Really depends on the situation. Just the other day I was sitting in the procurement office of a large hotel with my boss trying to get a deal to supply them leather for upholstery. They haggled before a deal/contract was made, what's wrong with that? Although they did try the "can you give 50% percent off" trick haha. However if like someone mentioned above someone is haggling after they've agreed to a contract that is not okay in my opinion.
Always haggle where possible. We know a lot of items are marked up for a bit extra profit but why should we line the pockets of the shareholder any more than we have to ??? I don't mind a fair price but some places take liberties with us. Also don't forget always offer cash when trying for a discount and when that fails pull out your american express so they loose the 8% fee straight away.....
I remember when I was 15 I managed to get £150 off a £650 drum kit from sound attak, basically just by asking. In independent stores I will always ask, but not take the piss as I know they need to make some money. Places like currys and PC World, if for some reason I was in one I will always ask what is the lowest, and ask for things like a cable thrown in. I know after my 3 short weeks there, just looking more interested than others browsing immediately grabs their attention and if you play it well, you are in control. Though if you let them lead you, you are very much about to get done over. So in anything owned by the Dixon's group, you have to haggle to stay alive I wouldn't really bother elsewhere, places like PC world are fair game because they are trying to sell you more than just the item you want to buy. In Tesco you wouldn't dream of asking for a lower price on bread, but at the same time they wouldn't try and sell you cover on it, not directly anyway. Whereas over in the technology dept, I think they are almost as fair game as PC world.
Hope he enjoys it before they rescind the deal and start sending him threatening letters for the difference like they did with me and my Mum, I give you six months. Depends what the product is, I've always perferred shopping around to haggling or when actually haggling, going for more stuff than money off, though when the family bought two of the same washing machine from Comet we haggled on that since they were getting two sales at once. Got a couple of extras and discounted delivery, that was enough for us.
This will teach me to NOT read your posts while drinking soda... I am now the proud owner of a 21" CRT and a Dell Keyboard that are covered in a sticky mix of snot and coke.... Thanks a million!!! Oh and in Colombia; the £1million gets you about double the number of hostages if you know who to talk to.
I really enjoy haggling, its like a little game to save you money but it definitely depends on who you're trying to haggle with. General rule is if its a sales person do some haggling
Here in Norway haggling isn't very common, but some still try anyway. I tend to haggle a bit if I buy something expensive. Electronics stores are surprisingly easy to haggle in, but the reduction tend to be relatively small. When buying musical instruments it's pretty easy to get some accessories thrown in, or at least a bit cheaper. The rule of thumb is that if there is a queue-based checkout, don't haggle. Whenever you get to actually have a conversation with a dedicated seller, then there is some room for haggling. I tend to haggle less if the staff have been very helpful. I still believe that customer service is worth money. Especially if there are lots of similar stores around i just walk out if i don't like the face of the people working there. Simple as that. There is this small music shop that I usually buy stuff from. They have very nice and helpful staff. Unfortunately the shop is very small, so their selection is smaller. Then there is this other music shop that is pretty large. Some of the people there will just ignore you. I only buy from there if i have to...
AFter spending a week in Tunisia where I literally had to haggle for everything! Mainly from the market stalls frequented by tourists as the prices were inflated. I realised that it was OK to haggle. I do it when I can be bothered, sometimes I'll just take the asking price. However I have to disagree with chain retailers being a no-no. I've got myself good deals with currys and dixons buying several items together.
IMO haggling is normal. I buy alot online where there is little room for it (unless like me you are good at finding and exploiting the little automated 10% discount systems built into stores such as the eastore for instance) but I still always make sure I get a good deal before parting with my cash. I got Starcraft2 on release day for 29.37 delivered Tech stores and music shops always seem more open to it, and it's more or less expected in Dixons. I did once go into a music shop in Sheffield, had 2 levels and tonnes of stuff. There was a large handwritten notice on the payment desk which said something along the lines of: "yes the price on the guitar is what we want for it, no we aren't going to change it just because you ask politely and really why would we bother writing it on there in the first place if we were going to change it on request, i mean honestly do you think we are here to sell stuff or do long division?" I laughed when I read it - but not at what it said, rather at the fact that some spotty faced schoolkid on work experience wrote it while thinking he was being terribly clever. I got £20 off an acoustic while I was in there. awwwww yeeeeeee
I'll haggle on any big ticket item and if I don't like the discount i'll look elsewhere or like the last order at scan where it adds up to a reasonable amount (got 15% off a £700 order well worth the 5 minute call) Everyone haggles when buying a house or car why not for a fridge or freezer
Where i work most items we sell are around 10% profit as they are generally heavily discounted to give people the best price and it drives me mad when people try and haggle for like 50p off for the sake. regualr or good customers who have spent a lot of time and are looking to purchase a substantial package (not just expensive but multi item) i will try my best to find some way of giving incentive but not just because the person is buying 1 item they feel they should be allowed cheaper. I think what im saying is it depends on the situation.
Just earlier in Tescos I managed to haggle down the price of Petits Filous (score) While paying I said, "I remember these being 66p last week" and the woman behind the counter said that's fine and lowered the price. Lovely. Not really haggling, but was rather nice to see the behemoth that is Tescos giving me cheap yoghurt.
I dont like being the haggler, but I like to haggle as the receiver. Mainly cause I am not dealing with my money, or my desire for a given product/service. I often just give people deals (photo lab prints, services) because they are real nice or a pleasure to help. I get this old couple all the time and they are iconic to the 1950's hospitality. I love helping them cause they are just so kind and nice and just remind me of good down to earth people. Although get on my bad side (which takes a hell'va lot to do) and I'll give you no such service. Its true that being kind to the people that sell you crap or whatever will give you deals because they want to, not because they have to.
I recently haggled £10 off the price of the Cataclysm collector's edition in HMV, which I thought would be impossible. The guy's response was "officially, we don't, but unofficially, I can." A lot of it comes down to whether it's in their interest to lower prices or not. If they're making almost no profit on something as it is, and it's in steady demand, they'll tell you to piss off. But the Cataclysm CE is hard to sell, overpriced to begin with, and is only going to decrease in popularity and become dead weight stock as time goes on.
Working for Virgin media 99% who I speak to try and get a cheaper/better deal. I watch something about gypsies/travellers the other day and the guy was buying some furniture, but didn't want to be filmed while he was haggling.
It may be right for some but I just can't do it. However, if I don't like the price I walk and look elsewhere. I'm not prepared to waste my time arguing for a "discount" when something can simply be offered for a reasonable price in the first place. I've had better offers made as I walk out the door but very, very rarely. I do most of my purchasing online and on the rare occasions I buy something in person then it's very much a case of "guerilla shopping" - hit and fade works for retail as well as military purposes.
