Anybody Ever Haggled

CaptainPenguin

CaptainPenguin

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Nigel Cliff
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Yes
I don't mean price matching I mean actually going in and asking for discounts for cash or saying I know you cant match the net but how about an incentive for me coming to you etc.

I remember someone on a consumer programme earlier in the year maintaining they had made major savings at some of the major retailers with this approach,anybody ever tried it and have they had any success
 
I've haggled loads, sometimes in chain shops..
The best result I had was in Gamestation, bought an Xbox360 elite and got them to throw in an extra controller and play&charge kit...for nothing...very happy with that...
 
Probably not as often as I should but when I bought my first DSLR from Calumet (Canon 450D kit) I showed them camera price buster and whilst they couldn't match the best price on there, I did get an 8gb memory card thrown in for free which was worth about £30 at the time.

I usually have some success in Cotswold Outdoor, usually 10% discount on my Merrell shoes. I just say "what discount can you do?" and wait for a response. I think they know most people have access to google on their phones and want to secure the sale there and then.
 
CaptainPenguin said:
I don't mean price matching I mean actually going in and asking for discounts for cash or saying I know you cant match the net but how about an incentive for me coming to you etc.

I remember someone on a consumer programme earlier in the year maintaining they had made major savings at some of the major retailers with this approach,anybody ever tried it and have they had any success
Click to expand...

Done it with DSG stores and with Jacobs; the only items that were left were the display models, and small discounts were given.
 
Always, for everything. If you don't ask you don't get and nobody minds a polite and friendly 'ask' ;) They can always say no:(:)
 
I tried at Park Cameras. A display model Nikon D700 and they would not go down on price at all even though that the camera wasn't in a mint condition. Having said that I did manage to get money of lenses and flashes. So as David pointed out, you never lose by asking :D
 
My father was a born haggler, and this has been "genetically" passed down to me and my offspring:D

For some though it is just not in their making to haggle for anything and they would find it embarrassing attempting it.

At antique and collectors fairs it is expected of you and anyone paying full asking price is throwing money away!.

When it comes to buying a car...and that is not very often as I make them last...I am at my best;)
 
Galaxy66 said:
My father was a born haggler, and this has been "genetically" passed down to me and my offspring:D

For some though it is just not in their making to haggle for anything and they would find it embarrassing attempting it.

At antique and collectors fairs it is expected of you and anyone paying full asking price is throwing money away!.

When it comes to buying a car...and that is not very often as I make them last...I am at my best;)
Click to expand...

Now why doesn't that surprise me? :p
 
Not on camera gear very much, but on household goods. Got a washing machine, dishwasher and oven for about half price in my local independant shop.

Tried to get a tumble drier in Comet, but they wouldnt budge, so walked next door to another retailer and got it for 10% off in there instead.

I did get a little discount at Clifton cameras when I bought a tripod and some lens pens and some other stuff. was only a fiver or so though.
 
I often do but it does not always work... when I worked at Game we had very little room for movement on price but doubt the customers believed us

My personal best haggle was at Currys when I bought my camera. They priced matched it first off with a local shop so that was £50 off I then said I was paying cash and what else would they offer. The salesman offered me a few months free cover (I was going to get the cover but 2 months free was good)

I then said I worked at Game (I did at the time part time) and said I knew how good extended warranty was for store targets and suggested a price which knocked another £60 or so pounds off and held out my hand to shake.

The bloke laughed (he was one of the managers) and shook my hand.

I was well happy and saved over £100 from the price at the shop around the corner
 
My best was last August @ the now debfunked "best buy", 5D mk2 £1200 get in there! perhaps thats why they are no more.......
 
I haggle all the time on things especially my fishing gear and usually do quite well, I tried with London camera exchange in reading and they wouldn't budge at all, they wouldn't even price match jessops
 
I do all the time. Not scared of it..must be were I was brought up. If I think it can be had for less theres no harm in giving it a go. They can just say no.

When I got our first DSLR I got a 70-200 in the deal for half price, free CF card & bag after a bit of negotiation;)
 
Someone who is open to haggling is known as a higgler! Just a bit of useless information I carry around with me on life's journey :)
 
My wife did an amazing but of haggling in Harveys. We'd been in a couple of days earlier and the assistant whispered that we should come in a few days time and when we did there was a 25% discount sale on. We wanted to buy a sideboard and my wife asked how much discount we would get if we bought a tv unit too... So the assistant toddled off to his manager and came back with 35% discount on both. Not satisfied, she sent the assistance back saying we wanted to buy a lamp stand too and we ended up getting 45% discount on all 3 pieces. The manager baulked at free delivery though but we did get it refunded because the first time they delivered the furniture was damaged.

Bottom line is, you don't ask, you don't get.
 
going back over 10 years, but i bought some hi-fi seperates from an independant Electronics store on Deansgate in Manchester.
Asked what's the best cash price you can do, and ended up getting between 20-40% off a CD player, amp, and tape deck.
 
Yes I do, I do it with most things that I buy, if you don't ask you don't get. I have done it with camera gear, washing machines, cars etc etc... Best discount was when I was shooting and got £1000 off my competition pistol, result,that equated to about 30%, I also got about £300 off my d300 and grip when I brought it in jessops as I went in just after the D300s was announced. I have also been on the otherside of the counter and always enjoy the buzz that I get from it.
 
oh it has to be done, for serious purchases...

I mean I am not going to haggle the price of baked beans at Tesco's.... (though they have some amazing mess up's that I have taken full advantage of!!),

But for anything white goods or audio /visual / pc etc..... I'll screw them to the wall and then and ask for blood....
 
did it the other day in the sony shop. Got a good deal on a display DVD / Blu-ray player and the noticed a battery for my HD video camera was 149.95. I commented ebay and within 5 minutes it was offered to me for 100??? Reply "sorry ebay is still cheaper"
 
I haggle with my car insurance but very little else. May have to start bring a little more necky I feel.
 
I tried haggling at wilkinsons cameras on a nex7 with a bag and sd card..all I could get was 10% of the bag and card ??
 
Don't think I've ever paid RRP for anything major over the last few years. Even managed to secure a decent discount from an apple store..a rarity indeed!
 
I ask for discounts all the time but very rarely get them. My best failure was acting as the negotiator for a timid friend who was bying a new Hyundai car under the scrapage scheme.

After failing to get any discount at all the balance to be paid to the dealer was £9,005 he asked how we wanted to settle the balance, I offered to give him a cheque for £9,000 but he refused saying it was £9,005 or no sale. He let us walk out of the showroom over a fiver. We bought a Mazda instead.
 
Omega watch. Asked about the 'best price' at a popular high st jewellery store and then went in with 'my' price.

Start, £2150
Them, £2000
Purchase price, £1750, and a rubber strap thrown in - for which they had the cheek to ask for £60.....
Amazing the difference in deals to be had from one store to another. FWIW, the Bond St branch was good, but I ended up getting it from my closest branch in Edinburgh.

Needless to say the same items would have cost £2,200 at the Omega store.

Just goes to show that you gotto ask, and know where/ when to ask ....
 
Every time as I work in retail I know generally about how they need to hit targets etc

My misses always gets 10% off clothes as she always manges to find a flaw on the pen she wants and can get up to 40%
Never bee frightened to walk out as shops all sell the same products ,just play one against another
 
I was buying a golf bag once and it was a bit dusty - clearly been in stock a while.

I pointed this out and was just about to ask for a discount when my wife piped up "Oh, don't worry, that'll soon wipe off"

She has since learned better and she now asks for a 'best price'
 
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