It is 24 days till Christmas and if you are like me, then you probably haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet. 24 days is plenty of time, I hope!
However, before you hit the shops, I want to give you some practical advice on how to negotiate when doing your Christmas shopping so your money will go further this year!
While most people pay what the price tag says, savings can be made if you just ask. The reality is that most stores are willing and open to negotiate.
As Herb Cohen, the author of ‘You can negotiate everything’, said ‘Our culture has programmed us to believe that the sticker price is what we are supposed to pay, but the reality is that almost no price is etched in stone’.
1) Do your research
Once you know the product that you want to buy, be it a camera, a phone, a fridge; be prepared. Research what the market price is and what the competitors are selling the same product for; then make your offer.
2) Have a maximum acceptance point
Set yourself a limit of the most that you are willing to pay for the item. Once it is set, don’t move past it.
3) Be astonished
Show shock or astonishment when you see the price tag in order to show your disapproval of the price. Make sure you do that in a polite way and don’t insult the salesperson.
4) Take an open and polite approach
A tough attitude only gets the salesperson offside; be friendly and build rapport; use their name. Then ask how much they can move on the price. Don’t ask if they can move on price as that could get you a straight ‘no’. You want to imply with your question that they do move on price it is only a question of how much. “How much can you move on the price?”
5) Know when to walk away
If you don’t get the price you want be prepared to walk away. You as the consumer have many alternatives, you can go to another shop and negotiate again.
6) Look at the situation from the seller’s point of view
How many sales do they need to make per day? How much margin do they have built into the price that they can move on? In most cases they need to move the stock and with a client already interested in it they would want to make the sale.
7) It is not just price
There are other features other than just price that you can negotiate on. For example, extra warranty, free installation, free delivery, any upgrades, accessories etc. When you are buying a dress or a suit and you can’t get a discount, then ask if they can throw in something like a scarf, a tie or a pair of socks.
8) Go up the chain
If the salesperson tells you that they can’t do anything ask if you can speak with the Manager. If you are told that they have to check with the Manager ask if you can speak with the Manager instead.
9) Offer to pay in cash
Some stores prefer if you pay in cash, especially the smaller independent ones. If you pay in cash you should get a better deal.
10) Missed a sale?
If you missed the sale and the product you were looking to buy is now more expensive ask if they can honour the sales price, in most cases they do.
11) You have nothing to lose!
Remember you have nothing to lose, if you don’t ask you don’t get. And if you don’t get a better deal in this store then go to the next one.
Do your Christmas shopping with the mind set that most things are negotiable.
Use these tips and remember it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. As a consumer you have a lot of alternatives so take advantage of this and have some fun with it!
I would love to hear your success stories! Send me a PM looking forward to hearing from you.
And no, this doesn’t apply to groceries! Don’t haggle over the Christmas pudding or the Christmas Day prawns!
Happy Negotiating!!!
www.octalonegotiation.com
#negotiateanything #Christmasshopping #negotiationskills
However, before you hit the shops, I want to give you some practical advice on how to negotiate when doing your Christmas shopping so your money will go further this year!
While most people pay what the price tag says, savings can be made if you just ask. The reality is that most stores are willing and open to negotiate.
As Herb Cohen, the author of ‘You can negotiate everything’, said ‘Our culture has programmed us to believe that the sticker price is what we are supposed to pay, but the reality is that almost no price is etched in stone’.
1) Do your research
Once you know the product that you want to buy, be it a camera, a phone, a fridge; be prepared. Research what the market price is and what the competitors are selling the same product for; then make your offer.
2) Have a maximum acceptance point
Set yourself a limit of the most that you are willing to pay for the item. Once it is set, don’t move past it.
3) Be astonished
Show shock or astonishment when you see the price tag in order to show your disapproval of the price. Make sure you do that in a polite way and don’t insult the salesperson.
4) Take an open and polite approach
A tough attitude only gets the salesperson offside; be friendly and build rapport; use their name. Then ask how much they can move on the price. Don’t ask if they can move on price as that could get you a straight ‘no’. You want to imply with your question that they do move on price it is only a question of how much. “How much can you move on the price?”
5) Know when to walk away
If you don’t get the price you want be prepared to walk away. You as the consumer have many alternatives, you can go to another shop and negotiate again.
6) Look at the situation from the seller’s point of view
How many sales do they need to make per day? How much margin do they have built into the price that they can move on? In most cases they need to move the stock and with a client already interested in it they would want to make the sale.
7) It is not just price
There are other features other than just price that you can negotiate on. For example, extra warranty, free installation, free delivery, any upgrades, accessories etc. When you are buying a dress or a suit and you can’t get a discount, then ask if they can throw in something like a scarf, a tie or a pair of socks.
8) Go up the chain
If the salesperson tells you that they can’t do anything ask if you can speak with the Manager. If you are told that they have to check with the Manager ask if you can speak with the Manager instead.
9) Offer to pay in cash
Some stores prefer if you pay in cash, especially the smaller independent ones. If you pay in cash you should get a better deal.
10) Missed a sale?
If you missed the sale and the product you were looking to buy is now more expensive ask if they can honour the sales price, in most cases they do.
11) You have nothing to lose!
Remember you have nothing to lose, if you don’t ask you don’t get. And if you don’t get a better deal in this store then go to the next one.
Do your Christmas shopping with the mind set that most things are negotiable.
Use these tips and remember it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that can happen is that they say no. As a consumer you have a lot of alternatives so take advantage of this and have some fun with it!
I would love to hear your success stories! Send me a PM looking forward to hearing from you.
And no, this doesn’t apply to groceries! Don’t haggle over the Christmas pudding or the Christmas Day prawns!
Happy Negotiating!!!
www.octalonegotiation.com
#negotiateanything #Christmasshopping #negotiationskills
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