In March the New York Times wrote Even at Megastores, Hagglers find no price set in Stone. Last week the New York Times followed it up with an article called Haggling at Best Buy; How can we make TV work? When was the last time you heard this happening?
Personally I haven’t made any large purchases in 2+ years. We bought our washer/dryer and TV in 2005 and couch in 2006. Both times I asked for cash discount or any discount. I got free delivery and no sales tax. Nothing spectacular. For the couch I had a $100 off coupon to boot and got 0% financing on both deals for 12-24 months. I don’t normally haggle, I just ask for the best price and deal.
What I’ve noticed is that at Best Buy they will throw in stuff like free 3 year warranty, free delivery, or no sales tax. They don’t like to lower the price unless it’s an open box item or return or damage. But those items of course can be hard to find.
But these two articles imply that haggling is back. That it’s worth asking for discounts even if you pay with a credit card. I’ve heard from people that car dealers are nearly giving away new cars. People have mentioned on money message boards that new cars are going for $500 or $1k more than a used 2 year old car! Dealers have so much inventory and incentives this year.
I can’t help but think it’s the economy. I know I’m not alone in thinking, there’s no way I will be buying a big ticket item unless mine breaks. I would like a new car but it’s not a great idea with the tenuous job situation. I don’t know many people who are buying new cars, tvs, or taking lavish vacations. Actually that’s another place deals can be had. Vacations.
So is it time to start haggling? Have you bought anything and haggled the price down this year? Did you try it before with success? Or is this a new trend?
13 responses so far ↓
1 Meg from FruWiki // Jun 26, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I definitely don’t haggle as much as I could and should get more into the habit.
I don’t see a problem with it, though, and usually I’m very successful. Just last month we got pest control down $40 a quarter — though I was tempted to just cancel it altogether, so it was probably as good a deal for them as it was for us.
And really, haggling should be win-win. That’s the attitude that gets you somewhere. Find someone who CAN lower prices for you, talk to them out of hearing distance from others if you can, and then politely ask if the price is negotiable. And if you can throw in something additional yourself (like buying multiples), then you have a very high chance of making a deal.
Haggling isn’t anything new, but it probably is getting more prevalent and accepted as this recession rolls on — along with other forms of frugality.
2 JoeP // Jun 26, 2009 at 2:43 pm
I love to haggle! I found that the best way to do this is to first find a couple outlets that have the product you want, and then try to have them compete against each other. But the most effective way I found to deal is to not want the product bad enough to buy it right then and there. So if you have your eye on a new TV, you know that the prices drop on these things as ones with better features come out. Let the sales guy know that. I also found that if you bundle, they’ll drop the overall price a little (e.g., tv + mount). I plan on doing this in the next few months as we replace our washer and dryer.
In an earlier post, I recommended trying for the 2% discount if you pay cash. CC companies charge 2% per CC transaction, so paying cash should give you the opportunity to pay less.
3 R. May // Jun 26, 2009 at 4:19 pm
*snort* since I do most my shopping at goodwill and the grocery store, i don’t envision this working out for me.
i didn’t really haggle when I bought my car last year. more i found out what the car was worth and offered them what i would pay, period end of story. i actually ended up leaving the dealership because they wanted a couple hundred more then i offered. i was gone 5-min before the called me and said they would go with my price. all i have to say is what a pain in the a** and waste of an entire day.
i don’t know if i could stomach actual haggling regularly.
4 LAL // Jun 26, 2009 at 10:27 pm
R.May, don’t you buy anything off craigslist? That’s definitely the better places for haggling. I don’t haggle on craigslist. I just state my price and if they want to sell their tickets they do. Typically they do.
5 chris // Jun 27, 2009 at 8:14 am
Haggling is a funny thing. We were recently trying to buy a mattress set. We were buying at the lower end as this is primarily used by grandchildren. No one would haggle. Walking away simply didn’t work. Flashing the cash didn’t work. Requests for free delivery in exchange for purchase didn’t work. I was told that large ticket items sometimes can be negotiated, but not the lower priced items.
I have found that second hand stores will sometimes haggle, especially with furniture. Again, that’s a large ticket item for a second hand shop such as Goodwill or Salvation Army.
I’ve not had much luck at the grocery, but have bought top soil or mulch from Wal Mart by haggling for broken bags.
6 LAL // Jun 27, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Broken bags is definitely a good haggling point. Also haggling for a cheaper price by getting bulk work done like windows works too.
7 fengshui // Jun 28, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I think that the idea of “haggling” at a major department store such as Best Buy, etc is a little disturbing. I think that it is appropriate to haggle at rummage sales, on Craig’s list, or auctions, etc. but not at department stores, the vet office, etc. The thought that I would pay $20 more to get my dog neutered because I didn’t “expect” a discount, and the person before me did?!? wtf
8 Meg from FruWiki // Jun 28, 2009 at 6:14 pm
Just curious, why is there a difference between those places for you when it comes to haggling, Fengshui?
I think it is easier in those first places you mentioned than at a department store since you’re more likely to speak with someone who *can* reduce the price. Heck, try to even find help at most department stores these days!
However, I don’t think there’s anything wrong about haggling at Best Buy. I wouldn’t do it for a small purchase unless there was something wrong with it, but I’d probably ask if the item had some problems (even cosmetic) or if I was purchasing something like a computer or large appliance. Why not?
Also, customers paying different prices for things is rather typical. Places change their prices all the times via sales. Some people use coupons. Some people take advantage of price matching policies. Some get discounts for being military or family or part of customer rewards program or just on good terms with the owner or an employee. And as studies have shown, when prices aren’t clearly listed, people are often charged differently for arbitrary reasons (such as when signing up for a gym membership). There is often quite a bit of wiggle room when it comes to prices, particularly when it comes to things like appliances, electronics, cars, jewelry, etc, because it is expected that they’ll be discounted at some time or another.
And yes, you can negotiate prices with a doctor or vet — and, imho, you definitely SHOULD if you don’t have health insurance. Often you can find ways to save if you just ask. In fact, we saved a lot of money neutering our cats because we used a Humane Society voucher and because we get lower prices for having multiple cats that we bring there. And because our vet gives us a discount and accepts things like the voucher, we continue to bring our five kitties there!
Also, asking for a discount doesn’t mean that someone feels entitled to one or “expects” it. But it’s free to ask and if you didn’t and someone else did then I don’t think there’s anything with them getting a discount.
Anyhow, the department stores can probably afford to discount stuff better than the individual seller (provided the latter is actually trying to make a profit, not just get rid of stuff they don’t need). And if they can make a sale they wouldn’t have otherwise they’re usually happy to make the deal.
9 LAL // Jun 28, 2009 at 7:39 pm
I think it is definitely easier to ask for a discount in smaller stores than chain stores. I always ask for discounts on broken stuff.
But the truth is I buy a lot online, so I don’t get really broken down stuff. And there is a lot less room in haggling.
10 fengshui // Jun 28, 2009 at 11:07 pm
If I purchased something at a certain price, and then I see it in a flyer for cheaper within a short period of time, I would ask for the difference, yes. However, if I walk into Best Buy and see tvs “on sale” and the tag says $1200 and 0% interest for 6 months, I may ask if I can have 0% interest for 12 months, but I’m not going to say, “hey I’ll give you $1000 for that tv”. That is just cheesy. It isn’t an auction. If something is a “display item” then those are usually reduced anyway. I think that there are “appropriate” instances to “haggle” such as car lots, auctions, rummage sales, etc and then times when it is just not classy or inappropriate. You know?
11 R. May // Jun 29, 2009 at 8:42 am
@LAL –
nah I’ve never done craigslist – haven’t needed to I suppose, always gotten by with my tusty goodwill and hand-me downs.
I don’t know that I’d be comfortable with it though – I think I’d be chicken to go to someone I don’t knows house.
12 JoeP // Jun 29, 2009 at 10:44 am
@Chris: In the case where someone won’t drop the item price or shipping cost for a bigger-ticket item like furniture, I will just walk. If they choose to operate under rules that don’t foster customer loyalty, then they will get no business from me. This is great ammunition when going to a competitor: “I went to Bob’s Bedding and they treated me horribly. I want to make this purchase part of a long term relationship with you. What can you do to help me so I can buy from you and recommend you to my family and friends?”
I know it hurts to leave empty-handed when you thought you could finally wrap up the guest room’s bedding situation. It also hurts to know that you felt forced to buy from a company that was only interested in Making Lots Of Money. Which is worse is a personal choice.
13 LAL // Jun 30, 2009 at 11:48 pm
Fengshui, I haven’t really haggled at bigger stores but usually when I buy used I do.
R.May, I love bargaining on Craigslist. We usually meet in a public place.
JoeP, has it worked at bigger stores the walking?
Leave a Comment