Haggling on the High Street

[Nitefly]

Afternoon all,

Whilst finding myself wondering around London bored stiff, I decided that I might relieve some, erm, boredom by buying some shiney new headphones. I made my way to Tottenham Court Road and started browsing the electronics stores for a particular pair.

For whatever reason, perhaps it was because I was feeling an arse for being rejected from an interview *sob*, or simply because I was wearing a suit, I decided that I was going to enforce my consumer power and haggle. So I came up with a sob story about my headphones being stolen and wanting something for the train home.

It took a fair bit of snooping and aggressive haggling but I managed to get the headphones, which were priced £95-100 everywhere, for £65 - not too shabby! I have also once haggled to take £150 off a guitar priced £999, result

Obviously, everything is cheaper if you browse the internet, but does anybody else try to haggle prices down on the high street? What has been your best haggle, high street or otherwise?

 

[Feek]

When you go in the shops on Tottenham Court Road you're expected to haggle!

 

[Gilly]

I bought a 3/4 guitar priced at £250 for £120 some years ago. Must've been desperate for a sale.

Bought a 'Louis Vuitton' handbag for our lass for 100LE (egyptian) when it was up at 600LE. Also expected to massively haggle there too though. Wonder what their mark-up is :/

 

[shauncr91]

I dunno how you'd even go about haggling on small stuff like that. I can understand on huge purchases such as a car and stuff, but a pair of headphones? :/

 

[marc2003]

i must admit, i couldn't do it.

 

[Nexus]

It's a given that you haggle prices on Tottenham Court Road though isn't it?

A lot of things tend to be priced up more anyway and they employ a much more shrewd style of selling. For example I was looking at cameras a while back and in one store the guy was showing me a camera and then told me he was going to buy it himself, and that I couldn't have it, clearly he was trying to get me to pressure him into selling it.

But the easiest way is just to look around all the stores, then point out which is cheapest and try and get somebody to go lower than that for the sale.

 

[Russinating]

I've got a friend who haggles for anything and everything.

His latest purchase was a £12 beenie hat thing from somewhere like Ripcurl. He got it for £8. He basically just says, look, you can take my £8 or leave it (to the manager of course). They usually just say ok...

 

[osc89er]

Well, from the sounds of it he came up with a few good lies and a few good lines.

 

[geekyEd]

I haven't brought anything from the high street in years now. Not including food and general other shopping.

 

[Nitefly]

When you go in the shops on Tottenham Court Road you're expected to haggle!

I thought as much

It was very interesting to see how different each shopkeeper's response was to my demands. Some were a little jilted... others were fairly rude. As far as I was concerned, I was making the offer, so they could like it or lump it. I thought it went pretty well

I dunno how you'd even go about haggling on small stuff like that. I can understand on huge purchases such as a car and stuff, but a pair of headphones? :/

I wouldn't turn my nose up at a spare £30

 

[Swi1ch]

I didn't realise people ever haggled in retail stores. Market stall type things or big expensive purchases like cars or high quality jewellery I figured but seems a little weird to go into HMV and start haggling.

 

[Nitefly]

Well, from the sounds of it he came up with a few good lies and a few good lines.

Well, my headphones did get stolen... a year ago

 

[Nexus]

I didn't realise people ever haggled in retail stores. Market stall type things or big expensive purchases like cars or high quality jewellery I figured but seems a little weird to go into HMV and start haggling.

Yeah, because quite simply you will get nowhere.
It's impossible to even get such a store to match their online prices in store, let alone knock money off something.

Realistically though it all comes down to how the store is owned. If it's independent, there is going to be a lot more chance than a national chain where the staff just don't have any kind of authority to change the prices.

 

[AtlanticP]

Got a new Acer Aspire laptop yesterday from a large computer retailer and managed to get a SATA hard drive caddy for free and 30 quid knocked off for a £500 laptop. Was happy with my work

You never know until you ask though saying that my local Macy'D's will not haggle on a cheese burger

 

[Slime]

I have a mate who successfully haggled in a pound shop not so long ago.

 

[Swi1ch]

Yeah, because quite simply you will get nowhere.
It's impossible to even get such a store to match their online prices in store, let alone knock money off something.

Realistically though it all comes down to how the store is owned. If it's independent, there is going to be a lot more chance than a national chain where the staff just don't have any kind of authority to change the prices.

So is Tottenham Court Road all independent shops or something?

 

[Feek]

Pretty much, yes.

 

[SideWinder]

I do haggle in independent shops and only try to haggle in larger shops if its a big purchase.

 

[Janesy B]

[When you go in the shops on Tottenham Court Road you're expected to haggle!

Exactly!

Do it on a proper High Street store.

 

[Nitefly]

Pretty much, yes.

I'm actually suspicious of whether they are all, or mostly, owned by one person, just to create the idea of competition to customers.