Haggling Tips

barneysplash

I thought I'd start a thread about the lost art of haggling.

It is kind of an unwritten rule at car boots, antiques sales etc.
that you never take the first offer when you are buying/selling.

So does anyone have any good tips/techniques they use to bend
the sale in their favour?

I'll start:
Not appearing too eager
If I see something I really like, I never let it show.
I never appear too interested in the item.
I shrug and say thing like "it's

Don't use words like
"piece" "specimen" "example" when buying things -
you don't want to put the idea that it may be worth something
into the mind of the seller.
They man not know it is worth anything,
if you start using trade terms to describe their wares, they may hold
off on selling things because you look like you know what's worth money.


Check out these guys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHtaek38Erg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImqO9AmMmNI

What are your secret tips????

robman60

My tip: When buying something, don't give a ridiculously small offer at first. If you do, the guy will know that you're willing to pay much more. Your best off to suggest something just slightly lower than you're willing to pay/what it's worth.

barneysplash

robman60 wrote: »

My tip: When buying something, don't give a ridiculously small offer at first. If you do, the guy will know that you're willing to pay much more. Your best off to suggest something just slightly lower than you're willing to pay/what it's worth.

Good tip that - If you offer next to nothing, it breaks to rapport
you may have built up with the seller through chatting and small
talk.

They'll know you're a player who is trying to get their wares
for nothin, and that you have no respect for them or their stall.
A real deal-killer.

Judgement Day

Another approach that my Ex. and I used to work on Antique Dealers and Car Booters alike was the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. When one of us would spot something, the other would feign disinterest and have to be badgered into making an offer - this would frequently see the dealer dropping their price as they sensed a possible sale.

barneysplash

Judgement Day wrote: »

Another approach that my Ex. and I used to work on Antique Dealers and Car Booters alike was the Good Cop/Bad Cop routine. When one of us would spot something, the other would feign disinterest and have to be badgered into making an offer - this would frequently see the dealer dropping their price as they sensed a possible sale.

Good one!

I often look for small damage on items, and say things like:
"It's nice but it's chipped / ripped / torn / broken / scratched here" and point to
the imperfection.

Or something like : "It doesn't have the original box"

Things like that can help to knock a few quid off the asking price.

Oh, and never take out a magnifiying glass
or a copy of an antiques book .i.e. Millers guides etc.
in front of a stall, this will mark you down as a
professional quicker than you can say "Clarice Cliff"

barneysplash

Here's one I've just used.

Get a bag of cheap books and bring them to fundraising car-boots
or charity bric-a-brac sales. Bring them in as a donation before
the event opens and you can have a a scan around to see if there's anything hot.

Judgement Day

barneysplash wrote: »

Here's one I've just used.

Get a bag of cheap books and bring them to fundraising car-boots
or charity bric-a-brac sales. Bring them in as a donation before
the event opens and you can have a a scan around to see if there's anything hot.

Very devious.