and a Gt avalnche for my girl.

Evans is like the PC world of bikes. Go there for bit of eye candy/research, then buy elsewhere.

Stewie Griffin

Im rubbish at it;

How much is that?

That will be £xxx Sir

Is there anything you can do off that

Nope

Here is my credit card.

Then again, I have got discount from my LBS without asking for it. Got £50 off my Met Stradivarius 199 AND was offered an extra £500 :P off a complete bike. Which I havent done as it will still cost £3000 :shock:

STEFANOS4784

That article is cr@p anyway, ',ve worked in plenty of sales jobs and you can't always get disount, have had people walk away thinking i'll panic and call them back to give them discount, but if the price is fixed then it is fixed, no harm in askin though ......................
Just don't expect it 8)

spen666

NervexProf wrote:

Do you haggle when you shop?
Do you have any success stories?
What are your favourite ploys to win a good buy?

Interested in reactions following reading this link of 'tips and tricks'

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/shoppi ... ccessfully

can anyone post the article as websense here blocks that site

hammerite

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

That article is cr@p anyway, ',ve worked in plenty of sales jobs and you can't always get disount, have had people walk away thinking i'll panic and call them back to give them discount, but if the price is fixed then it is fixed, no harm in askin though ......................
Just don't expect it 8)

I've not read the article, but also work in sales. In retail sales it can be very difficult to get anything knocked off/discounted unless you are dealing with the manager/owner, or you are buying from a furniture shop

In business to business sales you can usually get a little bit off, if not a big discount, most sales guys will have a little room to manoeuvre.

STEFANOS4784

Haggling isn’t the preserve of foreign fly-infested bazaars. You can get £100s off by haggling at stores including John Lewis, Comet & New Look or call centres for broadband, digital TV, car insurance and more. Those in the know save £100s, and the very worst case scenario is you get a “no”.

This detailed sector by sector haggling technique guide includes top techniques and stock phrases, to grease the wheels and clinch the deals. Huge thanks to all the MoneySavers who added their tips.




It's good to haggle!
Do it with Chutzpah
The haggling top 20 tactics
Play 'em off against each other
Stock haggling phrases
Sector by sector haggling
It’s good to haggle!
We British will banter and bull with the best if we’re somewhere where snake charmers abide. Yet on home turf, we become complacent, lily-livered cowards, meekly accepting the first price we’re given.

Over the years, Brits have accepted that haggling’s rude and impolite, when it’s neither. Yet this mass hypnosis has left the knowing few with big bargains, and big stores’ profits fully in tact.

With the economy struggling, shops are desperate to make sales. While haggling cuts their profit, if you wouldn’t buy from them at that price anyway, this way they still make the sale.

The law behind this

When you walk into a shop or phone a call centre, until the money has changed hands, no contract’s been struck. By law, no store has to accept your cash, even if you’re paying the ticketed price.

Equally, you don’t have to accept the ticket price. Ultimately what counts is the bargain struck, so why not ask them to lower the price? Afterall:

"What’s the worst that can happen? They say no. They won’t chuck you out of the shop or punch you in the face!

Where can you haggle?

Haggling in one form or another is already an embedded and hugely successful technique in many of this sites guides including broadband, mobile phone contracts, car insurance, breakdown cover and even credit card interest rates.

Yet it works on the high street too: in the Great High Street Haggling hunt, I asked MoneySavers which high street stores they’d successfully haggled in. Names like John Lewis, Comet, Jessops and BHS were common.

Haggling Successes
Shop Who did it?(1) Product Price Discount
Comet Mamazaac PC £1,330 £370
Richer Sounds Ncrossland Panasonic DVD recorder £240 £140
Comet saverCol Sony LCD TV £1000 £250
Halfords Freebie Manor Sav Nav £450 £200
Game cheekyweegit Computer consoles £1200 £600
Goldsmiths benbenandme Watch £500 £50
John Lewis Donglefan Stove £700 £200 and free delivery
(1) These examples come from the Forum, where people are referred to by ‘usernames’.


Do it with Chutzpah


Chutzpah’s a powerful consumer weapon, especially when combined with talents not often evoked in the money world: seduction, a gentle patter and a twinkle in the eye. Aim for polite, firm, non-combative and maybe just a touch flirtatious.

Aggressive or forceful haggling’s usually a mistake; it annoys the person you’re dealing with, and your discount is at their discretion. If you’re polite, charming and treat the whole process with humour, you’ll get further.

The trick’s to work with what you’ve got...

A quick story: When I first started dating the now Money Saving Fiancé (MSF), we were in John Lewis’s lighting department. As it was a new relationship, I was still on my best, trying to impress, behaviour.

Knowing which lamp I needed and that it was already discounted, I asked if the sales assistant would throw in some spare halogen bulbs for it. He said no, at which point the MSG nipped off to grab some bulbs for her own place.

I then went back to the sales man (who thankfully didn’t recognise me) and with an embarrassed smile, told the truth: something akin to, “I really need you to throw in the bulbs. I’ve already boasted that I’m a good haggler, and I’m going to look a fool in front of my new girlfriend. Can you help?”

Once we were in the queue, he walked up to us, took both our bulbs, and said “OK, I said I’ll throw them in, let me take those too”, – giving us both sets for free!

So it’d worked a treat on both scores. I had an impressed girlfriend saying “wow, I never knew you could do that!” and over a tenner’s worth of free bulbs to boot.


The haggling top 20 tactics
Haggling can be daunting, even for hardened MoneySavers, yet there’s nothing to be scared of. Here are some top tactics to deploy; some are for in-store, others for call centre haggling.

The Beginner’s Haggle: Get them to chuck something in
Often customer service assistants will say they’re not allowed to give discounts. If you’re new to haggling, an easy start point is to ask them to throw something in on top. Whether it’s free batteries with electricals, polish with shoes or a router for broadband, if you need an add-on, try not to pay extra for it.


To show you just how far this stretches and prove that no ask’s too cheeky, one MoneySaver tells a tale of persuading a Comet sales assistant to throw in a £60 George Foreman grill with a £500 laptop, in order to clinch the deal.

Look for already discounted items
If the price is already reduced, such as in a sale, manager’s clearance or online promotion, there is often more flexibility; the boundaries have already been flexed. The psychological loss for the person you’re haggling with is reduced, as they have already given up the idea of getting full price.


The ends of sales are golden haggling opportunity, as shops are keen to reclaim all their display space for new stock. It’s worth friendlily pointing this out. For a detailed example read a The Discount Haggle tale.

Bulk-buy
Discounts’re often available for bulk-buying. This may mean stocking up for a year, buying combinations of products, or even going with a gang of mates who want to buy something similar.


The advantage you have is you’re going to hand over a lot more business, and you should secure a reduction because of it.

Seniority, yes. Head honcho, no.
If you’re haggling face-to-face, an assistant manager or supervisor is a good person to bargain with. They have more discretion than most of the shop staff, understand the retail game a bit better and are used to pleasing their customers. Go to the very top, though, and the person will be short of time, and not bothered about one small sale.


Pretend you want a warranty
Sales staff have weekly, monthly or quarterly targets on the amount of warranties they can sell. Reaching this target’s often crucial to them, so it gives consumers a real bargaining tool on products they’re likely to flog warranties with.


The best bit’s you’re legally free to change your mind within 45 days of purchasing the warranty, so cancel for a full refund. Comet, Dixons at PC World are especially good for this loophole, with one MoneySaver getting a Sony LCD TV reduced to £750, from £1000 at Comet.

Don’t fill the silence
As negotiations come to a close, a classic salesman technique is staying silent. They want you to accept the price just to fill the awkward silence. Make them fill it with a cheaper offer!


Spot a flaw? It’s money off time!
If you’re shopping in person, look for the tiniest of dents or scratches in electrical appliances and marks on clothing; this makes them more difficult to flog. Clothing can be cleaned and your new fridge’ll soon be knackered anyway. One MoneySaver even talked 20% off a dog-eared book in Waterstone’s.


Independent stores are great places to haggle
Negotiating in independent retailers, where you can speak directly to the owner, is a better bet than a chain, as there’s more leeway.


This is because in owner/retailer shops, the owner has complete discretion, so a smile and a hint that you’ll become a regular shopper work wonders.

Better still, do become a regular: somewhere you frequently give custom is likely to look after you. Put all your business through them, provided it’ll price match the best deals you can get elsewhere.

Counter-seasonal products
Companies are more amenable to haggling at slower times of year, when fewer customers are after their wares. Do the exact opposite of what firms expect you do: cameras with special Christmas boxing in January; convertible cars when it's snowing outside.


It’s one of the reasons November and December are the perfect months to do your home and car insurance. They’re not busy, they want business, you’re giving them business: expect a discount. See the Great Counter seasonality bargains Hunt for more info.

Haggling with an existing provider? Threaten to leave
The most powerful haggle of all comes when you’re haggling with a company, near the end of your current contract. Here they’re desperate to keep your custom, whether it’s car insurance, digital TV or breakdown cover.


Quite frankly, especially for digital or technology contracts, if you get a deal without going through to customer disconnections, you’ve probably settled too soon.

Many companies with disconnections departments internally call them ‘customer retentions’, because their job’s to keep you, plain and simple. Therefore if you get as far as that, they have massively more discretion to give you a better deal.

People’ve saved £100s a year on mobile phone contracts, been given six months’ free digital TV, and had all manner off stuff thrown in with broadband, after saying, “that deal isn’t good enough: I want to leave.” An extended guide to this technique, which can be applied to all types of service, is in the Mobile Phone Haggling guide. There are more ideas of where it can be used in the Great ‘threaten to leave’ hunt.

Try to find out their month or year end
Towards the end of a firm’s the financial year or monthly target, retailers and sales people are often much more willing to haggle. At this point, it’s the volume rather than profit that really counts. So they’re willing to turn margins into a slither, just to make sales. This is also the time when head office sends down special deals and sweeteners.


If in doubt when their financial month/year end is, assume it’s the calendar month and the tax year. As a general rule, the end of Saturday is fortuitous and the last Saturday of the month is the hottest date in the haggling calendar.

For more info on this, read when Great best time to haggle hunt, where we asked MoneySavers working in sales to share their tips.

Don’t commit to financing
Don’t talk about your payment method until it’s necessary. Sellers prefer debit cards to credit cards, so leave this until the end of the transaction. If they’re offering interest free finance, this is already equivalent to a discount of 5% plus, so request a discount for using a debit card.


If they’ve their own financing options, it may be worth mooting you’re interested, without committing, as there’s often good commission on finance. They’ll be more disposed to give a bigger discount, though don’t actually use their financing options: generally these are much more expensive.

Look for obsolete stock
Watch out for obsolete products, such as old DVD players and cameras, usurped by newer models. This is the perfect time to bargain: when retailers have out of date stock, they want to shift it fast to make room for the new.


Don’t try when stores are jammed
Try not to haggle when a shop is crammed with other customers. The last thing salespeople are interested in is reducing their margins when they can see lots of people willing to buy. Go during times of shopping serenity, such as midweek mid-mornings.


Don’t settle unnecessarily
In my year out before university, I had a job selling caravan awnings. As a salesman, I had full discretion to drop the price. Yet I was instructed to routinely tell customers that I had to check with the manager beyond a certain level.


This both put a break in the negotiations and, if they weren’t going well for me, allowed me to return and say, “Sorry, it’s not possible, I can only drop it so far”, without looking like the bad guy.

Often customers were fooled into settling at that point. Remember, even if the salesperson is telling the truth that they need the manager’s permission, make them go back to the manager with an offer, or get ‘em to bring the manager to you.

Set a target price
Use shopping comparison websites, such as Kelkoo*, Pricerunner* and Shopping.com*, to find the cheapest price for your product, then aim below that (read the Cheap Internet Shopping guide). Even if you bargain a £500 plasma telly down to £300, it’s rubbish if Amazon’s doing it for £250.


For big items, use the free Budget planner tool to plan your expenditure and work out what you can afford, before you get swept up in the fun of negotiating.

Know your market
Before diving in, do some haggling reconnaissance work, just as a professional negotiator would. This site’s a mine of useful information on all manner of products, from laptops to lip gloss. It’s well worth doing a search to discover what offers are on, then using them as a bargaining tool.


Say you’re buying a camera and you unearth that Canon recently gave £50 cashback on your desired model; this could well mean the price is negotiable.

Don’t be afraid to walk away
If you’re nearly ready to buy, then start to use true sales negotiation language. Let them know the exact conditions they must meet in order to close the sale. But don’t be afraid to walk away if they won’t give you want to want – you can always try elsewhere.


Ask for the sun and you may just get the moon
Remember, do it with humour, do it with style and there’s no price or suggestion that’s too outrageous. You can haggle virtually anywhere for anything.


And if you’re wondering where the 20th tip is, for you I did it in 19!




Play ‘em off against each other.
To really up the haggling, don’t target sellers in isolation: try to play off a number against each other. This has two advantages: it gives solid foundation and it prods sellers’ competitive instincts in your favour, as they want to prove they’re better than the opposition.

Get web prices on the high street

Many high-street retailers will price-match internet prices if you push them. Use a shopbot, a shopping comparison site, then print off your comparison result and take it into the shop. See if they’ll match the price and, if you’re feeling naughty, keep your thumb over the delivery cost. Comet and Richer sounds are especially good at this.

It’s especially true of the many retailers that operate both online and in the high street. Often they’ll charge different amounts, yet print out their online price and often they’ll give it to you in store.

Compare prices on your mobile

If you can’t go online, it’s now possible to compare prices wherever you are, via mobile handsets. Both Kelkoo and Pricerunner offer mobile comparisons; there’s a full how to on this and normal comparisons in the Internet Shopping guide.

Official price-matching/beating deals

Official price-beater deals, whether for goods or services, where companies say "find it cheaper elsewhere and we’ll beat the price" deals are in general a bit disingenuous.

It has the beautiful effect of giving customers a false sense of security, as many people assume a store doing that must be competitive. Yet in truth, who buys something then checks the price elsewhere afterwards?

In reality, these deals actually let a retailer offer any price it likes, and the worse case scenario is it’ll have to reduce its price to give it the same margins as a competitor.

Yet to turn the tables, it’s important to realise these are an open invitation to haggle and one of the fastest ways to slash prices by £100s, with no argument. Don’t feel you need to buy the product in the more expensive store to get the discount; just tell them about the cheaper deal, taking an internet print-out, catalogue, or even price note from the other seller.

The following do it as official policy, some even promising to refund you the difference plus more on top, meaning you’re quids in.

Price beater policies
Retailer What’ll it take off? Who’ll it match ? How to claim
Richer Sounds The different plus £5 to £100 (full details). Shops and web Ask in-store
John Lewis The difference National shops Ask in-store
PC World The difference plus 10% Shops within 30 miles radius and certain websites (see list) Ask in-store
Currys The difference plus 10% Nine national shops and websites (full list) Ask in-store or call 8445 61 62 63
Comet The difference plus 10% Shops within 10 mile radius Ask in-store
Kwik Fit The difference plus 10% Shops Ask in-store
B&Q The difference plus 10% Shops within 10 mile radius Ask in-store




Any new price beater loopholes go in the free weekly MoneySaving e-mail

It's Free, Ad Free and Spam Free View Past Emails, FAQ


Stock haggling phrases to try …
Bantering can feel unnatural to us stiff-upper-lipped Brits. If you feel shy, try one of MoneySavers’ top bargaining gambits. Thanks to all those who suggested these.

“Hmm I’m considering this engagement ring, it looks nice”

Never ever walk in and announce “my girlfriend adores this ring, it’s the only one left in town and she’ll dump me if you don’t get it. The salesperson will think KER-CHING! Even if you absolutely love it, keep a poker face until you’ve shaken on it.

“I’d like to take this home today …”

Though do let them know you’re seriously interested in doing business there and then – at the right price. You’re more likely to score a decent deal if they know you’re in a position to buy.

Phrases to grease the wheels.

The same thing can be said in many ways; find the one you’re most comfortable with and then use the rest to bolster your negotiation.

“Can you do me a deal on this?”

“Is there any flexibility in the price?”

“I’d love to buy this, but my wife I’ll go bonkers if I pay that.”

“I like this mountain bike, but it’s too pricey.”

“Price is the most important factor for me.”

“I like this, but it’s above my budget, can you do it for £60?”

“Come on, you can do better than that!” (In a cheeky voice!)

“Oh go on, do it for £90.”

“I’m a poor mature student/pensioner/unemployed/nurse/teacher.” Though don’t lie!

"Oh, I’ve only got £160 until pay day. If you do it for £160 with free delivery, I could take it today.”


Sector by sector haggling strategies
Different retail and service sectors call for different strategies. Below you’ll find some top tips, with links through to specific discussions and guides for more information.


Sector How Hagglable Likely Stores Futher Info
Car
Insurance The car insurance market is very competitive and companies are desperate to retain business. Once you’ve found the cheapest price using comparison sites, try to haggle. There's often massive price flexibility, but be fully armed with the screenscraper’s cheapest quotes first. One MoneySaver saved £40 on already-reduced Swinton’ insurance by calling at the end of the month, when sales assistants were trying to hit targets. That said, virtually all car insurers’ prices are malleable. Cheap Car Insurance
Clothes
shops The classic clothes haggle is to ask for a discount because it’s marked or there’s button missing. One MoneySaver bagged £20 off a pair of trousers just because the belt was missing – the belt looked like it was worth about £2. Almost all shops will knock 10% or 20% off the price if there’s a fault. But it doesn’t even have to be damaged; shop assistants often give you 10% just for asking. This works in Office, Ted Baker, Levis and Warehouse, among others. “Clothes Shops Haggling” Discussion
Credit
cards Cheap balance transfer rates, extra cashback: it’s possible to get better deals on credit cards, by simply calling and asking. This is especially useful if you want to shift debts without getting new cards. It’s worth a try will all card companies, but Barclaycard can be especially generous, commonly offering 2% cashback to those who threaten to leave. The Credit Card Shuffle
Cycles
As well as 10% discounts, bike shops often throw in cycling accessories for free. Halfords often crops up as a haggleable store. Local stores have been known to give a free service if you buy something. “Bike Haggling” Discussion
Ebay
sellers
Some eBay sellers specify that they’ll consider ‘best offers’. This is where you propose a figure, then they mull it over and tell you if it’s a goer. Ebay sellers! Ebay Buying Tricks
Electricals The price is massively negotiable on electricals; it’s possible to slash £100s off the price with the right tactic. Always ask for free delivery and extra kit thrown in: scart leads, cables, batteries. Richer Sounds, Comet, Dixons and Currys will all price-match. Comet, PC world and Dixons will slash the price if you buy an extended warranty (then cancel). As well as price-matching, Jessops often chucks in extra camera equipment for nowt. MoneySavers have grabbed tripods, printing paper, cases – you name it. “Electricals Haggling” Discussion
Furniture Stores will often discount clearance or display stock, especially if it takes up a lot of space. They are also willing to cut the price flawed merchandise. Always ask for free delivery on bulky items. John Lewis is notoriously flexible with prices. Many people have bagged 20% discounts, simply by asking. A friendly chat with the shop assistants works wonders. Plus people've said it gives away things like free cushions if there’s a mistake with your order. Ikea often give 30% off damaged stock – better than the average 10% or 20% in other shops. “Furniture Haggling” Discussion
Gym membership Most gyms employ a commission driven sales team to sign you up, this means they have flexibility in what they can offer. Don't settle for the basic package, try and haggle to beat down the cost. Virgin Active apparently throws in extra guest passes, as well as towels and workout bags. Fitness First have been known to throw in three free personal training sessions. Cheap Gym Membership
Home computers It’s possible to save £100s on PC purchases, especially if you bulk-buy with mates who also want to home computers or consoles. You can’t haggle with a computer system and several people have reported that Dell’s call centre staff cut £100s off prices and throw in free stuff. Obviously on Dell’s site, prices are static. Another tip is, once the computer arrives, ring them up and moot you want to cancel, which you’re entitled to do under the Distance Selling Regulations. “Home Computer Haggling” Discussion
Jewellery There are some terrific deals to be had at jewellery shops. As for engagement ring haggling, this isn’t stingy; much better to put the extra towards your future than into Mr Goldsmiths’ pockets. A good line is, “I like this one, but it’s a bit outside my budget.” One MoneySaver claiming to be an ex-Ernest Jones worker, reports sales assistants are free to discount anything over £300 by 10%. Another got 10% off a £500 watch in Goldsmiths by saying they would “go away and think about it”. “Jewellery Haggling” Discussion
Mobile Phone Contracts As mobile phone companies scramble to keep your custom, they can be flexible about prices. It's all about an easy haggling technique to add minutes and texts, cut your line rental and upgrade your phone. This works with every major phone operator. One of thousands of successes is a MoneySaver who got 200 minutes and 500 texts for £15/month plus £100 or a new handset, with one call to 02. Mobile Contracts
New/Used Car Haggling The classic haggle. First arm yourself with the web’s cheapest prices, then try to make dealerships compete for your custom. Moot that you’re interested in their pricey finance deals. Ever met a car salesperson who didn’t like to haggle? One MoneySaver emailed all Vauxhall dealers in his area, looking for a quote for a Vauxhall Vivaro van. He got a great response and one received my cheapest quote I would forward this to the other dealers, asking them to beat it, eventually saving £2,500! New Car Buying
Opticians High Street opticians charge huge mark-ups on specs, so there’s often room for manoeuvre. You don’t have to buy your glasses from the place where you had your eye test, so play opticians off against each other, mentioning that you saw them £100 cheaper down the road. It’s also worth asking for a free eye test on top or at the very least some free lens cleaner. One MoneySaver who works in an opticians says that you should expect a minimum 20% discount as standard when buying glasses. Some have said Boots is routinely allowed to give 10% for people who ask. “Opticians Haggling” Discussion
Package holidays It’s possible to slash up to £600 off even the cheapest family holiday by haggling with a few calls. By pitting travel brokers against each other, you can talk down the price by £100s. The most important thing to understand is that tour operators make holidays, travel agents sell them. Using this technique it’s possible to shave package tours from Thomas Cook, First Choice, Virgin and more.

spen666

thanks

pneumatic

Every time I have to buy new tyres for my car, I go in, the bloke hisses through his teeth, goes into the bothy, picks up a oily calculator and makes it more oily by tapping it a lot and then says:

"Well they would normally be one nine nine (see how they never use the word hundred in case it frightens people), but the good news is that I can do you an offer and give you two for two eight two and I'll throw in the tracking for a tenner."

I just stand there listening to all this cr@p and then pay the bill. Does that count as haggling?