Haggling in shops

FinglisHobbit

FinglisHobbit

FinglisHobbit

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Has anyone actually "Haggled" on anything bought in a shop? I'm thinking mainly along the lines of TVs, Appliances and general large household purchases. But also items like watches, jewelry and smaller electrical items.

I understand it's not an unusual practice in many parts of the world, its kind of expected. But I've never attempted it in the UK.

Does anyone have any success stories or experience with attempting it?

I'd imagine some people can blag free TV stands, bluray players or at least free delivery/installations.
 
Went into the O2 shop and the phone was going to cost £80 on a cheaper contract. Just said I'd go to the EE shop next door and suddenly it was free. Pays to use your feet.
 
The internet is a powerful thing - you can actually show the sales assistant/manager that you can find a product elsewhere at X price in store. They'll do the bargaining for you if they want your business.
 
You may have some luck with price or deal matching but most retailers won't haggle as a generality, may have more luck with smaller/independent shops.
 
The success hinges almost entirely on the margin of the item. Most physical stores have higher overheads, so even matching online prices would mean a loss.
 
I've never really haggled the price down like they do it abroad but I've asked for discount on a marked price, it worked and I saved a decent amount. It's always worth asking IMO, and if the answers no then go elsewhere.
 
I managed to beat a local pet store down to £160 from £200 for a vivarium, as above though it's a small/specialty store, you won't find Sainsbury giving you a few quid off a TV.
 
Used to in store but now with price matches, savvy shopping, HotUKdeals, Quidco, TCB, Comparison sites, grey imports it's easier to shop for electrical items on the net.

John Lewis are a dream for honouring stuff. :D
 
cheesyboy said:
You monster :eek:
Click to expand...

To be fair the last time I looked in one when we had just moved into a new student place and needed a washing machine they were trying to charge more for a rough looking 2nd hand one than the place down the road was charging for a new one!
 
The Mrs haggles all the time. No idea how she does it.
I ask how much and if it's too much, I just scoff and tell them I'm walking away. Salesmen also find their Jedi mind tricks do not work on me!
 
Completely depends on the shop/item I guess.

Cars = always.
When I bought my TV/AV receiver/stand I managed to get a few HDMI, speaker, etc. cables thrown in.
Mobile contracts - always manage to get the upfront fee waived or reduced significantly.
Pretty sure I managed to get a few ££ knocked off a (pre-owned) console I bought a few years ago too when I bought an extra controller and a load of games with it.
 
Lots of room to haggle a bit on most things just depends where your shopping. Anything that's being offered with 0% finance is certainly up for some negotiation for a cash sale. Never failed to get a reduction on full price items in jewellers. Also when buying more than one thing I'll happily ask what the best price is, managed to save a few hundred pounds on my surround sound setup that way despite some of it already being reduced. Phone contracts are the same, EE day they can't move on their iPhone prices, threaten to leave and it's a different story.

What's the worst they'll say...no . Don't ask don't get.

Hawker
 
hawker1986 said:
EE day they can't move on their iPhone prices, threaten to leave and it's a different story.

What's the worst they'll say...no . Don't ask don't get.
Click to expand...

Heh, renewed my GF's EE contract a few weeks ago... went into the EE store - they wanted £130 termination fee and £50 upfront, and flat out refused to budge.

Went next door to Phones4U, got exactly the same tariff for £0 upfront, and they paid the termination fee for us... :rolleyes::p
 
The internet is one big haggle? With online retailers having the ability to check prices from their competitors within seconds of it changing - that must mean they're haggling each other on our behalf.
 
I got my EE contract down to half price last week in about 5 minutes flat, was quite easy.

Apart from phone contracts I only remember haggling on a guitar amp many years ago, got them to match the ridiculously cheap online price of a foreign store.
 
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