10 Tips for Haggling with A/V Retailers

[Smokey]

This is an edited article from ElectronicHouse.

Haggling isn't just for car lots and garage sales. It can also help you get a better deal from the big box electronics retailers. Expert haggler, syndicated columnist, and author Mary Hunt (www.debtproofliving.com) tell us how to haggle successfully, along with other tried and true haggling strategies.

1. Do Your Homework
“Before you walk into any store, do your homework. Research the going prices and decide what you’re willing to spend,” says Mary. Arm yourself with information, not just pricing but features as well. This will give you credibility as well as a bargaining edge. Research the models priced above and below the model you want, too. The more information you have the better bargainer you’ll be.

2. Shop During Off-hours
Don’t go on a Saturday morning when the store is packed with people. Go at 2:00pm on a Wednesday when there’s no one there. The salesperson can spend more time with you, and will be more motivated to make a sale since there are fewer opportunities during the day. Also, the manager, who typically needs to okay the lower price, is more readily available.

3. Keep Your Cool
When you walk in the door of the store, put on your poker face and contain your enthusiasm once you find your item. Don’t walk directly to it, walk around a little bit before you make your way to the product. Salespeople are watching.

4. Be Confident
Mary can’t stress enough the importance of having confidence when you walk in the store. Ask the salesperson simply, ‘Is this the best price you can do?’ She says that some stores have an unwritten rule that lets anyone in the store, not just managers, take up to 10% off an item. If the salesperson says they can’t go lower on the price ask: ‘Is there anything you can add to make the price more agreeable?’ You might be able to get free delivery, free installation, a free cable or case, or even an extended warranty.

5. Be Polite
Being polite, patient, and charming can go a long way to you getting what you want. Don’t bully the salesperson or threaten to walk out. He’ll be much more likely to give you what you want if he likes you.

6. Embrace the Silence
After you ask for something don’t say anything for awhile. This is a widely popular negotiating skill. When it comes to haggling, you’ll seem like you’re mulling it over, and the salesperson will try to fill the silence, hopefully with a deal.

7. Reveal Your Budget
There’s nothing wrong with saying you don’t have the money. If the TV you want costs $1800, tell them you’re on a strict budget and can’t spend more than $1600. Mary says “Some people will work with you rather than lose a sale all together.” However, if you do this, make sure you know the store’s layout and product offerings. If hanging right next to it is a cheaper TV for $1600, you might not get the deal. (This is why doing your homework is so important: If you’re presented with this problem, you can say you need a certain feature that only the $1800 TV has without skipping a beat.)

8. Get the Sale Price
If the salesperson isn’t budging, ask for the date of the store’s next sale, or if there are any special coupons.

9. Leave your Name and Number
If all else fails, write down your number and name, and say ‘I’m very interested in this TV but I’m only willing to pay $$$. Here’s my name and number and price I can pay, if at the end of the month you still need to sell this please don’t hesitate to call me.” Hunt says a surprising amount of people get phone calls in their cars, or the next day with an offer.

10. Walk Away
Be prepared to walk away and try again another day.

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These seem to be good tips. I have haggled successfully with Sears, but not with Bestbuy.

[Worf101]

Nice tips, but pretty generic and vanilla I prefer to.....

11. Dress like a shiek and tel the manager I'm about to "buy his miserable chain and would like to see the best equipment he has."

12. Follow salemen around the store and laugh loudly and derisively at every statement the PFK makes. After an hour of this, they'll give you anything you want if you'll just get the hell out of the store.

13. Bring a chair, chips and beer to the HT room and set up shop, after a few hours of this they'll be willing to cut a dealeo.

14. When the PFK makes as offer, laugh loud and hard then pull your knife, begin sharpening it and in your best pirate voice growl... "I don't think so laddie."

Not exactly Kosher or according to Hoyle but a lot more fun.

Da Worfster

[Rich-n-Texas]

Nice tips, but pretty generic and vanilla I prefer to.....

11. Dress like a shiek and tel the manager I'm about to "buy his miserable chain and would like to see the best equipment he has."

12. Follow salemen around the store and laugh loudly and derisively at every statement the PFK makes. After an hour of this, they'll give you anything you want if you'll just get the hell out of the store.

13. Bring a chair, chips and beer to the HT room and set up shop, after a few hours of this they'll be willing to cut a dealeo.

14. When the PFK makes as offer, laugh loud and hard then pull your knife, begin sharpening it and in your best pirate voice growl... "I don't think so laddie."

Not exactly Kosher or according to Hoyle but a lot more fun.

Da Worfster

I'm off to Fry's now.

[GMichael]

I'm off to Fry's now.

Wait,

Did he mention the part about not showering for a week first? Eat lots of anchovies, onions and cabbage before you go in. Bring some limburger cheese in the door with you. Be sure to offer some to the Sales person.
Can you fart on cue?

[Rich-n-Texas]

Wait,

Did he mention the part about not showering for a week first? Eat lots of anchovies, onions and cabbage before you go in. Bring some limburger cheese in the door with you. Be sure to offer some to the Sales person.

Alright. So now I have to wait a week.

Can you fart on cue?

Sure seems like it these days. I'll bet JSE Cartman can.

[GMichael]

Alright. So now I have to wait a week.

Sure seems like it these days. I'll bet JSE Cartman can.

Poor Cue.

[kexodusc]

Nice tips, but pretty generic and vanilla I prefer to.....

11. Dress like a shiek and tel the manager I'm about to "buy his miserable chain and would like to see the best equipment he has."

12. Follow salemen around the store and laugh loudly and derisively at every statement the PFK makes. After an hour of this, they'll give you anything you want if you'll just get the hell out of the store.

13. Bring a chair, chips and beer to the HT room and set up shop, after a few hours of this they'll be willing to cut a dealeo.

14. When the PFK makes as offer, laugh loud and hard then pull your knife, begin sharpening it and in your best pirate voice growl... "I don't think so laddie."

Not exactly Kosher or according to Hoyle but a lot more fun.

Da Worfster

ROFLMAO!

Oh, Worf, that is too funny. Scary part is, I know you've used these techniques..with success!

[Rich-n-Texas]

Poor Cue.

I still have my Cue!

[GMichael]

I still have my Cue!

But you farted on it. Ewwww....

[Rich-n-Texas]

It wasn't a lumpy fart, so...

[JSE]

Can you fart on cue?:

I'll bet JSE Cartman can.

But of course.

I can even play a short song.

[GMichael]

It wasn't a lumpy fart, so...

Farts are NOT lumpy!

[kexodusc]

Some poor shopper is going to Google "haggling with A/V Retailers", click on this site, and run smack into a silent but deadly ...

[Rich-n-Texas]

And it'll be GM's fault too!

[GMichael]

Guilty as charged. I feel so ashamed.

[L.J.]

Man, threads sure do get off subject pretty quickly 'round here

[O'Shag]

I wonder if Mary is related to Mike Hunt by any chance? Sound advice that Mary.

[Worf101]

I must confess I've used one of these techniques but all it got me was banishment from the local CompUSA for about... a year. This one PFK pissed me off so bad with his total lack of knowledge that I followed him around as he tried to rip some yokels off with a trerribly overpriced system and POS printer. If felt good when they finally walked out the store to find a copy of Computer Shopper magazine (back when it was the size of the Manhattan phone book).

Da Worfster

[kexodusc]

I must confess I've used one of these techniques but all it got me was banishment from the local CompUSA for about... a year. This one PFK pissed me off so bad with his total lack of knowledge that I followed him around as he tried to rip some yokels off with a trerribly overpriced system and POS printer. If felt good when they finally walked out the store to find a copy of Computer Shopper magazine (back when it was the size of the Manhattan phone book).

Da Worfster

Mwa ha ha ha ...stop...yer killing me...

Tell them how you got a lifetime ban at Dominos - poor 'Noid never saw the rolling-pin comin'....

[Smokey]

This one PFK pissed me off so bad with his total lack of knowledge that I followed him around as he tried to rip some yokels off with a trerribly overpriced system and POS printer. If felt good when they finally walked out the store to find a copy of Computer Shopper magazine.

Da Worfster

So you cheated him out of his commission

I think the best advice would be to go shopping off hours (like weekday morning). The only shoppers at that time of day are senior citizens.

[Rich-n-Texas]

Man, threads sure do get off subject pretty quickly 'round here

Festus doesn't do a very good job of supervising his threads does he?

[Rich-n-Texas]

I think the best advice would be to go shopping off hours (like weekday morning). The only shoppers at that time of day are senior citizens.

First hand experience huh Smoke? AH HA HA HA HA HA!!!

BTW, I never tried haggling with the interface units at Odd Lots, have you?

[Smokey]

Festus doesn't do a very good job of supervising his threads does he?

Not with Three Stooges around. Starring Gman, JSE and a Texan

[Smokey]

First hand experience huh Smoke? AH HA HA HA HA HA!!!

BTW, I never tried haggling with the interface units at Odd Lots, have you?

"I never tried haggling with the interface units at Odd Lots"..

I think you had enough drinks for one night

[Rich-n-Texas]

I'm on my last Bass Ale as we speak!