Want a lower price--ask

You do know you have to call the phone company every three months to see if they “forgot” to give you the lowest price, right?

Kara G. Morrison (AZ Republic, March 24, 2009) says nowadays you can argue over the price of almost anything. Can’t hurt to try, right?

Jim Hennig is author of How to Say It: Negotiating to Win. Another book out there is Shop Smart, Save More by Teri Gault.

Tips for creative haggling:

First research prices. Know what’s out there. You can even bring in an internet price. Gault runs The GroceryGame.com, with coupons.

Ask the clerk if there are inhouse coupons for the item. Some clerks can even give a friends and family discount.

“You can ask anything you want (sound familiar on this site?) and it pays to ask,” Hennig says, according to Morrison.

Be polite—this is haggling, not power playing.

Go up the food chain. The clerk may say, “I am the manager.” Maybe not. Stay polite.

Shop locally—smaller stores have more leeway.

Don’t run the purchase down hoping to pay less. Say instead that the item is nice, but all you can pay today is X amount. If there is a glaring flaw—you could point that out.

Say that you are a loyal customer. Ask if buying in quantity rates anything.

Never say take it or leave it.

Stand tall. You are being wise, not cheap.

And, of course, you have to be willing to walk on the purchase. That is your power position. Never say, “Well, okay, I will be eating a lot of peanut butter, but…”

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