How to bargain for discounts

For many of us bargaining is a tough task. It becomes tough when the shopkeeper says

"No discount sir, all are fixed rates".

You might have come across this situation very often. How do you tackle? How do you make a successful bargain?

You should always remember the thumb rule. Shop is opened only to sell, we go there with an intention of buying some thing. Only thing that needs to be done is communication. The more we communicate our intention of buying for discount, the more chances of getting the discount.

Let us analyze the above statement by the shop keeper. It is to stop communication for bargaining.

There are two reasons for this.
• He wants to take advantage of the not so confident attitude we have on getting a discount.
• It is his stores policy not to give any discount.

Most of the times the reason for such a statement is the first one above. To tackle this you need to be more confident and have the right attitude to have a successful bargain. In cases when you are confident and asked the bargain in the right attitude, shop keepers make a statement like this.

"We don’t get much margin on the product, so we cannot give the discount you asked for."

To tackle this you should be smarter. You should be knowledgeable of prices and offers for the same product from other shops in your city. Any knowledge you possess about the product regarding prices will help you in defending the point of low margin.

To cut short the article length I have put some tips below for a successful bargain.

Don’t feel uncomfortable while bargaining. Be comfortable. The more comfortable you are, the eaiser to get discount. Know that smaller stores expect a bit of bargaining, while at a larger stores it is a bit difficult though not impossible.

Always ask for discount. Just ask it. It won’t hurt to ask for a lower price. You may fail initially but the more practice you have, the more better you will do over time. Know the truth that many people always get away with discount. You can also do it with a little practice.

Incase you don't get a lower price you should be willing to walk away. With out second thought you should walk away. You try at another shop. Here you should compare the discounts with the previous shop. Walking away with out purchase will help you particularly in situations when you are not aware of the actual price for the product in market. In this case the first two or three shops you should always walk away. This gives some idea about how much it costs in the market and gives you better control in bargaining. You won't get the best price, if you're not willing to walk away.

Never show an attitude that you are there only for discounts. The seller will be more guarded and hesitant. You'll have a better rate of success when you politely ask for lower rates or discounts.. The reason you go to a shop is to buy some thing, not just to bargain, right?

There is another trick that works many times. Just say Is it the last price you can offer? It gives a tone that you are willing to walk away if it is not discounted. The seller comes down and offers a discount. Remember all stores say the hiked prices expecting a bargain. If you bargain, you will get. Happy bargaining.