The Art of the Haggle
I’ve never been much of a haggler. It’s not something that I feel comfortable doing and I prefer to deal with merchants who simply offer me a fair price from the start.
Of course, for many cultures around the world, haggling is a deeply revered custom. I recall one trip I took to the Caribbean many years ago when a market vendor became quite offended with me because I was willing to pay the first price he quoted.
Sean from the Money Swindon blog has put together a two-part post on how to do the haggle. 10 tips for folks like me to get in on the act. Here are a couple…
- If you are pounced on by a sales assistant, that means they’re on commission and more eager to do business. Tell them you’ll find them in a minute. They’ll be more eager & ready to discount or though in a freebie.
- Cash Price. If the store is offering 0% interest deals, ask for the cash price: usually it’s 5% cheaper
- Don’t be afraid to walk away. If they want the sale they’ll negotiate.
Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask. The worse that’ll happen is they say no.
Haggling Part 1: Where & When
Haggling Part 2: How To
[via Lifehacker]
LRN