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Simple Bargaining Tips and Tricks

Priyanka Kosta Sonkushre
Bargaining is an art. Not every person on this earth is capable of doing it. If you are one among those who find it difficult to negotiate with the merchant on pricing, here is an article providing you with simple tips to master this art.
Everybody enjoys shopping. As shopping involves expenditure, it is important to find the best deal for a product. Bargaining is the art of bringing down the price of a product to a certain level such that it is a win-win situation for the buyer as well as the seller.
It is an essential component of any buying process and is done to avoid unnecessary expenditure. Not many people have this inborn talent of bargaining with the seller. You have to learn and practice this art to become proficient in it.
Proper knowledge and skills are required to successfully bargain for a product. Earlier even I considered this as a difficult task, but now, I find it a lot easier because I came across certain tips that have helped me in learning the art. For all those who cannot bargain skillfully, here are a few tips and tricks that might prove beneficial.

Tips for Bargaining

  • When you are out for clothes shopping on a budget and are looking for clothes in a street shop, beware of the price. It is usually set a lot higher than what it should actually be. So, always analyze whether the price listed for a particular product is worth it or no. If it is priced higher, get ready to bargain and get the right deal for yourself.
  • Do your research by asking others who have brought similar products, to get a rough estimate of the actual price of a product.
  • Pretend as if you are not really interested in the product, but are willing to buy it, if you get a good deal. Sellers tend to price their product on the higher side if they know you are too eager to buy their product.
  • Set your offer around the actual price when you bargain so that, the seller gets an indication that you have knowledge about the pricing of the product.
  • Check the seller's competitors pricing. If it is lower than the current seller, you can always ask for price reduction so that, he offers you a better deal than his competitor.
  • Set your price and persuade the seller to sell the product on the price you have decided. If you do not reach to a consensus, you know when to walk away.
  • Do not demand for a discount, rather ask for it in a polite manner. We all know that attitude matters a lot. If you are gentle and polite in asking for a price reduction, the seller may respond in a positive way to your courteous behavior.
  • Avoid using words that might hurt the ego of the seller. Such things will lead to critical situations that might not be good for you.
  • Do not rush while bargaining. Be prepared to invest some time and effort in it, as it is a task that involves convincing the seller to lower his prices to suit your pocket. Since, you are in need to save money, be ready to put in that extra effort.
  • Always offer to pay less than what you are actually willing to pay. This will bring the pricing around your paying capacity after the process of bargaining is over.
  • Try to go shopping in groups. Sellers find it difficult to convince group of people as compared to a single person.
  • Check for minute defects in the product that you are ready to ignore, but make sure to highlight them to the seller. This will make the seller feel conscious and pressurize him to sell it off to you.
  • Small retailers are often attracted to customers paying cash. You can therefore try to reach to a suitable deal with the magic trick of making full payment in cash, rather than swiping your debit/ credit card.
  • If the seller agrees to your price, be prepared to buy the product. Imagine walking away without the product after spending time and effort for bargaining. This will be wrong on your part and will affect future purchases from the seller.
The next time you realize it's time to go shopping, go ahead with confidence to the local flea market and try out these simple bargaining tricks to get the best deal for something you eagerly want to buy. But make sure to appear as a person suffering from financial crunch, and least interested in buying the product if it does not suit your pocket.
The magic trick will work and you will end up saving lots of money with little effort!