How to Haggle

I know what it was to haggle.

However, I wasn’t sure how to define it.

So, I looked up the synonyms for haggling.

They are:

• barter
• bargain
• negotiate
• quibble
• wrangle
• wheel and deal

Basically, haggling is all about getting yourself the best bargain possible when you’re buying something.

Honestly, I was surprised to see barter as a synonym.

Because I’ve definitely bartered goods and services before.

However, I never would have called it haggling.

Most people associate haggling with buying a car.

So, why am I thinking about how to haggle?

Well, despite what the Federal Reserve says, I believe we are in a recession.

And the last time we were in a recession, I really perfected the art of haggling.

In fact, I taped a radio segment with NPR on haggling.

A reporter came along with me as I wheeled and dealed my way to a cheaper refrigerator.

However, that was hardly the first time I’d haggled for a deal.

How I learned to haggle for a better price

One of the first times I haggled was when my husband and I were in the market for new living room seating.

Again, this was back around the time of the Great Recession or about 2008.

On a recent trip The Dump (a now defunct retail store), we’d spied two overstuffed leather chairs with an ottoman.

We knew we wanted them.

However, we also knew we didn’t want to pay close to $1,500 for those three pieces of furniture.

So, we haggled for the best deal possible.

Situations when haggling makes sense

We had room for negotiation because two of the chairs we wanted had damage on them.

The store clerk knew this.

At first, he wasn’t interested in our counteroffer–$800.

So, my husband and I literally sat in those chairs–and told the clerk we would be doing so–until he gave us the price we’d asked for.

Or at least close to it.

Three hours later we paid $950.

Then, we moved the chairs into the back of our minivan and were on our way.

I was in a similar situation when NPR recorded how I haggled for a new refrigerator.

There was a stainless steel, side-by-side refrigerator at a local appliance store.

It had some scratches on the side.

However, since it was going to “live” between pantry cabinets in my kitchen, I knew no one would see those scratches.

So instead of paying over $1,000 for the fridge, I got it for $700.

Why people want to haggle

Turns out in a down economy, haggling often becomes the rule rather than the exception.

In fact, during our chair, ottoman and refrigerator haggling days, I recall reading a Consumer Reports poll that supported my theory on how to haggle.

One, nearly seven in 10 Americans haggle for a better price on furniture, like we did.

Two, most people focused their energy on haggling for better hotel rates.

Honestly, in today’s world of online hotel bookings, that finding feels really out of date.

Three, the next biggest thing people try to haggle is their cell phone bill.

You know how I got a better price on mine? Switching providers.

After that, here are the most common items or services we Americans try to haggle our way to a bargain for:

• clothing.
• jewelry
• car purchases
• airfares (maybe an upgrade, I would think)
• appliances

How to haggle tips

If you want to learn how to haggle like a pro, consider these tips.

One, be patient and nice.

For example, when Bill and I did our sit in, if you will, for those chairs, we weren’t a jerk about it.

In fact, we were joking with the salesperson over those three hours.

We’ve learned that simply demanding a discount upfront rarely works.

It might just leave people calling you Karen.

When in doubt, smile.

It’s hard to resist a friendly smile.

Two, time your haggle to match possible quotas.

For example, there are two times during the year when you’re more likely to be able to bargain your way to a better car price.

And that would be in September, when the next year’s models come out, and dealers want to get rid of last year’s models.

Also, the end of December, when dealers want to close the books on the year.

Now, granted, with supply chain issues of late, this advice may not work as well as when dealership lots were overflowing with cars.

However, should we ever get back to that place, this is good haggling advice to keep in your back pocket.

Three, if the idea of haggling makes you uncomfortable, then call it a price match.

Many retailers have price matching policies that can help lower what you pay.

As long as you have proof that the competition is selling the exact item at a lower price, usually they will match it.

Four, offer to pay cash.

Merchants don’t like to pay transaction fees to credit-card companies.

Plus, if you’re asking for a bargain–and offering cash–it could increase your chances that they’ll say, “Yes.”

Finally, be prepared to walk.

The most persuasive weapon you have in your haggling arsenal is your ability to walk away and spend your money someplace else.

Our “sit in” seemed to work well for us, too.