28 responses so far ↓

• 1 Dana // Dec 3, 2008 at 9:43 am

  I agree with your husband. She is already offering a fair price and you like the services she provides. I would give her the 10% tip or maybe even more since you probably would have tipped on the original price.
  I don’t ask for discounts but I do shop around for the best product or service at the best price.

• 2 savvy // Dec 3, 2008 at 12:04 pm

  I don’t think it was wrong to ask for a discount. The kennel owner certainly had the right to refuse but she didn’t.

  I don’t think “needing it” should have anything to do with asking for a discount. Should person A pay more for the same service than person B because they don’t need it? I think not.

• 3 tom // Dec 3, 2008 at 12:36 pm

  Don’t feel embarassed. Asking for a discount is the same as using a coupon. For all you know she sends out coupons in the mail or in the local paper. And Savvy is right, she could have said sorry, no discounts.

  Also, why are you tipping her? She is providing a service where she sets the price, not like a server who gets paid less and relies on tips.

• 4 dogatemyfinances // Dec 3, 2008 at 9:58 pm

  I leave my dog with relatives who dote on her, but I believe that is beyond a fair price, it’s a steal. I wouldn’t try to nickel and dime someone in charge of loving on my animal. As in most things in life, you get what you pay for. And the perception — even a small tip — could matter in that kind of service.

  It depends on whether you were looking for price or service. Especially if you have aggressive dogs, I would pay better than others to get better service. I would not be trying to get the best price.

• 5 LAL // Dec 4, 2008 at 11:35 am

  I believe that you don’t normally tip a business owner. I usually give her a tip though and a nice gift.

  I didn’t expect her to say yes, but I thought why not?

• 6 fengshui // Dec 4, 2008 at 1:30 pm

  I think that it is smart to ask for a discount when ever you think that you may get one. Small business owners may agree to give returning and regular customers to keep their business in the long term, and there is nothing wrong with negotiating a deal. I would then give her a holiday gift such as cash, or supplies for her kennel. And it is smart on HER part by giving you this discount because you will likely be a loyal and long term customer, as well as recommend her to your friends and family.

• 7 LivingAlmostLarge // Dec 4, 2008 at 1:44 pm

  Good poin Fengshui! And yes we’ve been going for 3 years to her and I’ve always asked for a discount and usually get 10%. Also this year she is not booked up for Christmas! Surprising.

  I can’t help but wonder if people are not vacationing.

• 8 Barb1954 // Dec 4, 2008 at 1:59 pm

  For people providing a personal service, I would never ask for a discount. And I ALWAYS tip my massage therapist (as well as my hair stylist and hair colorist) even though she’s the owner. I also buy her a gift at Christmas (same with the women who cut and color my hair).

  If we’re buying something, however, I will ask “Is that the best price you can give us?” Doing so this past weekend when we bought a plasma TV netted us a Blu Ray/DVD player at cost (a savings of $150) and $300 off an entertainment center. (Yes, this was all our Christmas gift to ourselves this year.)

• 9 Fabulously Broke // Dec 5, 2008 at 4:07 pm

  I don’t think it was wrong to ask for a discount at all. Who knows, it might result in strong referrals, but I can see where your DH is coming from.

  I’d have asked for a discount but keeping in mind that you DO tip AND give a gift, PLUS do repeat business with her when you go out of town.

  She’s just a smart lady keeping your business and goodwill. I saw it as a win win

  It was either that, or she would get $0 as revenue. *shrug* If I were here, I would’ve done the same.

• 10 Meg // Dec 5, 2008 at 5:23 pm

  You only feel bad for asking because you know she is the business owner and you probably like her and it doesn’t seem like a real business because she’s presumably the only worker and she does it out of her house. So you feel like you are short changing HER, not the business.

  If you were walking up to a more official kennel with a front desk and a sign out front and a couple of employees working a register, you wouldn’t hesitate to ask for a discount, and you wouldn’t feel bad if you got one.

• 11 Meg // Dec 5, 2008 at 5:25 pm

  Oh, but since you feel bad (and because she apparently helps you out regularly during the year) just give her a nice holiday bonus in whatever form you like.

  But remember, she’s not doing you a favor nor are your dollars going to charity. This is a business exchange. You don’t owe her anything.

• 12 LivingAlmostLarge // Dec 6, 2008 at 5:17 pm

  She does hire dog walkers now and a groomer, but she mostly does it herself. I am a pretty regular client and I know she wasn’t busy this year. I was surprised she was still available because last year she was nearly booked up.

  I am thinking maybe she gave me the discount because people are not vacationing and she might not have as many clients as previously.

• 13 Kara // Dec 17, 2008 at 4:17 pm

  The thing about asking a small business owner for a discount is this: A lot of people think that it’s cheaper for us to be in business out of our homes. But it’s not. I get asked a lot – soemtimes with the attitude that “you don’t do this full time” or “you work out of your home” … so why can’t you give discount.

  But the thing is, I still pay insurance, I still have to pay for equipment and supplies, and most importantly I still have to pay taxes.

  Most people who aren’t self employed don’t realize that business owners pay nearly 50% of their gross income in taxes.

  So if you think you’re already getting a good deal, cut your small business owner some slack. Once you ask, she may feel *obligated* to give you a discount just to keep your business or goodwill. If you think there’s wiggle room, sure, ask. But if you know you’re already getting something of value, don’t put that additional pressure on the owner. Don’t make them feel like they HAVE to giv eyou something or lose your business. It’s not fair to them.

  .

• 14 LAL // Dec 17, 2008 at 4:46 pm

  Kara, here’s my issue with small business owners. If you don’t like what you are making after taxes go out and work for someone else for a salary. I’m sorry but I do that and so do many others.

  I firmly believe that if you want to be in business for yourself great. But only you can decide if it’s worth running the business. If you don’t make enough charge more.

  However realize, that people will not be paying more just because you charge more. They may decide it’s not worth it. Much like the housecleaning service I read about. The woman charged reasonable rates, but people who don’t have jobs cannot afford it period.

  Even offering them a discount did not work. I think much like pet boarding. No job = no vacation = no pet boarding. Even now I definitely send our dogs to daycare less because we are cost conscious.

  So discounts at the daycare while reasonable still are not enough to “incentivize” use to use their service. Unfortunately that’s the problem with being a business owner. Sure you had no “Boss” but your boss really are your clients.

• 15 Kara // Dec 17, 2008 at 4:55 pm

  Wow. That’s twisting what I wrote. I’ll remember not to comment here again.

• 16 Kara // Dec 17, 2008 at 4:56 pm

  BTW, you asked your readers a question: Should I have asked for the discount?

  I answered it and explained why I gave the answer I gave. I don’t appreciate then being told, in effect, “get a job”.

  Thanks for your time.

• 17 LivingAlmostLarge // Dec 17, 2008 at 9:21 pm

  Do what you want. I am explaining that I feel small business owners have a right to charge what they want.

  But the market only supports what someone is willing to pay for it. If they feel it’s too expensive they won’t do it.

  So small business owners can charge more, doesn’t mean people will use the service more. Or buy the product. Again the market only supports what it feels is reasonable.

  I’ve decided that it’s not wrong to ask for the discount. I also now firmly believe that she won’t even be full. I believe that people aren’t using her services because they are not vacationing.

  So perhaps some money is better than no money.

• 19 Danielle // Dec 18, 2008 at 2:47 pm

  It’s definitely ok to ask for a discount. I would suggest tipping her with a gift that she would be able to use at the kennel.

• 20 Deevaa // Dec 18, 2008 at 3:53 pm

  LAL wrote: “I’ve decided that it’s not wrong to ask for the discount. I also now firmly believe that she won’t even be full. I believe that people aren’t using her services because they are not vacationing.”

  The other side of this is – if her business is slowing down, she may not be making enough to stay in business over the long haul. You have to weigh the value you place on her service against the $30 you saved. If she sees that she is not only slow over the holiday that used to be her busiest time, but she cannot even get her regular (extremely reasonable!) price, then she may need to find another job. And how does that impact you?

• 21 LAL // Dec 18, 2008 at 4:12 pm

  Deevea, trust me I’m using her less as is. We are definitely now considering travelling less because of costs of everything. This year we didn’t travel internationally because the dollar was so weak. So we stayed closer to home AND took the dogs for a week on vacation.

  So I’m not surprised. I’ll bet more people are camping or not travelling.

• 22 Kara // Dec 18, 2008 at 4:22 pm

  Sounds to me like you’re now trying to justify what you did.

  “Oh, her business is slow anyway. Some money is better than no money. The market supports … Blah blah blah.”

  You said that business owners have a right to charge what they want but if it’s too much, no one will pay it. Let me ask you this – if this woman had said “no” to your request for a discount, would you have not used her services? Or would you have paid her the price that you’ve already said was “very reasonable”?

  So instead of thinking “wow, this is a really reasonable price and I’m lucky to have this business that I can use for my admittedly difficult dogs and support this business in these hard economic times” … you put this woman in a position of possibly feeling like she HAD to give you an even bigger discount than the multi-animal discount you were already getting, or she’d lose your business.

  So you took your difficult dogs to a private kennel that gave you a great rate to begin with and you nickle and dimed her for another 10%. Was it REALLY worth it?

  I’d be embarrassed, too, if I were you or your husband. I think what you did was take advantage of a small business that was already giving you a really good deal and now you’re trying to justify it with self-serving blather about people who own small businesses.

• 23 LAL // Dec 18, 2008 at 4:48 pm

  Kara, I changed my mind when the majority of posters say it’s okay to ask for a discount. The few that didn’t Barb and Dana had valid points.

  I also pointed out to my DH that we don’t have to use her and we could have tried to hire someone from Craigslist to housesit for us. Our roommate will be home for a few more days after us, so we don’t even have to board the dogs the entire time.

  Also trust me Kara, we’re considering ALL the time about expenses. We didn’t travel internationally because the dollar was awful this year. We also took our dogs AND didn’t use her services over the summer on a camping vacation. SO, I’d have to argue that her business is slowing down and if she feels it’s not making enough money then stop doing it.

  Heck, all business owners big or small have to decide when it’s not worth running anymore. And unfortunately in this climate it’s going to happen to more owners.

  I know this because my DH desperately wants to start a business. Is it the right time? We’re not exactly sure it is. And how long would he give himself before dumping the business?

  These are all questions that need to be decided before you start the business. What is your bottom line? Breakeven point? Etc. If you don’t have a business plan, financial, etc then why are you doing it?

  How will you get a business loan if you don’t? And how will you pay for the loan if you aren’t making $x of dollars?

  Sounds to me like you are upset that people aren’t using your business. I think it’s a tough economic climate to be doing so. But I’m not here to keep your business open. I’m thinking about my own bottom line. AND I’m sure our not sending our dogs there this summer to the tune of $500+ is a big deal. But hey we kept it cheaper for a reason.

• 24 Kara // Dec 18, 2008 at 5:08 pm

  Quote: ” Sounds to me like you are upset that people aren’t using your business.”

  Nope. My business is fine, thanks very much. I just get tired of the way people who have no clue justify nickle-and-diming small business owners. And then get holier than thou about it and lecture about profit and loss and income margins. Do YOU actually own a small business and know what you’re talking about? Have you ever owned a small business? Because it doesn’t sound like you have.

• 25 LAL // Dec 19, 2008 at 9:46 am

  My FIL, Dad, DH and I all have. My DH ran a small business from high school through college. I have one now, called this blog. Do I make a lot? Nah. But I run it because it’s fun and I run my other blog as well.

  It’s not a large part of my income. It’s not even income I count on. It’s more just a hobby.

  My DH used to sell software for money to run a simulation of fantasy hockey. And he ran a website and a league where you paid to play. He ran it for years until we meet. And he made a pretty penny doing it. He had to run the financials to determine how much to sell the software for, how much to sell the advertising for, how much to run league membership for. What it cost to pay for his server, our internet, his time, taxes (which was more in canada), etc.

  So yes, we do understand about small businesses and profit. And by the way we’re considering starting a business next year. Depending on how things turn out.

  But we’re going to sit, talk and discuss what our bottom line and walk away point is before hand. Because this would be an income change.

  And if you don’t like people nickel and diming you then raise your prices or get a job for a company! Simple. The market only supports what it supports.

• 26 The Happy Rock // Dec 19, 2008 at 11:10 pm

  I feel you on this one, and no I don’t think it is wrong. My wife thinks that I go overboard and would love to grow my giving side. So would I, but I am a cheap skate and I need to learn.

  I think the heart and the motivation is pertinent to the discussion.

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