Haggling - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

More and more frequently I get clients who, upon receiving my quote, counter with "Can you do it for $X?" like they think I'm Priceline. I don't inflate my prices to allow for this kind of thing and while I understand the drive to get more for less, it's generally off-putting and I'm less likely to give a deal to someone who, right off the bat, devalues the purchase while insisting on the specs and turnaround that informed my price in the first place.

Do you haggle, or just go with the cheapest place from the get-go when you're shopping a purchase around?

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06-18-2010 , 12:45 PM

brrrrr

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 4,371

It depends.

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06-18-2010 , 12:47 PM

nuisance

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11,644

If you really price the lowest tell them that. Tell them you are already priced at the bottom retail ammt' but if they would like you can up your prices to match your competitors and start haggling.

Also what business are you in?

Although I have haggled for a 6 pack of Miller lite when they tried to charge me $10...lol

Pawn shops and Car Dealerships are the only places I can think if that haggling is expected. I may be wrong though.

Last edited by nuisance; 06-18-2010 at 12:52 PM.

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06-18-2010 , 01:37 PM

stringbetter

adept

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 841

Offer to throw in a free gourd.

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06-18-2010 , 01:42 PM

stringbetter

adept

Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 841

Also it depends. I work in the environmental sector and when we bid work if we get a company we like who's bid is higher it is usually pretty easy to get them to agree to a lower rate. Agree that it's kind of silly to automatically ask without knowing how it stacks up but its not like the vendor is going to be like "fu for asking I'm not going to do it anymore!"

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06-18-2010 , 01:55 PM

boozy

banned

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,032

I haggled alot in Thailand. you can get those crazy Thais to come down to next to nothing most of the time.

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06-18-2010 , 02:19 PM

MrBlue

grinder

Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 573

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poker Reference

For B2B, I'm starting to negotiate for everything. I'm surprised at how well it works just by asking.

Sometimes I negotiate not for a cheaper price, but extra services or other things thrown in. Other times, I think the relationship is mutually beneficial and reasonable to get a discount off the initial price.

I'm generally on the buy-side though.

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06-18-2010 , 02:44 PM

kioshk

Nixonian

Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 92,830

I always haggle over hotel rooms now. Saves a lot of money with very little effort.

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06-18-2010 , 02:50 PM

Baltimore Jones

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 5,824

Quote:

Originally Posted by kioshk

I always haggle over hotel rooms now. Saves a lot of money with very little effort.

I almost always do this. What kind of hotel rooms though? Usually the chains won't/can't do much of anything, although you definitely save $10-$30 on occasion.

Also if you're on a road trip and stop really late at night and have them as low as they'll go, ask for a suite for that rate.

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06-18-2010 , 03:40 PM

#10

CBorders

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Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 16,505

I tend to shop around before making purchases and I try to find the best deal. I won't lowball anyone generally, but I know they can budge on their price I'll make an offer that is lower than the price given. When it comes to buying items from a business I never try to get a lower price unless I am buying a large quantity or something like that.

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06-18-2010 , 05:04 PM

#11

neuroman

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 9,192

I haven't paid full price for a Now 'n Later or a Laffy Taffy since 1996.

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06-18-2010 , 05:05 PM

#12

Larry Legend

Celtic Pride

Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 42,920

I have never purchased a piece of jewelry in my life without haggling someone, and I would guess the same for a ton of people, so it depends on the item.

But in my business when people instantly try to haggle and low-ball us, the instant response is usually "Sorry but this is not an auction, and I am not an auctioneer."

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06-18-2010 , 05:18 PM

#13

nuisance

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11,644

At auctions you bid on items you don't haggle.

You would be better of telling them this isn't a pawn shop and my names not Chumlee.

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06-18-2010 , 05:18 PM

#14

fancybone

adept

Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 825

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poker Reference

What do you do?

For some things, I haggle, for others, I don't. Any person-to-person transaction is one I'll haggle over - garage sales, cars, etc.

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06-18-2010 , 06:10 PM

#15

Holliday

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Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 22,226

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poker Reference

Do you haggle, or just go with the cheapest place from the get-go when you're shopping a purchase around?

Nearly always haggle. I go to the second cheapest and tell him to beat the other guy.

Spent years haggling for work with designers/engineers/contractors/developers on both sides, now just second nature. Also lived in NY, where it's expected.

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06-18-2010 , 06:20 PM

#16

Henry17

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Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 27,710

Don't haggle. Would have issues with people haggling if I was with them. Would have issues with people trying to haggle with me if I actually sold anything. Negotiating price is only acceptable when it comes to transactions such as a real estate, vehicles, and the sale an actual business.

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06-18-2010 , 06:24 PM

#17

Duerig

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,220

OP,

What industry are you in?

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06-18-2010 , 06:26 PM

#18

Duerig

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,220

Henry,

You're wrong. There are plenty of other instances in which haggling is the norm.

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06-18-2010 , 06:31 PM

#19

Henry17

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Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 27,710

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Originally Posted by Duerig

Henry,

You're wrong. There are plenty of other instances in which haggling is the norm.

I can probably think of some obscure stuff but certainly nothing that happens on a normal day to day basis.

I'm curious though what are these instances.

In North America -- not some third world country.

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06-18-2010 , 06:33 PM

#20

nuisance

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 11,644

Another acceptable place to haggle is trinket/collectibles stores.

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06-18-2010 , 06:34 PM

#21

gorgeouss

old hand

Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 1,225

haggling pisses me the **** off, in any area.
why can't people just name a real price for a car/apartment/etc?

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06-18-2010 , 06:38 PM

#22

Duerig

Pooh-Bah

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,220

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry17

Yeah I was originally thinking of examples outside of NA. The only other thing that comes to mind (and I'm not sure this counts) would be salary negotiations.

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06-18-2010 , 06:41 PM

#23

BadBoyBenny

Carpal \'Tunnel

Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,799

furniture, vehicles, real estate and contracting\house repairs for sure. But I hate haggling so much I'll pay a friend 20-50$ to go haggle a purchase for me while I hang out waiting to pay.