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do you haggle?

January 20th, 2008 at 03:58 am

Friday
Saving log - $3 tip box + $600 Drip stock contributions
Spending log - $1.19 coffee +$8 lunch

Saturday
Saving log - $0 tip box
Spending log - $28 (brunch for 2) + $30 groceries

I read this article in the New York Times this morning...

Text is http://tinyurl.com/239gvm and Link is
http://tinyurl.com/239gvm

I don't really haggle. I've never thought about it much. In Mexico we haggled a little bit, but if you are the least self conscious, boy that hinders you. I have it in me, I guess, what with writing, speaking and faxing the innocent letter, but those are more pointing out what should have happened in the interest of fairness rather than "can you give me a break".

I'm nice enough so that I engender a little sympathy, and I am now a bit older and less self conscious, but still I usually don't. I think its because I don't buy too many expensive things and it just doesn't seem to be worth it buying just food and staples.

So I don't. But do you?

7 Responses to “do you haggle?”

  1. mom-from-missouri Says:
    1200802254

    I try, but DH is a pro at it. Thats how we got my car (new) for under cost.....In fact, we got it cheaper than ones a year old. He also haggles over antiques, interest rates and appliances.

  2. threebeansalad Says:
    1200806198

    Depends on the situation-- for a car or mattress, most certainly!

    I have trouble asking for refunds for poor service/poor products. I don't really know why this is hard for me, but I think it's because I see some people abuse refunds and hence am unsure when it's OK to expect one.

    Here's an example of a time I got a refund and wasn't expecting it-- but ended up worrying that I was coming off as one of those complaining people who DEMAND refunds and abuse the system:

    I recently bought a series of concert tickets at my university and was charged a $6 processing fee. I was surprised at the fee because I was buying the tickets in person and had seen no mention of the fee on their web site (mind you, this is all through the university-- TicketMaster is NOT involved). After carefully reviewing their web site again and finding no mention of the fee, I sent an email to customer service saying that I was disappointed that the fee was mentioned nowhere. I wrote that I didn't have a problem with a fee per se, but that I didn't like having it "sprung" on me at the point of purchase. Although I didn't mention it in the email, I was suspicious that perhaps there was no fee and that the student working the ticket booth might be pulling some sort of scam.

    I received a response saying that they were crediting me the $6 fee. My intention WAS NEVER to get the fee credited (assuming it was legit, as it turns out it was). I just thought customers should be made aware of it upfront.

    Anyway, that's a long winded response....

    I was pleased to have the $6 back and thought it showed excellent customer service, but I felt bad taking it.

  3. Amber Says:
    1200841927

    For me it depends as well, if I am at a flea market, or purchasing a car I do

  4. littlemama Says:
    1200843049

    I haggle every chance I get. Everything is negociable. Smile

  5. monkeymama Says:
    1200844614

    I am with littlemama. Hehe. I used to leave the haggling up to the men (spouse I guess). But I guess I have seen it so much I find it easy.

    The funny thing is I feel like a dork (I am a bad haggler) because I was kind of negotiating price with my gardener. I had never even thought that it would be negotiable (lord knows why) and I realized after I accepted his # that he was ready to haggle. Just in his demeanor and stance. I just recognized it too late. It reminded me like a used car dealer or something. "oh yeah - that is a guy ready to haggle." I mean I could have played dumb and tried again. But I just felt it was a little late after accepting his price.

    A missed opportunity. Likewise, I have a relative from another country who haggles EVERYTHING. Every person who does work on their house or the like. That is also stuff I never thought to ask.

    We always haggle on cars and futniture. We used to be able to haggle more at some of the bigger stores but they don't seem to so much these days. So we go find th places that will. Plenty of furniture stores around.

    If we ever buy anything off craigslist we haggle. Likewise we always add a premium to our sales price for things we sell, keeping the haggliing in mind. I say only 1 in 5 people ever ask for a lower price. That just AMAZES me. So we usually get more than we expect anyway. (Which the lesson learned is twofold. It never hurts to ask for more in a sale, or ask for less in a purchase).

  6. fern Says:
    1200868241

    I try, but don't think i'm very good at it.

    Looking back at when i bought my house, i think they really played me. We were negotiating the sale price of the house, back and forth. It all seemed to be going well, and then we agreed to the final price. So mentally i felt committed. Only THEN did they say, oh, and by the way, we're taking the refrigerator with us.

    It took me so much by surprise that i let it go without trying to deduct $1,000 or so from the agreed upon price. Even though for me, this would be a big additional and unexpected expense, having to buy a new fridge. My realtor at the time praised me for not letting this last minute thing fluster me. In hindsight, i think he was just relieved it didn't mess up the purchase and sale agreement.

    Years later, i was reading a book about negotiating, and what the home sellers did to me with the fridge was in fact described as a tactic in the book! Meaning that, you negotiate back and forth with the price without mentioning the real concession you want. You wait until the other party is truly 'hooked' and then you throw in your last demand. By that time, the other party is committed and will usually cave.

    Oh well. Live and learn.

  7. disneysteve Says:
    1200872575

    I haggle in the appropriate setting. Certainly, at flea markets and yard sales. Also, when out of the country where haggling is fully expected. And, of course, when buying a car. I also discovered years ago that mattress prices were negotiable, so keep that in mind.

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