Any luck haggling over prices at Best Buy?

[tqmilymi]

A local radio talk show was discussing the down economy and how some retailers such as Best Buy are offering to haggle (or dicker) over some prices. Below is a link to a similar story that ran in the Chicago Tribune. Anyone have any experience with this? When I bought my ps3 in November they offered a free game. I'm considering seeing if they'll do the same (or better) on a second ps3 as I need another blu-ray player for upstairs.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,4289554.story

[cawgijoe]

You can dicker with most everyone....sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.....most of the time it works better for more expensive products. You have more leeway with the Mom and Pop type stores rather then the chains of course.

Price-matching or price-beating is a more traditional way fo lowering the price at chain stores.

[trey]

I grew up in the middle east where this is the way off life. It stuck with me a bit when I came home, and I have found that most anywhere will be willing to give you some kinda discount. (Never gotten the liquor store to follow this rule though )

My girlfriend hates it, but the price is NOT always the price, so it's at least worht a shot!

[DetroitSportsFan]

I've never heard of BB willing to haggle over prices unless it is a big ticket item like a TV.

[obiwopkenobi62]

I recently bought a 27" reg TV for one of my guest bedrooms at my local BB. I haggled with the guy and he knocked off another 25 bucks off the price. Not bad. I think they are giving them a little wiggle room to get product out the door.

[Krafticus]

When I bought my SXRD XBR1 (when it was brand new).. most stores had it listed at 3999. I found it online cheaper, printed the ad, and took it to local stores to see if they would price match. When I mentioned I would pay in full today if they cut the price, they were all ears. I ended up walking out of Circuit City with my TV and an $800 savings.

Get the salesperson thinking you want it, and be ready to just walk out with nothing. They usually come around... again, mostly on the higher priced items.

I don't think BB and CC are commissioned sales anymore, so, I am not sure if you can haggle as much anymore.

Mark

[BStecke]

Christ I hated working at Best Buy when people wanted to play "Let's Make A Deal." Unless you've been there, I think it's impossible to fully understand the lack of interest the poorly-paid, non-commissioned employee has in your walking out of the store with a product or not. They get paid whether you walk or not, and most times they'd rather not be bothered.

Managers on the other hand are different, as they actually get paid for the numbers of the store . . . which is even more reason most of the regular sales people couldn't care less. I don't understand the mentality of having a company that is 100% sales based, yet offering absolutely no incentives to employees to sell the product. Sure, you may not make as much off of a single item, but I guarantee units per transaction and close rate would be increased pretty damn quick.

/Rant

[Xerious]

haggling? what are now? a third world country??? brings to mind life of brian.

[paulyg]

I have found that CC is easier to hagle with than BB

[Hero_Sky]

I used to work there, and you can pretty much haggle if you're buying a lot of items. Suppose you bought a big screen TV and all accessories, you could ask if you could do a little better on the price.

[dred]

Having worn a blue shirt at one time long ago, inboarding ruled our store. Package deals with over priced acc. and service plan. Sometimes I almost feel bad for what we did.

[Sonny]

I always talk my way in to saving lots of $$$ on HDTV's . I got a 42" Panny for 850$ (Brand New) at CC & at BB if somethings 2,200$ (on sale) I'm walking out with it for 1,600$ Just the gift of the "gab" I guess.

[Brian Cash]

i haggled with them when i bought some tvs not blu rays though

[Blu n Gold]

Originally Posted by Sonny

I always talk my way in to saving lots of $$$ on HDTV's . I got a 42" Panny for 850$ (Brand New) at CC & at BB if somethings 2,200$ (on sale) I'm walking out with it for 1,600$ Just the gift of the "gab" I guess.

That and you buy a lot of stuff.

Best Buy is not a fleemarket. They do not have to lower prices. I am not a price shopper. I know what things cost going in. I shop for service, reputation, and knowledge. If I get treated well, I will buy, even if the price is a little higher.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Blu n Gold

I shop for service, reputation, and knowledge.

I guess you don't shop at Best Buy.

[BStecke]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

I guess you don't shop at Best Buy.

Nice!!

[doctorsteve]

I agree with the life of Brian thing. But where I used to work I once bought a couch and chair... it was the display already heavily discounted. I asked the merchandising manager if he could knock anything else off, since it would have freed up 3 pallets worth on floor space, and he gave me another 10% off.

Managers want to see merchandise come in - sell - and the space get refilled. This cycle is called a "turn". The more stuff you sell, the higher your turns. High turns equal good business.

I also read about a CC in Western NY confirming the "haggle" thing. What it really amounts to is keeping the merchandise flowing, so no minimum wage high schooler has to come by twice a day to wipe the dust off of the screens.

If a manager wants a sale, thay'll likely knock something off in today's market... They'll still make profit and won't get a backlog of inventory - and that's the way they like it...

[Beta Man]

I've never tried to Haggle with them, I worked on the speakers a little, but they were a HT store, and not a Big-Box place, and I've also never tried to buy an HD t.v..... I did see some guy trying to get a price cut because he was buying some junk-HD t.v. and a crappy speaker set, and the guy was just ADAMANT, and I felt so bad for his wife there with him, because the guy just WASN'T picking up what the sales guy was laying down...... he had already price-matched the ad the guy brought in, and offered EITHER 10% more, or Free delivery/installation, and of course the guy wanted both.... and wouldn't let it go...... she had to walk away from the situation several times (I stood there forever to ask a legitimate projector question, and was ignored b/c this moron had three people trying to appease him)

[Blu n Gold]

Originally Posted by DetroitSportsFan

I guess you don't shop at Best Buy.

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. The BBY in my area are a lot better than any of the other stores. I have always had good service at my BBYs.

Originally Posted by doctorsteve

I agree with the life of Brian thing. But where I used to work I once bought a couch and chair... it was the display already heavily discounted. I asked the merchandising manager if he could knock anything else off, since it would have freed up 3 pallets worth on floor space, and he gave me another 10% off.

Managers want to see merchandise come in - sell - and the space get refilled. This cycle is called a "turn". The more stuff you sell, the higher your turns. High turns equal good business.

I also read about a CC in Western NY confirming the "haggle" thing. What it really amounts to is keeping the merchandise flowing, so no minimum wage high schooler has to come by twice a day to wipe the dust off of the screens.

If a manager wants a sale, thay'll likely knock something off in today's market... They'll still make profit and won't get a backlog of inventory - and that's the way they like it...

There is a limit to the "turns" and profit. There still has to be enough margin for a profit. Although sales are nice, there needs to be enough money made to pay employees, drives, ect. There comes a point where not selling is a better business desicion.

Just for fun, count how many people handle that blu-ray player or TV before you buy it at a store. The mark-up is there to pay all of those people.

[Maxell]

The cheapest things you can haggle over are open items (those that have the sticker). The only other haggling I've seen get done are for more expensive package deals and mass quanitity deals (like buying 10 or more normal priced LCD's). And only managers can approve price adjustments (maybe some supervisors).

The best way to haggle over a price is to pricematch from a reputable local retailer.


But remember, Best Buy, Circuit City, and others are not "Non-Profit" organizations. Most are not that desperate that they'll just "give away" items that make little to no profit, some items even lose money such as the bargain laptops (which is why you are hassled to get services, extended warranty, etc).