How good are you at haggling?

[Sigblaster]

I made a purchase today. Two slings at a price I thought was excellent. I didn't even think about haggling. Six minutes after he posted the ad, I said "I'll take them". As far as I'm concerned it was a good price, and I saw no point in jeopardizing my chance trying to save a couple bucks. Tripping over dimes trying to save a nickel is what that is.

Something low dollar, like slings? No, I won't haggle. I'm not going to haggle over a couple bucks.

I have a friend who was selling some guns for a widow friend of his. He had this rifle, I don't even remember what it was now, some sort of falling block rifle. It was well-used, but in working condition. He was about $50 high on his price, so I offered him a fair market price. He said if it was refinished, it would bring a lot more. I told him it should NOT be refinished, as it would wreck the value of the gun. He didn't take my offer, and he told me that he later got the extra $50 when he sold it to a guy who did a garage refinish and sold it to some sucker for a lot more. If I knew he was going to do that, I might have paid the extra $50 to save it from the cold blue crew.

 

[MRP2003]

I’ve negotiated a certain price for my wife’s car in which I told the salesman my(her) top dollar for the car, “out the door”. I almost signed twice. Looked at the bottom number and it was higher than the number I told them I’d pay. First it was tax and such. The second time , the price was $50 above my price. I walked out both times. The 2nd time , I called my wife and she begged me to go back and that she would pay the extra $50. I told her no and as I explained why, the salesman called and agreed to my final number so I turned around and drive back and sign the paperwork. $50 out of $16k doesn’t seem like much but it was the principle of it. I had done enough research to know approx the bottom line. Doesn’t always work that way for me but most of the time it does , if I have a “reasonable “ number

 

[dprimm]

I have purchased a few new cars and I am the same way. I let the salesperson know up front that I will take their deal and shop it at another dealership and if that other dealership beats his price, I will buy it there.

If I have a preference for a particular dealer (say my local one), I will shop dealers elsewhere first and then my preference last. If they don't meet or beat my next lowest price, at that point I will ask them to meet it.

I like that method. Got to keep it in my pocket

I got good at haggling when overseas. I just don’t enjoy it. Especially cars.

I don’t haggle for some things like local honey, meat, etc. I know I am getting a fair price, I prefer local independent, and I know the quality. If I am not happy, I don’t go back.

Once in a while at work I go for price match on things. Depends on the situation.

 

[flylo]

I love to haggle, it's the art of getting in the sellers or buyers head to see what motivates them as it's not always money. You make your money on the buy as the market sets the sell price. There are 4 kinds of people you'll deal with, #1 the seller that wan't full price, don't even go there. #2 just want's it gone & something for it. #3 the buyer who doesn't shop, haggle, just wants what he gets at a fair price. #4 is the fool who offers you 1/2 before he's seen it. So buy from #2, sell to #3 & everyones happy. 1st deal I made I was 10 & at an auction with my dad. They used to make full size washer/dryers in 1 unit. Heavy, expensive & hard to work on. I bid 25 cents, the auctioneer started to call a no sale but one of his workers said nope this young man bought it. My dad was so P/Oed but we got someone to help load it. I traded it for a like new '63 Corvair Monza black with a red int, this was '69 & I sold it for $100. I traded, bought & sold all my life. My last buy I called on a Bridgeport mill w/dro, power feed, long table $275. The guy said I was 9th in line so I asked what else he had. He said a complete machine shop so I said I may buy everything so I went to 1st of the line. 28 working machines & at least that many torn down in the back room as his dad had passed but always painted them green. I asked what was fair, he said what about $1500 I bought them all. The key is you have to know the value, move fast & look at whatever source you use 1st & last thing & every chance you get thru the day. I'm not afraid to say I'll take it if it's what you say it is. I've done planes, kits, antque parts, machinging equip, anything legal, moral & ethical. I sell a tad below market so the 1st guy buys it as you make your money on the buy. My mobility is gone so I ran 1 ad on SB craigslist & had 600+ responses & 400 people come to Michigan during the lockdown to buy my machine shop equipment. It hurts so bad to walk & get cold I wanted to sell it all to 1 person for a low price & had 4 guys from 500+ miles away but all 4 said it was well over 2 semis & they didn't have room to store it but everyone bought something I sold 2/3rds & bought 3 Gatlings with a small part. I've been selling guns these days as the market is hot. Plan on selling the 40 acre farm a great 8 bed, 5 bath home, 66'x84' hanger, 2 runways & a shooting range, cabin & stocked pond but I'm concerned about the election & hyper inflation kicking in & making money worthless as money is just a promise from people I don't trust anymore.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I love to haggle, it's the art of getting in the sellers or buyers head to see what motivates them as it's not always money. You make your money on the buy as the market sets the sell price. There are 4 kinds of people you'll deal with, #1 the seller that wan't full price, don't even go there. #2 just want's it gone & something for it. #3 the buyer who doesn't shop, haggle, just wants what he gets at a fair price. #4 is the fool who offers you 1/2 before he's seen it. So buy from #2, sell to #3 & everyones happy. 1st deal I made I was 10 & at an auction with my dad. They used to make full size washer/dryers in 1 unit. Heavy, expensive & hard to work on. I bid 25 cents, the auctioneer started to call a no sale but one of his workers said nope this young man bought it. My dad was so P/Oed but we got someone to help load it. I traded it for a like new '63 Corvair Monza black with a red int, this was '69 & I sold it for $100. I traded, bought & sold all my life. My last buy I called on a Bridgeport mill w/dro, power feed, long table $275. The guy said I was 9th in line so I asked what else he had. He said a complete machine shop so I said I may buy everything so I went to 1st of the line. 28 working machines & at least that many torn down in the back room as his dad had passed but always painted them green. I asked what was fair, he said what about $1500 I bought them all. The key is you have to know the value, move fast & look at whatever source you use 1st & last thing & every chance you get thru the day. I'm not afraid to say I'll take it if it's what you say it is. I've done planes, kits, antque parts, machinging equip, anything legal, moral & ethical. I sell a tad below market so the 1st guy buys it as you make your money on the buy. My mobility is gone so I ran 1 ad on SB craigslist & had 600+ responses & 400 people come to Michigan during the lockdown to buy my machine shop equipment. It hurts so bad to walk & get cold I wanted to sell it all to 1 person for a low price & had 4 guys from 500+ miles away but all 4 said it was well over 2 semis & they didn't have room to store it but everyone bought something I sold 2/3rds & bought 3 Gatlings with a small part. I've been selling guns these days as the market is hot. Plan on selling the 40 acre farm a great 8 bed, 5 bath home, 66'x84' hanger, 2 runways & a shooting range, cabin & stocked pond but I'm concerned about the election & hyper inflation kicking in & making money worthless as money is just a promise from people I don't trust anymore.

The highlighted part reminds me of the show, "Barter Kings". They start with something of relatively low dollar value and keep trading up to eventually make it to their "goal" purchase or trade, usually for a client. Haven't seen it for awhile so I don't now if it's still on or not. I think it was on Discovery or A&E at one time. It was kind of cool to see how they did it.

 

[Sigblaster]

I love to haggle, it's the art of getting in the sellers or buyers head to see what motivates them as it's not always money... 1st deal I made I was 10 & at an auction with my dad...

First deal I made, I was probably 6 or 7. We were at a flea market. My parents owned a liquor store, so they got a lot of swag from the distributors. I was wearing a swag shirt with a picture of Pepe Lopez on the front. They gave me a couple bucks and told me to run off and buy something. I spotted a Marx Luger cap gun on a table, but it was 3 bucks. I offered him 2 bucks, and he said he'd let me have it for two if I could tell him who Pepe Lopez was. I didn't know what the heck Tequila was at that age, but I knew enough to tell him "He's the Tequila man!". After he got done laughing, he gave me the pistol for 2 bucks.

When I was about 11, my uncle took me to a police auction to find a bike for cheap. I had 25 hard-earned lawn mowing bucks in my pocket. He told me I had to bid for myself, and he wasn't going to help me. We did the pre-inspection, and I found the bike that I wanted. When it came up on the block, I bid. Then some other kid about my age bid. Then I bid. It was just 2 kids bidding, no one helping them, and the whole crowd was laughing at the scene. It was raucus, and I felt like I was bidding for my very life. When it hit 25 bucks, I won. Other kid couldn't answer. I was on top of the world. Apparently, me and the other kid must have had the same budget, and no one was going to help either of us out. I think it was a good life lesson for both of us. Later, on the way home, my uncle explained to me that I was so lost in the bidding, that I actually bid against myself once. That was the point where everyone was laughing the hardest, but when I did that, I switched from bidding even numbers to odd numbers, and if I hadn't done that, I would have lost the auction.