Confessions of a haggler

cormie · 12-02-2008 12:14PM #1

Following on from my expensive water thread, do many people in Ireland haggle at all? Personally I do it with nearly everything I buy, it can be hard convincing the Self Service machines in Tesco but when the opportunity is there, I take it

Just the other day I was buying some gloves, and I've been through a few pairs of the same gloves and they cost €5 each (which isn't bad or anything but still), but I asked would they do 3 for €12, she said no, 3 for €13? no! So I said my anti haggling policy means I'm forced to not buy bulk and only bought the one pair.

Then last week too I was in Avoca and my friend and I wanted to buy these lovely healthy Trek bars, they are usually €2 each, expensive but still worth it because they are yum and good for you, I saw they expired at the beginning of March so we haggled and ended up getting 20 bars for €15 and I said "and throw in this aswell" holding another branded bar worth €2, so got €42 quids worth for €15

That's just the last week, I've done some better haggles but can't think of any now!

Karoma · 12-02-2008 12:18PM

My hero.

AckwelFoley · 12-02-2008 12:19PM

No.

I would only haggle if i was buying a "dagg" off a tinker.

Otherwise, i will pay the price with the exception of buying property or cars of course.

One of my best mates is the very same as yourself, any chance he gets.

watna · 12-02-2008 12:37PM

No, I hate haggling. I like to see a price, judge in my head whether it is worth it or not and then buy it/not buy it. I'm going to Malaysia in 2 months and will do a good bit of shopping, people are telling me I'll need to haggle. I think I need hagglng lessons. You should give some! Could be a money making scheme!

Gillo · 12-02-2008 12:38PM

Generally I don't haggle again unless it's something really big (or I'm looking for something from the misses).

Having worked in retail for years, I have to say that I hate hagglers I don't mind someone asking for a discount but repeatedly bending your ear, so what if you'll go to the next store selling whatever you want to buy just because I won't give a discount, I'll sell it to someone else who will pay the asking price.

I've also notice that it tend to be people who look like they can afford to pay the full price that seem to look for more of a discount.

That said I'll give discounts to regular customers without them asking; they're doing me a favor by repeatedly giving me business I'm doing them a favor by knocking the price down.

I remember years ago working in a shop where this sarcastic Scot called Donald used to work, one day a customer kept bending his ear looking for money off, the last part of the conversation went soemthing like;
Customer- Look why won't you give me money off
Donald- Whens the last time you picked me up outside here and gave me a lift home
Customer- [with a confussed look] Never
Donald- Whens the last time you bought me a pint
Customer- [now very confussed] Um, I don't even know you
Donald- Whens the last time you offered to babysit my daughter so I could bring my wife for a night out
Customer- What's this all about
Donald- So you're never actually done me a favor, why should I do one for you

The customer than paid the asking price.

12-02-2008 12:59PM

Hhmm I think I feel a field study coming on.

My hairdresser has been cutting my hair since I was 3. So I get a good deal, but I recently had to get it cut while away from home.
My friends can pay literally hundreds, so I decided to have a ring around and blag a discount. I didn't get that far. The thoughts that anyone would even want to know the price of haircut upfront had the teenybopper receptionist in hysterics.

People seem to think there is some honour in being ripped off in this country.

razorblunt · 12-02-2008 01:01PM

I hate when people try to haggle in shops, assistants have to log in using their number and the prices are controlled by barcodes so if the person gives a discount then management will see their number and questions.

Fair enough if the prices are keyed in but potentially threating the job of someone for the sake of a few quid is ridiculous.

blah · 12-02-2008 01:10PM

razorblunt wrote: »

Fair enough if the prices are keyed in but potentially threating the job of someone for the sake of a few quid is ridiculous.

So you shouldn't haggle because the shop assistant might lose their job for reducing the price?

Ridiculous. Either they give you a discount because they are authorised, or they don't because they aren't authorised or don't want to.

cormie · 12-02-2008 01:14PM

Well they don't have to give you a discount. You can tell whether somebody is in a position to haggle pretty easily. I'll always be more likely to return to a seller who has haggled with me before, I just prefer giving them the business, it's not like they are forced into it and aren't profiting off the sale anyway.

nice1franko · 12-02-2008 01:48PM

I used to do it a good bit. It's really an affliction or sorts (looks like OP has it too): my conscience is represented by three characters: an angel, a devil and a poker player with shades, cap and ipod who insists on pointing out where there is value or an edge to be had.

After reading a good article (... here it is: http://www.esquire.com/features/money/ESQ0205NEGO_114_1), I thought it'd be best to reign him in a bit and now I only haggle for "big" things, overpriced things or where it's likely to be easy.

faceman · 12-02-2008 02:11PM

hats off to cormie. More people like you and we wouldnt have such a ridiculous rip off culture. I'll buy you a pint the next i meet you. (if there is a 2 for 1 offer on in the pub!

)

rubadub · 12-02-2008 02:28PM

Not in most normal shops in Ireland. I always presume they would have no authority to do it. If it seems like a self owned shop I might. Or ask if there is a discount on stuff, like beer in small offies. In some countries it is expected. In hong kong there were no prices in some shops, they do this fake calculation on a calculator and hand it to you, then you minus something off and hand it back and forward, weird! techno-haggling.

Will always haggle with ticket touts, and some market traders if the price seems way too high.

I missed out on a bike once though, you should expect something with a bike, maybe no money off but something thrown in. I only copped it after leaving. The salesguy talking to me said to get the bike for me, the other lad said "is that a straight sale?" , later I took this to mean "is this lad not looking for free stuff thrown in? the idiot!", they did give free service though, and it did have a fault after a month and they replaced with better parts.

My mate is embarrasing tough, he once tried to haggle down a normal dublin bus driver! and lads in mcdonalds and dunnes. He gets it sometimes, but I would rather spend the money than go through the embarassment.

cormie · 12-02-2008 02:33PM

Had a read of that franko, pretty good

Faceman, haha, thanks, but I don't drink

In the airport it's got to be done, once you're past the security, the only water you can have before you reach your destination will set you back €2.40 a litre seems to be the going rate in all the shops. Twice I've approached the counter in 2 different shops with the water in one hand and a 2 euro coin in the other and said "Is 2 euro ok?" and have got it for that price. Still a rip off but the haggle doesn't make it so bad, they could have told me to buy the 500ml one for €1.80 or whatever it was but nope, I got my litre

rubadub · 12-02-2008 02:35PM

cormie wrote: »

In the airport it's got to be done, once you're past the security, the only water you can have before you reach your destination will set you back €2.40 a litre seems to be the going rate in all the shops.

Dont they have drinking fountains in dublin airport after security?

aidan_walsh · 12-02-2008 02:38PM

Obligatory useless pop culture haggling reference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n3LL338aGA

ejmaztec · 12-02-2008 02:40PM

You have to haggle in Kerry. The shop-keepers insist on it:D

cormie · 12-02-2008 02:46PM

rubadub wrote: »

Will always haggle with ticket touts, and some market traders if the price seems way too high.

I missed out on a bike once though, you should expect something with a bike, maybe no money off but something thrown in. I only copped it after leaving. The salesguy talking to me said to get the bike for me, the other lad said "is that a straight sale?" , later I took this to mean "is this lad not looking for free stuff thrown in? the idiot!", they did give free service though, and it did have a fault after a month and they replaced with better parts.

I was the same with the ticket tout the other night for The Pumpkins, I thought the gig was in the summer and just found out the night before, my friend was supposed to get me a ticket off his sis who works in *** :P but it was too late, neither of us knew it was on so early so I was left to resort to buying one off whoever, I went to a tout, they said 100, I said I've been offered it for face value (face value was 65 but I'd actually been offered it for 70 off my friends friend) then he said "then buy it off him" so I just walked away, then another guy approached me and said 45, I said I told my friend I'd buy it off him but give me a minute, so I rang my friend and asked would his friend sell it to me for 45, he called me a c*nt but said he would so I got it for 45 but gave him 50

I tried to haggle a bike I bought off a boards.ie guy for 500, I offered 420 or sumthin he said no way, I was saying I could get the same bike online for about 550 new, he then proceeded to tell me all the extras he bought for it (wheels worth about 350, saddle about 120 and all this). That kinda shut me up so I paid the 500, just as well because when I went home there were another 3 or 4 ppl offering asking and going mad that it was gone. I totted up everything and it was actually worth about 1,200 new with all the extras so I think I got a good deal anyway

I wanted shoes for the bike then so I looked online, one shop had them at £4 cheaper than another, but they didn't have my size, so I told the other shop and they said they couldn't match the price that they were already losing out a bit on shipping to Ire. On the comments field of the order page I said since they couldn't match the price, if they have any spare water bottles lying around to throw one in for free, and the package arrived with a water bottle thrown in

cormie · 12-02-2008 02:47PM

rubadub wrote: »

Dont they have drinking fountains in dublin airport after security?

They better not?

I wanted to bring water onto the plane anyway...

chopperbyrne · 12-02-2008 02:49PM

I did the "Won't haggle!" bit from Life of Brian in McDonalds late one night.

Got a few laughs.

Frisbee · 12-02-2008 02:54PM

As someone who works in a shop its massively annoying when people wont leave you alone because your making them pay the asking price.

Me: Thats 21.50
Customer: Can I have it for 20?
Me: Yeah Sure!
Customer: Really?
Me: No

(One of my favourite things to do :P)

togster · 12-02-2008 03:01PM

Have never haggled. Its such an old biddy thing to do imo.

rubadub · 12-02-2008 03:11PM

cormie wrote: »

They better not? I wanted to bring water onto the plane anyway...

The true skinflint will bring an empty bottle!

I dunno what you call this, but when getting in taxis I will sometimes say "I want to go to X, but I only have €10, so bring me as far as you can for €10". It happened to be true the first time, then I thought it a sneaky way to get of having to tip the snakes, and if you are near enough the destination they might drop you all the way. Only have the balls to do it drunk though.

ejmaztec · 12-02-2008 03:14PM

Frisbee wrote: »

As someone who works in a shop its massively annoying when people wont leave you alone because your making them pay the asking price.

Me: Thats 21.50
Customer: Can I have it for 20?
Me: Yeah Sure!
Customer: Really?
Me: No

(One of my favourite things to do :P)

That's a crime against humanity, akin to attempted murder.

That person was probably going to come back next day and buy €3000 worth of goods, but didn't bother - all that lost business for the sake of €1.50.:D

Peared · 12-02-2008 03:22PM

Cannot believe Avoca were open to haggling! Thought you would be sneered out of the place. I mean I love Avoca an all but I wouldnt say they see much haggling.

Id love to have the nerve to do it but theres no way I could, Id be mortified and probably care too much that strangers would think Im cheap.

An ex boyfriend started haggling in a SHOE SHOP once. I walked outside and waited quietly with a red face whilst shaking off the cringes.

nice1franko · 12-02-2008 03:22PM

how to haggle in mcdonalds:

http://moronland.net/moronia/moron/502/

cormie · 12-02-2008 03:25PM

Peared wrote: »

Cannot believe Avoca were open to haggling! Thought you would be sneered out of the place. I mean I love Avoca an all but I wouldnt say they see much haggling.

Id love to have the nerve to do it but theres no way I could, Id be mortified and probably care too much that strangers would think Im cheap.

An ex boyfriend started haggling in a SHOE SHOP once. I walked outside and waited quietly with a red face whilst shaking off the cringes.

Haha, yeah I doubt they see much haggling in Avoca. I did it in Avoca before aswell. With the same Trek bars, this time a different Avoca though, I had 10 and I just said "Is it buy 10 get one free?" to the girl and she laughed and said, well I can give you one of the 10 free so I said cool and not to worry that I wasn't going to eat them all today

azezil · 12-02-2008 03:26PM

My mother haggles, I feckin hate it!
For the sake of a few quid, I don't think its going to break the bank, just pay the listed price! :rolleyes:

Peared · 12-02-2008 03:29PM

Hmm wonder if it was a girl trying it with another girl would it work. I think not.

I reckon haggling works best on a male to female/female to male basis.

Bit of a wink and a smile.

In fact! I wonder if good looking people are more successful at haggling?

U hot to trot cormie?

ejmaztec · 12-02-2008 03:35PM

I find that good humour and a cheeky grin are a lot more effective than rolling up your sleeves and saying "give us some discount you robbing bastard!"

cormie · 12-02-2008 03:39PM

Peared wrote: »

Hmm wonder if it was a girl trying it with another girl would it work. I think not.

I reckon haggling works best on a male to female/female to male basis.

Bit of a wink and a smile.

In fact! I wonder if good looking people are more successful at haggling?

U hot to trot cormie?

Not sure what the last sentence means, not sure of the lingo?

In the two Avoca cases, the big haggle was with 2 girls our age and their manager who was a woman who was maybe between 40 and 50, then when I was on my own, it was also a girl and she was about my age. The two times with the water in the Airport, one gal was a bit older then me, the other again between 40 and 50 also female. I've never noticed a male/female higher success rate though. Just depends on the person themselves and their position in most cases I think.

Peared · 12-02-2008 03:43PM

Not quite sure meself so just looked it up in idioms dictionary.

Means sexually exciting :eek:

Confessions of a haggler

Comments