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Is there a knack to haggling?!

  • 29-07-2008 11:45pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,651 ✭✭✭


    Apologies if this is in the wrong forum, but I couldn't find one more appropiate!

    Anyway, as the title asks - is there a knack to haggling?! I'm not very good at it and was looking for some tips to put into practise.

    To start the ball rolling, I was once told to let the seller reveal their lowest price before you make an offer (I guess so you don't offend them with your first offer and have them tell you to f*ck off!)


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,746 ✭✭✭taidghbaby


    ignorance (not the literal meaning) is always a good ploy!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭Havermeyer


    Yes. Shopping in Turkey.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 669 ✭✭✭Photi


    10 for this? You must be mad!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,675 ✭✭✭genericgoon




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,651 ✭✭✭Captain Slow IRL


    Photi wrote: »
    10 for this? You must be mad!

    I'm not cheeky enough to do that - the missus would though!

    @Goon - that's me down to a t!:D


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 36,634 ✭✭✭✭Ruu_Old


    "Ah shure Shop X is selling them for 20 euro less than you're asking!" :eek:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 870 ✭✭✭Pen1987


    Same way theres a knack to selling, theres a knack to haggling. Unfortunately the seller has to be in a postion powerful enough to haggle in the first place, which is usually the problem.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 381 ✭✭beautiation


    Oooh, we had a lecture on this in uni last year, let's see what I can remember:

    Sounds obvious, but start outrageously low. People are a lot more likely to respond positively to a reasonable request if it's preceded by an unreasonable one that they rejected (Called the door-in-the-face technique)

    If you can physically pick up the object before you start to haggle the seller will subconsciously begin to think of the object as yours and will give you a better price. (Or they might think you're trying to nick it and cut your hand off, who knows?)

    Leaving a bit of time between haggles usually works out in the buyer's favour. So if you're in a shop, make an offer then browse for a bit before coming back to try again.

    Use quite precise figures when haggling (say 18.50 instead of 20 quid for example) it gives the impression you have a firm idea of what you're willing to pay and won't be fooled.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,590 ✭✭✭Pigwidgeon


    i always offer at least half the price first, start way below what the most your willing to pay is, more chance of getting that or even lower!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 35,954 ✭✭✭✭Larianne


    Also, smile, be polite and try and have a laugh with them. It helps to have no shame!

    You should PM Sarge for tips on haggling, he is the haggling king!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,675 ✭✭✭genericgoon


    Also, I find a gun(or if you're on a budget, a knife) makes haggling so much easier. :P


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,706 ✭✭✭Voodu Child


    I find introducing yourself as 'stabby' and bearing an insane grin during the bargaining often helps.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,107 ✭✭✭flanum


    when the seller rejects your first offer and suggests a higher price.. pretend you are not interested then and he wont be long lowering the price.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,676 ✭✭✭ArphaRima


    www.howtohaggle.com

    OR...Go to Asia. Watch and learn.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,240 ✭✭✭hussey


    Wear a balaclava and run in shouting .. I've got plenty of goods for free this way :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 85,066 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Is there a knack to haggling

    so thats why they call them knackers... "ïll give you me boike if you marry me sistur"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,441 ✭✭✭✭jesus_thats_gre


    You have to enjoy it tbh. Nothing I like better than having a sales man break into his commission in order to get a sale.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,194 ✭✭✭Andrewf20


    When the seller names a price mention that another person is selling the same at a more competitive price. This is good for cars and the like.

    "Your price aint bad, but I was looking at a 320i in Kells with leather, and your man was happy to take 800 less than yours."

    Find every little thing wrong with the item. If its a car look for less obvious things like the threads are low on the back so they will need replacing, the tax is up in a month etc.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,048 ✭✭✭SimpleSam06


    Oooh, we had a lecture on this in uni last year
    Never take haggling tips from an institution, would be my advice. Start too low and they'll laugh you out of it, or at worst get pissed off. Handling the goods gives you a psychological advantage? :D In my experience you need to justify price drops, however spuriously. Point out blemishes in the finish, go for display models, say your delivery was delayed and this has cost you money, anything and everything.

    The art is to do it without insulting anyone, proper haggling makes the seller feel like they are the canniest businessmen in the country for giving you a discount - any tinker can go in and start bawling for a discount, and they often do, this distinguishes the amateur haggler.

    Vitally important, there is no point in haggling with someone who doesn't have the authority to haggle - don't waste your time going in to Dunnes and wrestling with the cashier, they are literally unable to help. And of course there is always the old faithful, I saw this one down in the competition for a tenner less. I would tend to avoid that though as it gets peoples back up and it has an instant rebuttal (well take your arse down there and buy it so, rather than wasting my time).

    Try this the next time you are in a shop and talking to the owner / manager... "Whats your best price on that?" You might be surprised at the instant reductions you get, no further haggling required.
    I find introducing yourself as 'stabby' and bearing an insane grin during the bargaining often helps.
    rofl


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 939 ✭✭✭Aurora Borealis


    The ability to look like you're about to walk away, convincingly.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,965 ✭✭✭GhostInTheRuins


    I am absolutely rubbish at haggling, the best I do is "whats your best price?" I've trying to improve lately though.

    My brother works in an electrical shop (fridges, tvs, ovens etc) and he says that absolutely everything in the place can be discounted. All he needs to do is check the buying cost and make sure they make 15% profit, everything else can be taken off


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 381 ✭✭beautiation


    Never take haggling tips from an institution, would be my advice.

    But they had graphs man, graphs!

    Starting extremely low does work really well though, we tried it out at a car boot sale and you'd be amazed at how many sellers seemed to have a quota of times to say no before giving in. Some did laugh at us at first but still ended up giving us bargains when we stuck to our tactic. It's all confidence you see. But it's probably only really effective for goods without fixed prices, I doubt it'd be much use in a store. But I agree with ya about the handling the goods bit, the whole class was giving it :rolleyes: at that point. Like your tips too :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 251 ✭✭Scawgeen


    Ruu wrote: »
    "Ah shure Shop X is selling them for 20 euro less than you're asking!" :eek:


    Seller - ''Well f**K off back down there and buy it if it's that cheap and bring me up as many as you can carry at that price''

    or

    Seller - ''Did I send for you ? ''


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    I find, depending on the context, pretending you really want it but literally cannot pay more than X can work, if the seller believes you. Pretending you don't want the item is a bit transparent. Buying several items at once is also a fairly sure way of getting a discount (and often a load of crap you don't actually want).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,048 ✭✭✭SimpleSam06


    Starting extremely low does work really well though, we tried it out at a car boot sale and you'd be amazed at how many sellers seemed to have a quota of times to say no before giving in.
    Yes, but thats the kind of people who don't know the value of what they are selling anyway, and more importantly don't really care. In almost any other situation starting too low won't get you where you want to be.
    Buying several items at once is also a fairly sure way of getting a discount (and often a load of crap you don't actually want).
    Doesn't spending more money sort of defeat the purpose of the discount from haggling?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 381 ✭✭beautiation


    Yes, but thats the kind of people who don't know the value of what they are selling anyway, and more importantly don't really care. In almost any other situation starting too low won't get you where you want to be.

    Well, I disagree. Shall we haggle about it? I propose that I am 93% right, and you 7%. What's your offer? :pac:


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,048 ✭✭✭SimpleSam06


    Well, I disagree. Shall we haggle about it? I propose that I am 93% right, and you 7%. What's your offer? :pac:
    Heheheh, oh yes, that Hollywood 25-50, 35-45 lets agree on 40 stuff doesn't work either.

    Alright heres a hypothetical: You see a hat for €50, its a damn nice hat. So there you are in the hat shop with the girl behind the till. How do you play it?


  • Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 35,498 Mod ✭✭✭✭pickarooney


    Doesn't spending more money sort of defeat the purpose of the discount from haggling?

    Some people haggle purely for the cheap thrill of getting a discount. The same as some people make idiots of themselves at January sales buying knocked-down tat for the shopping rush. And some people genuinely want more than one 'I love Thailand, udnerage monkey sex FTW' t-shirt.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,081 ✭✭✭unnameduser


    OP, get yourself down to a car boot sale or market and have a good look around!!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,288 ✭✭✭✭ntlbell


    Apologies if this is in the wrong forum, but I couldn't find one more appropiate!

    Anyway, as the title asks - is there a knack to haggling?! I'm not very good at it and was looking for some tips to put into practise.

    To start the ball rolling, I was once told to let the seller reveal their lowest price before you make an offer (I guess so you don't offend them with your first offer and have them tell you to f*ck off!)

    Having a big pair of baps helps


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,472 ✭✭✭AdMMM


    Alright heres a hypothetical: You see a hat for €50, its a damn nice hat. So there you are in the hat shop with the girl behind the till. How do you play it

    I'd pay €50 as there's very little chance of you being able to haggle in that environment!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,838 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    I was recently in the market for a blender for my friend and I and came across two on Ebay which were out of my budget so I got in contact with the seller, it went something like this:

    Me:
    Hi there,
    My friend and I are in the market for 2 blendtec blenders. We're looking for the HP3A model in particular so I'm not sure if the models you have on offer are suitable, but if nobody bids on your auction, I'd be prepared to offer €350 for the lot and collect in Dublin. We can't afford your starting bid price or anything near it. The HP3A model can be bought from the US for €220 delivered but we'd need to get power converters etc which would be a pain. Seeing as though your items have been used, this €350 is all we could afford to pay really.

    Please let me know anyway : )

    Him:
    Hi there,
    The Blendtec Smoothers are commercial and cost well over €1,000 each. Included is the rinser(€300) and 2 extra jugs (€100 apx each). Total package nearly €3k. There is over a years warranty left per machine. The HP3A is more designed towards household use. My price is 1/3 of the best list price new. €450 per machine for the best Blentec on the market is a steal.

    Me:
    Hi again and thank you for your quick response. I understand what you're saying but please understand, my friend and I are only home users and spending even €200 on a blender is madness for us! Haha. There haven't been any bids on your auction yet and it ends in 3 hours, so the offer is there for you if you would be interested in a deal. We can't stretch any further really but if you'd like to just get rid of them, we'd be willing to do a deal :)

    Me (before receiving a reply to the above):
    Hi again,
    I see the auction has now ended for these and they did not sell. I am still interested. Could you please tell me what amp these blenders are? I'm still interested in doing a deal.

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi there,
    I've gone through the op manual and it tells me that they're 3.6kw and have 18amps. it's double dutch to me but I'm told that they comply with household wiring(get a 2nd opinion of course). I've re-listed both items. I'd love to sell but I'm not desperate. Thanks again for the mail.
    ps if you want to see them in action I believe all Starbucks outlets use them.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    I see you relisted again at 900 starting bid, I can't really see anyone buying 2 second hand blenders at that price, definitely not a home user and a business user would be more likely to buy new if relying on for business with a full warranty etc. Are you definitely not interested in negotiating a price and we could pay you in cash that day upon inspection of the blenders. I'm guessing I'm one of the only people who have contacted you about them? My friend and I are very into our food, he's just become a raw foodest (eats nothing but raw food, no cooked stuff, apparantly it's reeeeally healthy, so he'll be making green smoothies every day and all that). As I said, we just can't afford to spend that much on a blender and I doubt many people could, but we'd love to do a deal with you and could close it that day in cash. Are you open to negotiation at all or will you just keep relisting it? hehe. :P

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi again,
    I see where you're coming from. From a commercial perspective they're cheap but from a domestic one they're dear, point taken. €800 for the lot is my bottom. I'll keep re-listing otherwise. They'll sell in the end. Thanks again for your interest.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    Sorry but we just can't stretch that far, we were both thinking we were crazy even considering spending 200 euro on a blender, 400 each is just not possible for us. 200 euro would be the max each really. We only want the blenders, the rinser and the spare jugs aren't needed. We definitely can't meet 800 or anywhere near it I'm afraid:(

    Him:
    Hi there,
    Thanks for the response.As i said €800 is my rock bottom. There are more(and cheaper) Blentecs on the market. Best marque in the market. Sorry we couldn't deal but, again, thanks for your interest.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    I've discussed this with my friend and we've both decided that 500 is the absolute max we are prepared to offer for the 2 blenders. If you can't shift them, please consider it. When do you think you'll be able to let us know?

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi,
    As I said before I'd love to sell but I'm in no hurray. I'll keep listing for the next few weeks at least. If my situation changes I'll drop you a line.Thanks again.
    lol

    Me:
    Hi again,
    Well we have the cash waiting now but we are actively looking for blenders as I'm sure you can tell, so once we find a pair that's that, we wont be buying a back up or anything ;) So you could get €500 for them this week, or spend weeks relisting trying to get €900 or €800 and never sell them, then come back to me to accept €500
    and find out we have bought one each already and there goes your chance of getting €500 for them so you could be stuck with 2 blenders you can't shift at all, not even for €500 because there are very few people who would ever consider spending so much on a blender, let alone a used blender, regardless of how good it is :)
    So have a think about it and think about my offer, because it's likely to be the best you'll ever get for them and it will only stand for as long as were blenderless, cash ready. Could meet, test and pay tomorrow and the deal will be done and we'd have both saved ourselves a lot of hassle. Good luck with it anyway :)

    Regards,
    Corm

    Me (before receiving a reply to the above):
    Hi again,
    After doing a bit more research of completed listings on Ebay, both Ireland and the UK, the following 2 blenders have sold for pretty much what I've offered you per blender, I can't put in HTML in this email but if you go to ebay and search for item 140222628397, you will see it sold for £194 (€245) with 26 bids from 10 different bidders with only 5 of these bidders going above the £100 mark.

    then if you search for item 140222628122, you will see it sold for £205 (€258) with 19 bids from 7 bidders with I think only 4 going above the £100 mark.

    Then if you search for item number 290221746092 you will see this sold for £160 (€202).

    All of these blenders are of a commercial grade and the first two mentioned also came with a 2nd jug. You should also note that these sold in the UK, where the population is 60 million, compared to 4 million in Ireland. So for every 1 person in Ireland interested, there should be 15 in the UK. But there were only 10 at the most on the above, so that's not even a full Irish man! hahaha :)
    So it's statistically fortunate to even have me interested and willing to put in even a starting bid of €0.01, but I'm offering you pretty much exactly what the 2 highest bids were on the first two blenders which going by the odds, you should definitely take the bet ;)

    I also noticed that this is actually the third time you have listed the blenders for sale. So they have been up for nearly a month and still no sale. As I said, this is likely to be your best offer and it's only a matter of time before we get 2 blenders for our budget so you have a chance to close this deal today and get what is likely to be the most you will get for these blenders, in cash, today

    Please let me know what you think

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi there, I appreciate the info but I'm not prepared to sell below €800. Someone looking for "a" blender will never buy them, I know, but if they're specifically looking "Blentec" the price is great value. I can sell them for more then your bid to a catering supplies company that sell new and used machines.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    I know what you're saying about people looking for blendtecs being more likely to buy than somebody looking for a just "a" blender, who wouldn't dream of spending so much, but as I was saying, it's very unlikely, given our population and comparing to that of the UK and the price the other blendtecs went for in the UK, that anybody actually looking for a blendtec would spend so much on a 2nd hand one and that you'd even have any interest given how small Ireland is population wise. Also people can be very hesitant to purchase such a high priced item from somebody with such a low feedback score.

    With regards to the new and used catering supplier buying it, I reckon anyone who would be buying it to sell on would want at least a 100% mark up on the price they buy it for (which would be commonplace among retailers), so say they did buy them for €500, what I'm offering, they'd want to be selling them for at least €1,000, which is more than what you are asking for and you haven't had any interest yet. And that's from buying them at the same price we're offering, so it wouldn't really be a wise investment given the market for such a product in this country. Plus the fact that Blendtec only have one distributor in Ireland, so anybody looking to buy would go direct to these as this is the only company Blendtec will suggest for their product in Ireland.

    I do believe that my offer for the 2 is likely to be the best you'll receive, I wouldn't be so pursuant if I didn't think so haha. Oh and just a little warning, if you do decide to accept my offer, instead of lowering your starting bid price on Ebay and me bidding and winning, it would be best to just let the auction end and we could deal outside of ebay because this would save you Ebay fees for listing the item :) When would you be able to let me know if you're open to my offer? I'd love to close this deal asap! We could meet up any day that suits to test and pay in cash :)

    Best regards,
    Corm :)

    Me (before receiving a reply to the above):
    Hi again,
    Just to show you another example, item 180233368369 sold today for £205 (€258), search for this on Ebay to see the auction as it's now ended so isn't in the listings anymore. It's the exact same model you have with less cycles and it also comes with the 2 jugs. It only had 2 bidders interested.

    Please let me know if you're prepared to do a deal :)

    Regards,
    Corm

    Me (before receiving a reply to the above):
    Hi again,
    It's less than 10 minutes to go before the auction ends now and still no bids. I'm going to wait till it actually ends before sending this but if you're prepared to sell for our max budget of €500, please call me on 08******** or respond to this to let me know. I'd be able to call in and collect them within about 2 hours of being notified. Please take what I was saying into consideration. This is likely to be the best offer you'll get for them and if we could close the deal today that would be excellent. Please let me know either way. I look forward to your reply :)

    Kind regards,
    Corm

    Me (before receiving a reply to the above):
    Hi again,
    I notice you haven't relisted these. Are they still available?

    Please let me know the situation :)

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi there,
    I've been busy recently and never got a chance to re-list them. A little break away from the site might be good for them too. As I mentioned before, I'd love to sell them but I'm not in a hurry. I take on board all your earlier points but when I consider how much they are new and the quality of the product (keeping in mind there are many cheaper blentec models out there to buy)my price is good value. I'm lucky enough to have colleagues in the catering trade here and they tell me I'm accurate with my price and it's just a matter of waiting. Of course there are other cheaper commercial models out there to buy but the decision is similar to buying any cheap car or a Mercedes, it's a matter of quality. If any blender was good enough Starbucks wouldn't have the models I'm selling in their cafes. Thanks again for your interest.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    Thanks for the mail. I know what you're saying about comparing it to a Merc and everything, I have no doubt that these blenders are top of the class, head of the chart and what they display is works of art, but the oul saying goes, something is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it. What if you listed it with a starting bid of 500 euro instead of 800 and see what happens? I'll likely be the only person to bid for all the reasons pointed out previously, but at least you'll know for certain you got the best you tried for. But as I was saying, because I'm likely to be the only bidder, you'd be best just selling outside of Ebay to avoid the fees.

    So are you not willing to negotiate AT ALL? As I said, I'm not disputing the quality of these compared to any old blender, but they really are only worth what somebody is willing to pay for them, and my offer is likely to be the most you'll get for them going by the stats.

    Will you negotiate at all?

    Regards,
    Corm : )

    Him:
    Hi there,
    Initially I was after €900 and dropped to €800 in the course of our mails. I don't mean to be harsh but I won't take a penny below this figure. They're not in my way and I can wait. Don't forget you're also getting a machine specifically made to clean the jugs too. I appreciate that something is worth only what is bid, but that is when someone needs to sell something and I don't need to sell. It's not the end of the world to me if it takes months, through various mediums, to sell. Thanks again.

    Me:
    Hi again,
    If you are sure you wont accept below €800, then there's nothing really we can do I suppose. My friend and I can't afford to spend that much on a blender. Just regarding the cleaner, I can't imagine us using this much, it's easy to clean blenders anyway, just add a bit of hot water with literally a drop of washing up liquid, blend it for a few seconds and then rinse out again. I wouldn't spend money on something to speed up an already fast process.

    Also, regarding your comment about it taking months through various mediums to sell. Perhaps one day in the distant future you may find somebody who is interested in a blender, whether they are interested for this price is a whole different story though and with all the time spent sending and receiving mails, making new ads, finding new places to advertise, as well as them being in the way at home, is it really worth the extra bit of money on top of what were willing to pay to take them away today? Plus the fact they may never even sell and you may never get any further interest than me.

    So considering you said you weren't willing to negotiate further and considering our budget, there's no real point in me keep trying to convince you to sell to us if you have your mind made up. But if you are open to negotiation, let me know, soon please. In the mean time, let's not waste any more of eachothers time. If you could just let me know your thoughts on the above and we can bid eachother good luck in our quest to buy and sell blenders. It's been emotional : )

    Regards,
    Corm

    Him:
    Hi there,
    Thanks for the mail. Everything, for me, worked out as planned. I had them in buy and sell recently and they sold to some person opening a cafe in Cork. I got the €900 I'd been looking for. Regards, Martin

    Me:
    Haha,
    congrats on the sale : ) surprising how the buyandsell worked out so well compared to Ebay. I just put 4 tickets for Leonard Cohen into it to be published tomorrow so I hope I get them sold (at face value of course).

    Best of luck anyway : ) I found a supplier of the HP3A in the US who can supply 220v, it'll cost E315 delivered brand new. I'll have to consider raising that budget so : ( Plus if I get stung for import duties etc it could end up costing about €400 : (

    Anyway, take care!

    Regards,
    Corm

    In the end it turned out great for everyone, my friend was going over to the states and coming back with his gf and was able to bring the two back, avoiding import duties, so in the end, my friend and I got them for €280 each :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭TheBigLebowski


    cormie wrote: »
    I was recently in the market for a blender for my friend and I and came across two on Ebay which were out of my budget so I got in contact with the seller, it went something like this:




    In the end it turned out great for everyone, my friend was going over to the states and coming back with his gf and was able to bring the two back, avoiding import duties, so in the end, my friend and I got them for €280 each :)

    Well that was a waste of a read. I assumed it was going to come to some kind of deal. How is that supposed to show someone how to haggle? I want my 5 minutes back.

    Oh, by the way did I tell you about the time I offered €5,000 for a new Mercedes in a main dealer. The dealer wouldn't budge and neither would I so I went and bought a 10 year old Hyundai Accent off a knacker.:rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,838 ✭✭✭✭cormie


    He would have budged eventually, I know it :P

    You can try everything but not succeed, but it's always worth trying. In the above case I tried absolutely everything and it's a good example of what you can try I think. I reckon a lot of people would have budged and sold it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,048 ✭✭✭SimpleSam06


    AdMMM wrote: »
    I'd pay €50 as there's very little chance of you being able to haggle in that environment!
    Sure you can, as long as you are speaking to someone who has authority over prices, you can haggle. Whether its worth your time or not is a different story. I wouldn't invest too much effort into €50, but lets say for the sake of argument...

    1) Are hats the only thing the shop sells? Are they resellers or do they do repairs themselves? (this gives you a good idea of the knowledge level of the staff)
    2) Is the woman young, old, local or foreign (this gives you an idea as to whether she has a clear idea as to the value of the hat, and whether she has likely got any pricing authority)

    Armed with these observations, I'd come in when the shop is quiet, and I'd open with something like, "hey, thats a nice hat, have you got any similar ones (probably not)? I ask because I saw a lot of people at a function/in town/out on the town (wherever she is least likely to have been recently) wearing something like it."

    Then you move on with a compliment that engages the seller (tell them something they already know) - "But sure whats in fashion one week is out of fashion next week, isn't that right?" then you get a mutual chuckle, before saying "I am attending a wedding next week and that hat would be good for the job, I wouldn't have much use for it afterwards though", and then close it with "So what sort of price can you give me on that hat?"

    So you have undermined the value of the hat by placing a limit on its shelf life that the seller might not know about (pressure on them to sell), undermined the value even more by saying that it has a once off value to you, while actually being complimentary, and put yourself in a good position to get a better price on the hat than otherwise. There are a lot of different tacks you could take there, but thats just off the top of my head.

    Edit: Good example there also Cormie!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,651 ✭✭✭Captain Slow IRL


    FYI, it's a diamond I'm gonna be buying, going to NY on sat. - I'm pretty sure the seller is gonna know what it's worth! I, on the other hand, don't have a notion and won't have a lot of time to scope out the competition!

    What I've learned so far:



    Buyer: What's the best price you can do?!

    Seller: $X

    Buyer: Can you do any better?!

    Seller: Okay then, how about $X or No, that's it.

    Buyer: Well what about $X then?!?!


    Seller: Sound or P!ss off!



    Or have I learned anything?!


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