The Best Ways To Negotiate A Discount

Asking for a discount isn’t tacky, it’s being financially savvy. You really have nothing to lose by asking for a discount. But in order to increase the chances of walking away with a better-than-advertised deal, follow these tips on how to negotiate a discount.

• Big ticket items. When buying big ticket items your odds of getting a discount are great. You can almost always negotiate the price of a house, a car, HDTV or a wedding dress. But you won’t get anywhere asking for a $2 discount on $8 sunglasses. So target the larger items to get big savings.
• Small stores. The smaller the store the better the chances of getting a discount. When you’re at a family owned business or some other small store, you’re likely going to be dealing with a decision maker. This person knows their profit margin and is more likely to give you the discount.
  
• Personal service. You can almost always negotiate the price of a personal service like a maid, gardener or personal trainer. For them, their rates are completely negotiable, if you just ask. For these kinds of recurring services, asking for a few dollar discount can result in big savings over time.
• Manager. Rarely will your average employee give you a discount on the spot. Sure you can ask them, but they’ll likely just go to the floor manager to ask them for permission. By speaking with the manager directly and using good negotiation tactics you’ll have a bigger chance of getting a good deal.
• Cash. After asking for your discount, if you are declined, let them know you plan on paying cash. When you pay with cash, the store gets the full amount. When you pay with a credit card, Visa/Mastercard charges the store a percentage of the transaction.
• Buy multiples. So you’re going to buy some furniture. This is a good location to get a discount. If they’re playing hardball, offer to buy another item. They’ll most likely give you the discount on the first item.

What techniques have you found to get a good discount?