Welcome to Snowden Negotiating Tactics 101
Did you know the price of most items can be negotiated? Discounts almost always exist, you just have to ask. Let me begin by saying negotiating was a really uncomfortable skill for me to learn. However, once I learned what style of negotiation worked for me it became very natural. Now, I rarely pay full price for items and wouldn’t have it any other way!
Types of Discounts
Coupons: Now that we all have smartphones, access to coupons is incredibly easy! Before checking out browse the internet for coupons, 9 times out of 10 you will be successful!
Price Match: A lot of stores are doing a price match guarantee so when you want to buy an item, pull your cart aside and hit the internet. See if there is a better price out there and ask the manager to match their price.
Floor Model: Ask if you can buy the floor model. Stores can be eager to sell their slightly dinged floor model at a discount.
Offer Cash: Credit card machines charge stores a percentage of the sale. A lot of places will give you a discount for paying cash.
Offer a Lower Price: Being brave can really pay off. Offering the sales representative a lower price is always an option. The worst that can happen is that they say no. The upside is better than the downside!
Open Box: Ask the store if they have this item in an open box. They will gladly sell it to you at a discount.
My Rules for Negotiating:
- Never show excitement over an item. Once you show the sales representative that you are really excited about an item the room for negotiation disappears.
This reminds me of when we bought my engagement ring. I couldn’t figure out why Matt was so mad after we purchased the ring that I would wear for the rest of my life. I was on cloud nine and he was grumpy and agitated the whole car ride home. I finally asked, “What is your problem?” Matt then explained that I showed way too much excitement and took away his ability to negotiate. To make a long story short, he ended up taking that ring to another jeweler and negotiated for a better ring for a similar price. In the end, it worked out and I learned to never show excitement towards an item ever again. Now when I say, “I think that will work.” Matt knows that I really mean, “I have to have this Matt, it is perfect!”
2. Be prepared to walk away. When you are making a purchasing decision, be mentally prepared to walk away. The truth is, that item will still be available in one way or another tomorrow. The sales representative really wants you to leave with that item so they will try and make something work when they see you are willing to walk.
3. Offer a lower price. Be brave and ask, “Will you take ______ for this?” What’s the worst they can say?
4. Zip Your Lips. When negotiating stay quiet. Silence is extremely uncomfortable but necessary when negotiating. It takes away the chances that you will speak too soon and sabotage yourself!
Real Life Examples
I hope that through the following examples you can be motivated to negotiate!
Floor Model Vanity: I had my eye on this vanity at Costco for months! It was out of our price range so I kept watching for inventory to dwindle. Finally, I noticed there were not any left so I asked the manager if he would take $200 for the floor model. I was so excited when he said yes. I was doing him a favor and he was doing me a favor, we both won!
Vacuum Food Sealer: This is one of my favorite examples because it doesn’t really make sense, haha. I needed a vacuum food sealer so I went to WalMart.com and noticed it was $30 cheaper to buy online vs. in store. I purchased it and selected store pick-up. I got the same item, from the same shelf, but with less hassle for $30 cheaper!! Amazing!
Patio Set: I was at a garage sale and asked them if the family if they had any patio furniture they wanted to sell. They looked at me and said yeah we actually do. They walked me around to their backyard and told me I could buy their 10-piece immaculate patio set for $150. SOLD to me!
Grill: I needed a new grill so I posted in NextDoor to see if anyone had a grill they wanted to get rid of. A guy said he had one for $100, I offered him $50 and we struck a deal. Turns out it had been sitting there for a year and he wanted it gone. We both won!