Do You Ask for Less?
January 28, 2009 by Katelyn Thomas
Filed under finances
I saw a big article in my local newspaper the other day about people asking retailers to take less for items. I’ve never been really comfortable with haggling, probably because I am so bad at the receiving end of the process. If someone asks me to take less, I say okay instead of counter-offering. After they pay me, they say something like, “Wow! I was hoping you’d take $5 less and asked for $10 less on a whim!”
Sigh. Anyway, I don’t haggle very often, but I know a lot of other people are really into it. In fact, someone I know called his credit card company and offered cash to pay off a bill. He explained that it was either that or bankruptcy and they jumped at the chance to get the money. I think it was only about 10% of the total bill, but they were happy because if it went to a bankruptcy deal, they’d get nothing. He was happy because it helped him keep from destroying his credit before he really started his life. (Student credit cards are evil, evil things…)
One time I did ask for less was when I bought my new mattress. I saved quite a bit off the sale price and was pretty happy. However, the newspaper article was talking about electronics stores and even clothing stores. I never would have thought to ask for someone to take less for a new sweater.
By the way, in some countries, asking for less is expected and people who pay full price are considered to be a few slices short of a loaf of bread!
How to ask for less
- Think of a reasonable deduction – 10 to 15% is more likely than 50%.
- Have a reason for asking for the deduction, like a cheaper price elsewhere or damage on the item you are looking at.
- Be polite when you ask for less. Don’t say, “I would never pay $20 for this piece of junk. How about $5?” Sounds simple, but I actually overheard someone saying that once!
- If the answer is no, don’t be afraid to ask for something else, instead. For example, if the store won’t take less for that HDTV, maybe it will throw in a new Blue Ray DVD.
Did you ever ask someone to take less for a product or service?
Photo by Vasant Dave/Stock Exchange
How FUNNY! My mom just called me (from 400 miles away) saying how upset she was to have spent $2600 on a new mattress that she can’t STAND to sleep on! I told her to take it back (it’s still within the company’s guaranteed return time) and demand a refund…then use the money and dicker with it. Maybe these companies prey on the elderly, or maybe they just saw their meal ticket coming.
My philosophy? They need to sell more than you need to buy right now. Period. Make your money work for you. Be informed before you make a purchase, and be prepared to walk away. Someone will appreciate your dollars.
My husband owns a well-known pizza franchise, and I almost never see him turn someone away, even when they dicker. Food for thought….
Emily,
Your philosophy is so true. I guess that is why haggling is getting trendy.
I learned to haggle from my dad. The first time I tried it (I was buying shoes with crud on the bottom) I was nervous, but when they gave me 20% off without a blink of the eye, it made me realize that no price is set in stone. It never hurts to try as long as you’re reasonable and nice.
We haggled for our mattress, too. We call our cable and cell phone providers almost monthly to see about getting a lower price for service. At the fabric store, if I need 3 yards and there’s 3 3/4 yards left on the bolt, I ask for the remainder at half price. Usually they give it to me since they’re thrilled to not have a remnant left to unload.
I own an online yarn and craft supply store, and will happily give discounts to the last skein if someone purchases all but one skein of yarn I have in a single color. It’s hard to unload one skein.