What are your strategies when haggling?
By dolce_vita78
@dolce_vita78 (8062)
Philippines
July 7, 2012 9:47pm CST
My sister and I will be visiting some stores selling clothes. These stores allow their customers to haggle. I am so excited because this is something we have not done for a while. I am the type of customer who wouldn't buy the item I like unless they give it to me based on the price I can afford to pay. One of the strategies I have is not to show that I am very interested in the item (even I really am). Some sellers can feel how much you love what they are selling and see that as an opportunity to raise the price. So I do not really show much interest then pretend to just leave if the price is too expensive. If they would run after me and give it to me at the price I am willing to pay for, BINGO! I also do not give the sellers the idea of how much money I am willing and I am capable of spending. When sellers sense that you much money to spend, they will definitely sell their products at higher prices.
I would like to learn from you guys! What are your strategies in haggling?
1 person likes this
3 responses
@gerald_lian (2188)
• Australia
10 Jul 12
I'm not a very good haggler, but my dad is. His strategy is normally to show interest in an item, and ask how much the item is. Once the seller has quoted the price, he shows a shocked and bewildered expression on his face, claiming that the price is too high and surely the seller can reduce it to a price that he feels is cheap enough. If the seller is reluctant to sell it at a suitable price, he will go into his "comparison" mode, saying that he could buy it at a lower price elsewhere and he won't buy the item if it's not reduced to the price he wants. If the seller still no wavering from the seller, he just slowly walks off. Sometimes when sellers are desperate to sell their stuff, those sellers will call my dad back to their stall and give in to his price (but of course in a dissatisfied and annoyed mood)! 
Another strategy he has (which I do not recommend at all!
) is when he really wants something but after haggling still does not get the price he wants, he just takes out the money he is willing to pay for the item, shoves it into the sellers hands, take the item and walk off! 
One really needs to have a thick face and lots of guts to do that, and I don't, but my dad has it.
Another strategy he has (which I do not recommend at all!) is when he really wants something but after haggling still does not get the price he wants, he just takes out the money he is willing to pay for the item, shoves it into the sellers hands, take the item and walk off! One really needs to have a thick face and lots of guts to do that, and I don't, but my dad has it.
@hyden06 (87)
• Indonesia
8 Jul 12
I like going to the traditional market in my town. The buyers permissible to haggling by the owner shop, in this place I can get the high quality goods with the lower-priced. My strategy is I always try haggle to the owner shop until surrender give the lower-priced. If the owner shop not surrender I go and 10 minutes later I back to the shop again to haggle. Usually they surrender, cause if they not do it they scared I will go again.
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
8 Jul 12
Here in the USA we don't have many places we can haggle with. Mostly at yard sales or flea markets only. I would not know how to haggle and would feel too guilty to do it. I'd probably be the fool to tell them how much money I had to spend, and then end up buying it for the higher price. Your strategy sounds really great though and I don't see anything you could do different.
