How much do you haggle?

The Cool

Depends what it is you're asking for, it's fine to ask when you're buying a car or electronics or something, it's standard enough and the salespeople will be prepared to haggle a bit.
I used to work in a sweater shop where we'd have tourists coming in and asking for discounts, and as floor staff we had absolutely no authority to give any. If the manager was there we could point them towards her, if not there was nothing we could do, and plenty would get really narky with us. We were mostly students working in the shop and definitely didn't look like we had a say in the price of the goods!

somefeen

I'd rather avoid it at all costs.

****ing hate it. If I dont think something is worth what the seller is asking then, I dont bother.

Bought a new car recently, asked the guy if there was a negotiation on the price. He said No, I said grand went and thought about it, decided it was worth the price and bought it for that.

What is the point in it, if I want to sell something I give the price I want for it and thats what I expect to get.

jillymayr

I haggle all the time

Stheno

I once went to buy something for 35e, the company hadn't the packaging and we agreed on 20e

beyondbelief67

I have seen many people haggle in charity shops especially if it's a designer item.
The people working there always explain they aren't the ones setting the price and they will get into trouble if they reduce it.
Yet when I buy a lot of things books/ornaments or clothing they nearly always knock a euro off without my asking ?
And yes its not just the shop managers who pick out the best stuff first the people working there do too

EyeSight

umop.episdn wrote: »

Independent stores work on the tightest of margins & have to eke out a living. People don't haggle in Harvey Norman for prices, but buy there. When things go wrong who do they turn to for advice?, the local retailers who have the knowledge & experience.
The Harvey Norman business model will only work for as long as it's creditors allow, hopefully the smaller stores will benefit from this in the medium to long term

Depends on the store whether they make much of a profit or not.
But at least there is more likely to be a decision maker there and he/she is more willing to try to make a sale and a happy customer

Go in to topshop and there's nobody who can make that decision. They're all in head office in the UK and they don't need to please jane smith and her 30 euro purchase.
The manager and some staff can discounts but they need to select a reason from a pre-defined list of reasons on the til - e.g. Faulty merchandise, store credit etc. Then their superior(Area manager) will review all of them and the manager will need to give a reason for each discount

lertsnim

I will never do it. If a shop is not willing to display a price I deem to be good then elsewhere I will go.

Harvey Norman actively encouraged it. How about selling at your "low" price instead of displaying an inflated figure designed to make it look like you are getting a deal. Thieving dickheads.

daRobot

lertsnim wrote: »

I will never do it. If a shop is not willing to display a price I deem to be good then elsewhere I will go.

Harvey Norman actively encouraged it. How about selling at your "low" price instead of displaying an inflated figure designed to make it look like you are getting a deal. Thieving dickheads.

Most retail prices, especially electronic stores have built in wiggle room. It's a highly effective strategy.

If the customer doesn't ask, they get a higher margin. Win.

If the customer does ask, and gets something off, they feel good, and the store gets repeat business. Win.

So you're really doing yourself a disservice by refusing to haggle, as that 'low' price, in most cases can get that bit lower.

Haggled on the price of our take-away tonight. Told him that I rang him instead of placing the order on just-eat, so he wouldn't have to pay them their 10% commission, and could he do any better for me. Two free cans of coke was my answer. Better than a kick in the bollox, right?

D1stant

I only ever haggle in Jerusalem.

Corruptedmorals

I had a special deathstare for people who attempted this when I worked in Dunnes. There is no student discount or staff discount because that is the type of company they are so the very thought of that ethos mixed with centrally controlled prices resulting in no-actual-reason discounts was hysterical.

Or the person 'bulk buying' a few packets of socks of which hundreds of units are shifted per week. Don't be that person.

D1stant

Corruptedmorals wrote: »

I had a special deathstare for people who attempted this when I worked in Dunnes. There is no student discount or staff discount because that is the type of company they are so the very thought of that ethos mixed with centrally controlled prices resulting in no-actual-reason discounts was hysterical.

Or the person 'bulk buying' a few packets of socks of which hundreds of units are shifted per week. Don't be that person.

I have a deathstare (did you rob that from George Lucas?) for Dunnes Stores employees

Unless


Unless

IvaBigWun

daRobot wrote: »

Haggled on the price of our take-away tonight. Told him that I rang him instead of placing the order on just-eat, so he wouldn't have to pay them their 10% commission, and could he do any better for me. Two free cans of coke was my answer. Better than a kick in the bollox, right?

Wow.

*tips hat*

joeyborat

daRobot wrote: »

Most retail prices, especially electronic stores have built in wiggle room. It's a highly effective strategy.

If the customer doesn't ask, they get a higher margin. Win.

If the customer does ask, and gets something off, they feel good, and the store gets repeat business. Win.

So you're really doing yourself a disservice by refusing to haggle, as that 'low' price, in most cases can get that bit lower.

Haggled on the price of our take-away tonight. Told him that I rang him instead of placing the order on just-eat, so he wouldn't have to pay them their 10% commission, and could he do any better for me. Two free cans of coke was my answer. Better than a kick in the bollox, right?

Bumping but did you ask him "can you do any better for me" ? is that the best phrase to use?

Crooked Jack

Never. I hate it. If its too much i look elsewhere. Its embarassing to haggle and walking away is my own subtle '**** you' to a cheeky trader chancin his arm with a high price

mikemac1

Like a cattle dealer

Mesrine65

Only if I'm going foreign, haggling is all part of the fun

Ansum

I don't haggle, cause I don't know how to and as far as haggling goes for me I whip out my student id to get as much of a discount as possible (In places I'm not supposed to also).

I'm in a country where most prices start high.. It's part of the culture so for a couple of years, I played along and did it. Hardly ever bother anymore though. If they start at maybe 25%-50% over what it should be, I might. But if they start at double or triple, I'm out. Haggling in a pharmacy or when buying an apple is zero craic.

I did get a nice pair of knock off shoes down from $81 to $12 before though.. That took absolutely ages.