Skip to main content

How to negotiate a better deal when shopping online


Most people think that they can’t negotiate when they are shopping online. They believe the advertised price is the expected price you pay.
I just ordered a printer online and managed to get a 20% discount plus free shipping. It was not that difficult to obtain. All I did was talk to the customer service person via their chat and asked for the discount.
Since you don’t negotiate face to face; you are removed from the other party hence it feels then easier to ask for more. The barrier to ask someone for a discount face to face seems higher than asking for a discount online.
One advantage of negotiating online is that the online chat is monitored for quality control and training purposes which means that the person on the other side is generally very friendly. Of course, you need to be friendly and polite too, as this builds rapport and will get you to your goal.
When I ordered my printer today, I said that I want to make the purchase today and asked what discount code she could give me. I did not ask her if there is a discount code, I asked what discount code she can give me; that is a big difference. I have already implied that there are discount codes available.
In some instances, there might be no discount available which does not mean that this is where the conversation should end. Why not ask for extended warranty, free shipping or any other extras that you can think of. Just be creative and think outside the box.
Not every online shop has a chat function but there is something else you can do which is pretending that you walk away from the purchase. All you need to do is, once you have registered with your email address, to put the items you want to buy in your shopping cart and leave them there.  What happens then is, you will receive emails with offers and promotions that motivate you to make the purchase. Sometimes they send you a discount code for your purchase or offer you free shipping for a limited time. The companies realise that once a shopper has gone so far, they are responsive to discounts and special offers.
 So next time when you buy something online try and negotiate.

1)     Be polite but direct with what you want
2)     Don’t take no for an answer, if you can’t get a discount ask for something else
3)     Be patient and pretend to walk away and the offers will land in your inbox.

#
#onlineshopping #negotiating #betterdeals #negotiationskills

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is Black Friday and why it is not worth it if you are a great negotiator.

All last week was hyped up by ‘Black Friday’ Sales. But what is it and why do we have it in Australia and is it worth it? Black Friday originates from the US and is the Friday after Thanksgiving which is the fourth Friday in November. Thanksgiving is a public holiday in the US. In the 1950s people used the Friday as a sick day and went shopping to get a head start in their Christmas shopping. Eventually in the 1960s this day turned into another paid leave day or shall we say into a paid ‘shopping day’. It has become a made-up event to drive consumerism. Many believe the term ‘Black Friday’ is used for profit making; black numbers in the ledger books; but that is not entirely correct. While this is the meaning today it meant something totally different in the 50s and 60s.  According to Bonnie Taylor Blake, a researcher at the University of North California, the term originated in Philadelphia by the Philadelphia police as they saw the day as a terrible day. The city was...

Top 5 negotiation tactics that are used by buyers

When a buyer and a seller negotiate over a deal it is in the interest of each party to get the best deal possible. Here are the four most common tactics buyers use in a negotiation in order to get to the best deal possible. The Russian Front This is a tactic whereby the buyer presents the seller with only two options.   One is so terrible; it feels like being sent to the Russian Front which makes you agree to the other options. Compared to the first option the second option does not look that bad now. Don’t make the other party put you under pressure, don’t accept either option. Ask for an alternative or come up with a counter proposal. Good guy bad guy In this tactic you have one person making very high demands. This person is also often cold an unapproachable. The aim is to intimidate the selling party. The good guy on the other hand has a more reasonable approach and shows a willingness to concede and come to a deal. The purpose of this tactic is to set the ...

Negotiation strategies to lower interest rates on your home loan

Do you really get the best interest rate from your bank? Have you thought about how you could negotiate your interest rate down? When interest rates go down the banks give you something to keep you happy, so you won’t ask for more.  But could you get more? Why not try. Review your interest rates and speak to your bank to get a better rate. Don’t let them shut you down with the excuse that they have already reduced the rates. The reality is that there is more room to move because if they can give away something without you asking then they can probably give you more. Do your research Research what the competitors are offering. Use comparison websites and then call the bank to make sure that you would get this rate. Find out what the rate for new customers is Banks often offer great promotions to lure in new clients which existing clients don’t get. This is something that I find annoying, why don’t they reward loyalty instead. Set yourself a target rate Set you...