An 8-year-old from a developing country can probably out-negotiate a 50-year-old American. Why? The child has a lot more experience with haggling.
A Palm Beach Post story rounds up some solid advice for how to haggle in today’s economy. Who knew folks in ritzy Palm Beach would need to haggle? Actually, it doesn’t matter if you need to haggle or not. No matter how much money you have, it’s simply always in your best interest if you try to get a deal. And often, haggling isn’t nearly as awkward or time-consuming as you might imagine.
Some tips from the story:
Be nice:
“Don’t be crass, rude or demanding when negotiating. Pushy behavior won’t get you what you want.”
Play dumb and ask for help:
Bob Sullivan, author of the book Stop Getting Ripped Off, says he routinely asks clerks, “Is there a coupon I should know about?”
Keep it quiet:
Conduct your negotiations out of earshot of other customers, Consumer Reports says. Clerks are less likely to give you a deal when other customers are listening.
Related:
A Blogger’s Year of Getting Discounts Just By Asking for Them