Talking salespeople down in price

Larry

Larry

"Uncle Larry"
Everybody wants a great deal, to pay a little and get a lot. Does anybody feel bad when they try and talk someone down? I feel like I am being a jerk and taking money out of their pockets. If I don't agree to a price, thank you kindly, but I'm gonna pass.

Certain exceptions come to mind, buying a car being one of them. But a guy at a music store who is not gouging? If I'm going to the music store...it's like ordering food, you know you're gonna have to tip the person who brings it to you.

In my line of work, I can't stand it when I give someone my price, which is the minimum I will do it for, and they try and get me to knock money off. I feel like I'm not valued and they are trying to squeeze me, while I had every intention of giving them a professional installation in a friendly manner. Makes me not want to do as good a job, which I can't do that anyway, so I just stew about it. Cheap people piss me off, sorry. So if a salesman gives me a price, and I know I'm not being gouged...the sales person has to make a living. If I decide to use a sales person, then I know I'm paying for that.

I concede that in this materialistic world it doesn't make financial sense to be that way, meaning I'm fairly stupid for doing this. That's another reason shopping online rocks.

Back to my line of work, it was a real eye opener when I started having to deal with non native American people who come from bargaining cultures. America, for the most part is not a bargaining culture. The price is the price, with all kinds of exceptions of course.

Contrast that to a culture where most things are expected to be bargained for. When I first encountered this, the talking down of the price, I thought I was being dis-respected, and on occasion said exactly that. This went on for a while until I realized that these people...they come from a bargaining culture. They aren't dis-respecting me, it's how it is for them. Which stopped me from stewing.

So now I have to play this stupid game where I know what I want but I have to start higher and let them talk me down to it. But I'm taking a chance because this certain group of customers....some have adopted to the culture that is America. And I price myself out of their job. Tiny dilemma.

I have no point here, I am just curious as to how people feel about talking others down. Like I said, all kinds of exceptions when it's expected to bargain, home sales being another one.

Me, not talking about the exceptions, just give me a price and I will either pull the trigger or pass. I don't like the back and forth, it spoils it for me, but I know some people love the game.
 
You mentioned buying a car. Most folks now are shopping for price via Internet so going away are the days of visiting multiple dealerships for the same car and haggling for prices. The resale, quality review, NADA, Kelley BB, and other info is at your fingertips so you're better informed and prepped on what to expect and what's fair. I've tried the haggling, even on a car that was at the lot a while...salesman didn't budge so I ended up walking, although the price was about right and wasn't gouging.

I don't feel bad if I ask for a lower price. Furniture, music stores, appliances, real estate, Craigslist. Auto repair, not so much. You normally take it up the tailpipe on that one.

Another thing is to squeeze some freebies out of a deal if you can. Oil changes, month of rent, wash/waxes, warranty, extra parts, free delivery.
 
larryace said:
Me, not talking about the exceptions, just give me a price and I will either pull the trigger or pass. I don't like the back and forth, it spoils it for me, but I know some people love the game.
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You have the money, they have the candy. You want as much candy as you can get for as little money as possible. They want as much money for as little candy as possible.

If the game's gonna be played, you might as well play it and be good at it. Use whatever tools you're handed. Price matching, volume discounts, get free shit thrown in, etc. Work it, because it' your money.
 
I have worked retail and have been on both sides. I have no problem. When I bought my rack, although on line, I made phone calls and got parts from three stores reduced to the lowest with free shipping. Racks don't ship cheap. I don't consider it cheap but frugal and wise.
 
Ahh, coming from a bargaining ethnic background but a non-bargaining cultural background, this is a tricky one!

I go for Take it or leave it, regardless of whether I'm buying or selling. If it's worth the money, I'll buy it; if I'm being robbed, I won't sell it.
 
In my line of work, I can't stand it when I give someone my price, which is the minimum I will do it for, and they try and get me to knock money off. I feel like I'm not valued and they are trying to squeeze me, while I had every intention of giving them a professional installation in a friendly manner. Makes me not want to do as good a job, which I can't do that anyway, so I just stew about it. Cheap people piss me off, sorry. So if a salesman gives me a price, and I know I'm not being gouged...the sales person has to make a living. If I decide to use a sales person, then I know I'm paying for that.
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I am with you. Same "career", same observations. I have zero tolerance with customers at work and I rarely negotiate with a business when I am the consumer.

I used to NEVER negotiate. When construction/building crashed here in 07, our gross revenue dropped almost 50% almost overnight. My salary also took a 50% cut. Since then I find myself shopping everything over $200.

Sales people at music stores don't make a good living, nor do owners of small businesses so I'm not going to try and beat somebody up.

Used gear from CL is a different story. I always lowball because I generally don't really need any more gear. If it's electronic gear, I am taking the risk so I won't go over 50% of retail even if it looks like ts in great condition.
 
I hate it, too, Larry. It seems like such a waste of time to bargain. One of us knows how much she wants and the other knows how much he's willing to spend. Why do we have to play this game where I ask for more and you offer less?

But as you say, it's how the system works, whether we like it or not. I don't like it and I generally don't play. Which makes me a fool, too.
 
I get it. In terms of hiring myself out, when I give the client a price and they start negotiating, I stop the negotiating and tell them they probably want someone who will do it for less, and take my leave. Cars, I suppose I negotiate, but knowing how to negotiate that is a skill. My last truck I found online and went to the dealer who had it and since it was so cheap anyway, I just paid cash. I did rib the dealer for taking so long since now I was waiting for him to do the paperwork. It was like buying a Big Mac, I gave you my money, why can't I leave right now with the car?

But yeah, I try to avoid the game, especially when there's nothing really to negotiate.
 
I love it. Love, love, love it. I come from what Madge wonderfully put as a "bargaining culture". It is just one of the benefits that I get from being outgoing and good with people. If I were a braver man I could probably work in sales but I fear the pressure of having to constantly sell would destroy me. I prefer to keep it as a hobby and cherish my moments with pawn shops, music stores and private sellers on CL.

That is one of the reasons I hate Ebay, if I had the seller in front of me I could probably work a helluva deal. Especially with shy sellers or people that are unexperienced negotiators. Instead I am limited to the use of tracked communication and a very limiting system of placing an offer.

My wife is not a haggler so we're a good match for such things. when we went to sign up at out new gym she let me handle the negotiating and she worked the new expense into out budget. I worked the deal and turned down the very persistent buy noticeably shy employee on his attempts to upsell.

I even offered to sell a PDP rack for my father in-law just because I wanted to sell something. Got him more than he wanted and didn't ask for a cut. He had given me a very comfy throne that he wasn't using just as a gift so we called that the payment.
 
Red Menace said:
I love it. Love, love, love it. I come from what Madge wonderfully put as a "bargaining culture". It is just one of the benefits that I get from being outgoing and good with people. If I were a braver man I could probably work in sales but I fear the pressure of having to constantly sell would destroy me. I prefer to keep it as a hobby and cherish my moments with pawn shops, music stores and private sellers on CL.

That is one of the reasons I hate Ebay, if I had the seller in front of me I could probably work a helluva deal. Especially with shy sellers or people that are unexperienced negotiators. Instead I am limited to the use of tracked communication and a very limiting system of placing an offer.

My wife is not a haggler so we're a good match for such things. when we went to sign up at out new gym she let me handle the negotiating and she worked the new expense into out budget. I worked the deal and turned down the very persistent buy noticeably shy employee on his attempts to upsell.

I even offered to sell a PDP rack for my father in-law just because I wanted to sell something. Got him more than he wanted and didn't ask for a cut. He had given me a very comfy throne that he wasn't using just as a gift so we called that the payment.
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Interesting. I wonder if we polled musicians about whether they liked negotiating and compared it to the general population, what we'd find. My guess is that most musicians aren't crazy about anything relating to the business side of life. But you are obviously one of the exceptions!
 
T.Underhill said:
You mentioned buying a car. Most folks now are shopping for price via Internet so going away are the days of visiting multiple dealerships for the same car and haggling for prices. The resale, quality review, NADA, Kelley BB, and other info is at your fingertips so you're better informed and prepped on what to expect and what's fair. I've tried the haggling, even on a car that was at the lot a while...salesman didn't budge so I ended up walking, although the price was about right and wasn't gouging.

I don't feel bad if I ask for a lower price. Furniture, music stores, appliances, real estate, Craigslist. Auto repair, not so much. You normally take it up the tailpipe on that one.

Another thing is to squeeze some freebies out of a deal if you can. Oil changes, month of rent, wash/waxes, warranty, extra parts, free delivery.
Click to expand...

The car shoppers are still haggling, they just have more tools at their disposal. If you don't haggle, your salesman just made way more money than they would have been happy with. I just hate to nickel and dime people for stuff because I don't like being nickeled and dimed myself. What goes around and all that. Different strokes. I suck at negotiating because I don't like the game. I try not to put myself in that position. Not a strength of mine. Putting money above everything else all the time disgusts me.
 
Not the same, but I think it pertains - ebay auctions vs. buy it now.

I may look at an auction, but if I would really want something, I would only do buy it now.
I've seen things sit for 5 or 6 days with two bids, only to be sniped in the last half minute at 3 AM.
Lots of people enjoy that stuff, and think they're getting over on someone, but I think it's a waste of time.

I'll probably get hung out to dry on this one, but I can't stand hearing about people who flip gear.
If you're lucky enough to get a good deal on something, pass it on to someone else when the time comes.
Karma
 
I do the research then go shopping. If something smells bad, it is bad and I go elsewhere.

My old man used to just about get into fisticuffs during car shopping. I had to leave once and walk home about the time the finger jabs to the chest started.

I went car shopping with my uncle once (my dads brother) and I'm thinking this is going to be ugly. Uncle spots the LTD of his dreams and when the sales guy walks over he gets a quote. Did not fuss, didn't scream, didn't say a word. He nodded his head pulled out a business card wrote a figure on the back and handed it to the salesman and says "when you want to sell me that car at that price give me call" and leaves.... two weeks later the phone rang and he went and made the purchase.

Two totally different schools of thought, both worked but good night my old man was a freaking thermo-nuclear device when he got ramped up...
 
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I'm happy to haggle on used stuff whether it's the swap meet or a clearance store. Why not? Look at Reverb dot com. If it says Make Offer, you better bet I'll make an offer. It's the seller's choice to offer that; so if the seller allows it, that means they will accept a reasonable offer. That's how I got an old 13" Pearl tom. I found my K Custom Hybrid ride in the clearance room at Best Buy. The sticker price was marked down to $225 or so, I grabbed the salesman and pointed out the fact that it was used, had stick marks, and the upper part of the K was wearing off. He took it to his boss in another room and came back to me with a price of $175. That's 50% off retail...SOLD! I had enough left over to buy a Rush CD (2112). I could go on, but anyway...
 
I used to be afraid of haggling. I have learned not to be as well as when you can and cannot haggle. Although, it never hurts to ask, "Cut me a deal?" If you show me you're willing to save me some cash, we start building a relationship. Business has been performed like this for millenia. You also start to learn how to sniff out a rat and walk away from a bad deal.
 
GeoB said:
I do the research then go shopping. If something smells bad, it is bad and I go elsewhere.

My old man used just about get into fisticuffs during car shopping. I had to leave once and walk home about the time the finger jabs to the chest started.

I went car shopping with my uncle once (my dads brother) and I'm thinking this is going to be ugly. Uncle spots the LTD of his dreams and when the sales guy walks over he gets a quote. Did not fuss, didn't scream, didn't say a word. He nodded his head pulled out a business card wrote a figure on the back and handed it to the salesman and says "when you want to sell me that car at that price give me call" and leaves.... two weeks later the phone rang and he went and made the purchase.

Two totally different schools of thought, both worked but good night my old man was a freaking thermo-nuclear device when he got ramped up...
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I like your uncle's method. That's pretty much how I like to car shop.
 
Midnite Zephyr said:
I'm happy to haggle on used stuff whether it's the swap meet or a clearance store. Why not? Look at Reverb dot com. If it says Make Offer, you better bet I'll make an offer. It's the seller's choice to offer that; so if the seller allows it, that means they will accept a reasonable offer....
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Ya - when it comes to used stuff and there's a 'best offer' or something similar, it says to me they want to play the game, so I'll go along with it a bit.
I always have a highest amount I'm willing to go, as they have their lowest amount they're willing to take. Sometimes the two match up.

Speaking of Best Buy - ha ha, don't remind me.
I was in there constantly scoping stuff out when they were dropping the musical instrument department.
Picked up some pretty sweet deals.
I would rather have them still around though. The store here had a pretty decent selection of stuff if you needed any incidentals in a hurry.
 
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