Does Anyone Still Haggle over Prices Nowadays?

[Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 09:43
Last edited 11/08/2019 - 17:23 by 2 other users

Wondering if many of you still haggle or ask for a discount in stores nowadays?

If so, what stores mostly?

Large electrical stores like Bing Lee, Harvey Norman usually you can get a discount if you ask.

What about other areas of products, Electricity or Telstra, had much luck ?

What about small fruit shops, small shops?

It's hard sometimes to get the confidence to do it though.

Have you had much luck asking for a discount ?

In places like South East Asia it's common to haggle, in fact its expected. Of course car yards are another where your expected to haggle.

Someone once told me they managed to get a discount at Coles because the package was damaged.

General Discussion

Comments

  • pegaxs on 11/08/2019 - 10:09
    +17

    Nope. I just bend over and take it full retail. Don’t even know why I am on this site. Who needs lower prices. Corporations know what’s best for me, so I trust they will give me a fair RRP…

    • AustriaBargain on 11/08/2019 - 13:31

      it feels like whenever I want something its not on sale. It was last month and probably will be in two months. But if you want it now then you want it now.

    • jzx100 on 11/08/2019 - 16:42
      +6

      Never go full retail………

      • magic8ballgag on 12/08/2019 - 08:22

        I believe it's referred to as 'mentally disabled' these days, jzx100.

  • p1 ama on 11/08/2019 - 10:16
    +4

    I don't even remember the last time I purchased something in a brick and mortar store, prefer online stores that give me the best price from the get-go.

    • dasher86 on 11/08/2019 - 22:04
      +1

      groceries?

      • p1 ama on 12/08/2019 - 20:16

        Coles/Woolies delivery

  • DuckKnight on 11/08/2019 - 10:22
    +1

    JB Hi-Fi pretty much encourages haggling as well but I've only been successful once out of maybe 4 times.

    • Godric on 11/08/2019 - 16:20

      Even their haggled price is over-priced

    • cfuse on 12/08/2019 - 14:57

      When I found out what the sales rep's margin was I immediately stopped haggling and pretty much apologised.

      They don't make shit on computers, so if you are buying a closeout or ex-demo (like I was) they are literally losing money if they spend more than 5 seconds selling it to you. They make the money on upsells.

  • pencilman on 11/08/2019 - 10:37
    +8

    Depressingly I seem to have little success and confidence with haggling.
    It just doesn't seem to be the 'Australian' thing.

    Instead I live my life in Ozbargain looking looking out for deals.
    And doing price matching…

  • nfr on 11/08/2019 - 11:07

    You deserve compensation if product is genuinely damaged, that's not haggling.

    • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 11:55

      No , she actually found something opened , i think it was batteries, he took it to the servce desk and got a discount,im surprised they didnt tell her to buy a unopened one

      • DemocracyManifest on 11/08/2019 - 16:46
        +2

        Better for the retailer to sell it through then write it off

      • bghunter on 12/08/2019 - 22:44

        Can you please make up your mind if the person is a he or a she?

        • bobbified on 12/08/2019 - 23:02
          +1

          probably depended on the angle!

  • apsilon on 11/08/2019 - 11:15
    +3

    I do with whitegoods (so every 5 - 10 years) and cars which are about the only things I don't buy online.

  • Some Human on 11/08/2019 - 11:35
    +9

    I was buying a Tv at the good guys last year and they had a really nice end of run demo discounted to $1800 and I asked how low he could go, he said $1370. Same with HN clearance centre I asked how low they could go on a $600 tv, he said $530.

    At Target recently, the man dropped the price of a plug and charge kit by $2 because I asked if they had a sealed one and they didn’t. He offered the discount.

    Exetel had an unlimited nbn offer for $60 a month for new customers only or $70 if you’re already with them. I rang them up and asked for the $60 plan. I got the old “that’s for new customers only”. I said “how bout I cancel my existing plan and call back in 5 minutes as a new customer?” She said “I’ll talk to my manager”.
    To this day I am still enjoying my $60 unlimited, significantly faster nbn.

    Also you can haggle with cash converters if the item has been there a while.

  • sir_bazz on 11/08/2019 - 11:39
    +6

    Rarely haggle anymore.
    Prefer to reward the businesses that advertise the lowest price.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 11:57

    I guess thats ok if you have a lot of money to splash,but when your poor it’s difficult to give more money to businesses especially big business stores but i get where your coming from

  • Platinumtelecom on 11/08/2019 - 12:38
    +2

    Before I purchase anything in store I always check the price online, and often ask for a price match so don't need to wait for delivery.

  • Strahany on 11/08/2019 - 13:30
    +1

    Used to work in Telco, and one of the companies provided us no capacity to offer discounts/deals. The only exception being when we (as frontline sales staff) identified ways to leverage offers to directly benefit the customer, but had rather strict limitations on for whom it was applicable.

    The biggest drainer were the customers insistent on haggling. I understand asking once, but would think an explanation of how all prices are already rock bottom, plus demonstrating that it was cheaper than all competitors would be sufficient; some would keep pressing. The biggest offenders were those from countries with “haggling culture”, even those who’ve been in Australia for some time.

  • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 14:05
    +3

    Retail haggling doesn't work in the consumer's favour. It just means the real asking price isn't disclosed.

  • garetz on 11/08/2019 - 14:09
    +4

    There is no harm in asking, the harm comes when you insist on a discount and become confrontational, if they refuse any kind of discount, take your business elsewhere, its not hard.

    • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 14:43
      +1

      Your right, i was once in Thailand and i saw a guy arguing aggressively with the market store holder banging the calculator waving his hands around,is there any need for that, just walk away and find another stiore

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 12/08/2019 - 13:28

        Bartering is sorta a part of their culture but I hear what you're saying.

  • knackers on 11/08/2019 - 15:33

    i don't haggle.. i just ask for a price match, price beat or price guarantee

  • niknah on 11/08/2019 - 15:48
    -1

    Never done it. I'm afraid they'll give me the crappiest stock that they have, maybe it had been tried out by a potential customer.
    It's only common in Asia if you go to the touristy spots.

  • ronnknee on 11/08/2019 - 20:03
    +1

    Do you haggle at Woolworths and Coles?

    • [Deactivated] on 11/08/2019 - 21:47

      Dont think you can ????
      Has anyone tried it?

  • try2bhelpful on 11/08/2019 - 22:19
    +3

    Bought a light from Costco. Went back to buy another one and they were sold out, not getting any more in. Noticed they still had the demo one up there. I asked if they would sell me the demo one. They sold it to me for 1/2 price. Missing a box and a couple of accessories but all the important bits there. You don’t get what you don’t ask for.

    It is worth asking places like JB, Myers etc to price match even online places. I got HN to drop $50 off an iPad Pro by asking if they could do any better.

    It is always worth asking, but do it nicely and accept it gracefully if they say no.

  • HowDoIDoThis on 12/08/2019 - 12:31

    Sometimes I get haggled on Facebook Marketplace. Occasionally I get a rel lowball offer and tell them exactly how low I'll go - about 10% off my asking price, or more if I really want to get rid of it.

    It was a learning process. I let go of a a set of speakers worth $90 for $50 because I was unprepared for the haggling. Now I know I need to be able to wait.

  • cfuse on 12/08/2019 - 15:01
    +2

    The general rule is if you don't ask then the answer is always no.

    I don't haggle with vendors I know won't do it, or with staff that I know don't have the ability/authority to be flexible about pricing. I also generally don't haggle over low prices because my time is worth something. That being said, I will always try to have a conversation with any seller, because if people like you they're going to offer you stuff if they can. Also, I really like talking.

    • hey aj on 12/08/2019 - 15:34
      -1

      You're a talker. Listening to talkers makes me thirsty and hungry. Think I'll take two chickens.

      Am I haggling right?

      • cfuse on 12/08/2019 - 22:20

        How do you drink chicken?

        • hey aj on 13/08/2019 - 08:57
          -1

          I feel like my talents are completely wasted on the OzBargain community, if your comment was at the top of the first page I would get 20 upvotes minimum for my reply. Instead, because it's the third page and nobody reads down this far I get a downvote and a "what?" reply.

          It's an iconic quote by Sandor "The Hound" Clegane from Game of Thrones where he is negotiating the price of a chicken and ale at a Tavern, but being the imposing warrior he is, his method of haggling is basically threatening to kill everyone in the Tavern if he does not get his free chicken.

  • bobbified on 12/08/2019 - 15:31
    +1

    The shoppers that don't haggle fund my ability to haggle.

  • HeWhoKnows on 12/08/2019 - 20:39

    Always

  • Gandalf the Thrifty on 12/08/2019 - 21:24

    Depending on the product eg whitegoods vs toaster, you can always haggle a bit. What's best price? What about if I buy something else? etc. Especially if you are actually ready to buy in that store and not stuffing the staff around.

    Retail is supposed dead at the moment (excluding JB & Amazon…), so I would think they'd be happy for a reasonable offer versus no sale at all.

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