Haggling the markup

BoxsterCy

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I know a few people like that who will just come right out and ask prices. Not close relatives or friends where you have that kind of a rapport, but people I used to work with or go to church with.

I finally decided that rather than subtly just change the subject - I alternately tell them a very very low price or a very very high price. Just to f with them. Because I hate that too.

Yes, I'm lying in church!

I usually give the Dr. Evil "One million dollars!" If they don't take the hint it's "None of your business unless you are offering to pay for part of it."
 

CloneinWDSM

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Aug 9, 2013
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I haggled on getting Sunday ticket for half off. Previous 3 years they gave it to me for free.

May call in later and see if they will lower my bill.

Figured if i ***** enough that I didn't have KCCI last week for the Chiefs game and I was blacked out on Sunday ticket, maybe they'll do something for me.
 

kingcy

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If you have Direct TV you just need to know the five magic words "I'm switching to Dish Network." Things will usually work out pretty well for ya.

The longer you wait the better the deal gets. Don't take the first offer they give you tell them you want it shut off in 2 weeks. They will keep coming with better deals.
 
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kingcy

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I'm not a fan of haggling.

I had a new client try to haggle me on some accounting fees, I took it as an insult and increased to his fee.

Its usually the people that charge the most that want to haggle on price with others.

In my consulting business when people try to haggle with me, I tell them I charge fair market, for my work. They can take it or leave it.
 

throwittoblythe

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Aug 7, 2006
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Does anyone have any insider knowledge on car dealerships that say they won't negotiate? The Walser dealerships here in the Twin Cities say they will not negotiate on vehicle price or trade value. They claim they offer a "fair low price". I've never bought a vehicle from them but I've asked several times about it and they never budge. Seems like an excuse to charge more when you're a big dealer who does so much volume you don't care about customer service.
 

cyputz

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Does anyone have any insider knowledge on car dealerships that say they won't negotiate? The Walser dealerships here in the Twin Cities say they will not negotiate on vehicle price or trade value. They claim they offer a "fair low price". I've never bought a vehicle from them but I've asked several times about it and they never budge. Seems like an excuse to charge more when you're a big dealer who does so much volume you don't care about customer service.

Check their reviews or walk the lot and compare - EVERYTHING is negotiable
 
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dirtyninety

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When I'm trading EBT cards for cartons of smokes or Colorado weed, I can usually get some extra if a ***** a lot and talk disrespectfully. I like flashing my nine too, that helps the negotiation.
 

dirtyninety

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My fav is there is a nice hotel in downtown dsm that will give you a room for $65 if you tell them youre in town for a certain something. They never check nor do they have a way to check. Use it all the time.

Dr bills.

have a friend that always negotiates restaurant checks in a fun way and usually gets them cut in half.

Things shipped from amazon fulfillment center, if you complain they will almost always give you a significant discount like 50% plus

electrician/plumbing work....call the company and when the guy comes out to give an estimate, ask, how much will you do it after youre off work, usually half price.

Anything breakable that you buy online, if you call and say its chipped cracked etc, they will almost always send you a new one w/out wanting the old one back

airlines/travel sites will almost always give you a free voucher if you complain and are really nice about it to the person youre talking to

YOU'RE the guy who screwed up the bereavement rate gesture that airlines used to give. My pride is worth a few dollars......haggling is bananna republic crap and I don't mind giving people money who earn it on a reasonable retail price.
 

kingcy

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Does anyone have any insider knowledge on car dealerships that say they won't negotiate? The Walser dealerships here in the Twin Cities say they will not negotiate on vehicle price or trade value. They claim they offer a "fair low price". I've never bought a vehicle from them but I've asked several times about it and they never budge. Seems like an excuse to charge more when you're a big dealer who does so much volume you don't care about customer service.

Do your homework on the internet and shop them around. The older I get the more I could care less about a salesman making his money. They try to get every last penny out of you, so you should return the favor to them.
 

cowgirl836

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semi-thread related.

We were car shopping around Thanksgiving time and had reached an end point with one dealer on a vehicle. We said we'd think about it and walked away.

Next weekend went to the dealer across town and made an offer on an identical vehicle that was on the low end, but not insulting, imo. Wanted to end up $500 less than the offer we had. Guy wouldn't even consider it. Said he couldn't take it to his manager; it was far too low. Went to the manager with an offer that was $1000 higher if we'd agree to sign that we'd accept that offer. Umm, no, but tell us if you'll consider the offer (or at least play ball). They wouldn't.

Ok, and we left. Got a text an hour later saying they could get there if they went back to a base model that was missing 2-3 things we wanted. Nope, not going to work.

We went back to the first dealer on that drive home and took their offer.

So last week at the end of the year that second dealer called me and said it turns out they could accept our initial offer. The one that was "far too low". I guess we could have saved the $500 but they lost out on the entire sale.

I didn't return his call - though I should have, to tell him that we did end up buying a car that day.
 

heyguy85

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Nov 9, 2007
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Also semi-thread related. We purchased furniture today at Redekers. I was able to get them to knock $50 off a chair list price. Maybe I could have gotten more than that? I hadn't shopped there before but we are much happier to go back there as opposed to Homemakers.
 

Gorm

With any luck we will be there by Tuesday.
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Also semi-thread related. We purchased furniture today at Redekers. I was able to get them to knock $50 off a chair list price. Maybe I could have gotten more than that? I hadn't shopped there before but we are much happier to go back there as opposed to Homemakers.

Yes, not sure if still the case, but the furniture industry used to have one of the highest markups out there.
 

SpokaneCY

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Apr 11, 2006
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semi-thread related.

We were car shopping around Thanksgiving time and had reached an end point with one dealer on a vehicle. We said we'd think about it and walked away.

Next weekend went to the dealer across town and made an offer on an identical vehicle that was on the low end, but not insulting, imo. Wanted to end up $500 less than the offer we had. Guy wouldn't even consider it. Said he couldn't take it to his manager; it was far too low. Went to the manager with an offer that was $1000 higher if we'd agree to sign that we'd accept that offer. Umm, no, but tell us if you'll consider the offer (or at least play ball). They wouldn't.

Ok, and we left. Got a text an hour later saying they could get there if they went back to a base model that was missing 2-3 things we wanted. Nope, not going to work.

We went back to the first dealer on that drive home and took their offer.

So last week at the end of the year that second dealer called me and said it turns out they could accept our initial offer. The one that was "far too low". I guess we could have saved the $500 but they lost out on the entire sale.

I didn't return his call - though I should have, to tell him that we did end up buying a car that day.

Theres a place out in the great inland northwest called Dave Smith motors who is the worlds largest dealer of several cars and among the largest in many others. No haggle pricing but they get huge manufacturer discounts so their sticker price is lower than most peoples hard bargains.

But you have to go to Wallace ID but they WILL pick you up at the airport!
 

AllInForISU

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Nov 24, 2012
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Not so much haggling but one of the the best deals I received was when I purchased a dryer that was damaged but was offered a full warranty. Less than a month later it crapped out. I called them and they brought out a brand new dryer, the exact model, and took the old one away. Got it for less than half the regular price.
 

cyputz

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Jul 26, 2006
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Keep in mind "List Price", truly a companies thoughts on high market value. That is why you see all these dealer/manufacturer/special show discounts/coupons.
Do your research.
 

sunset

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Oct 18, 2006
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San Diego, CA
Anything and everything. My favorite saying is "that seems kind of high". I saved $2k on escrow charges a few years ago and over $1k on a demolition line item in our remodel last year by using that line. Coming from the Midwest, I was very uncomfortable negotiating at first. I soon realize that there is a lot of margin built into just about everything and negotiating is often expected.

I've also had luck with "is there anything we can do to bring the cost down?"

Mortgage, cars, insurance, travel, etc. Everything is negotiable...... Which, by the way, is the title of a great book by Herb Cohen, I highly recommend it.
 
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nfrine

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Also semi-thread related. We purchased furniture today at Redekers. I was able to get them to knock $50 off a chair list price. Maybe I could have gotten more than that? I hadn't shopped there before but we are much happier to go back there as opposed to Homemakers.
You got took...