Haggle for haggle sake?

[PT1911]

I spend a great deal of my time in a local gun shop owned and run by a friend of mine... He tends to have the best prices of any shop/store in town by far on both his new and used guns. I have come to notice an irritating trend. Everyone wants to haggle the price down. Oh.. You have a like New 700 CDL with Nikon buckmaster for 750? Take 700 out the door.

Oh.. you have an M1 Garand with new barrel, new stock, and all re-parkerized receiver and parts for 850? take 750 out the door?


THEN...when they cannot get you to budge on the price, they will go somewhere else and buy an inferior gun at a greater price because the guy behind the counter was willing to come off the "sticker price" that was 150.00too high anyway.

SO.. I must ask.. WHY do people insist on NOT paying the price on the tag but all the sudden feel all warm and fuzzy when someone agrees to drop that price (that was say 150.00 too high anyway) by 50.00?:banghead::banghead:

I guess I will just never get it.

 

[ThrottleJockey72]

Funny isn't it. I think it is just human nature. That and they have been "conditioned" by other markets, say the car market for example.

 

[gulogulo1970]

Well, I generally hate to haggle or to be haggled.

But I can see the upside, the worst that can happen is they say no to the haggle. Or you get a bargain, just words get you a better deal. Pretty cool.

 

[scythefwd]

I don't haggle. If the dealer isn't honest enough to give me the lowest price he can make a living with, he doesn't get any of my money. If a dealer offers a lower price after I put a gun down or balk at the price, I walk away, even if it is in the price range I wanted. If I am expected to play games just to get a good price... I will get a good price elsewhere, where the seller is more upfront.

 

[PT1911]

my point exactly... but it is as if people would rather feel as if they are getting some special deal. If a gun priced at 275 was marked at 300 instead and then offered to them at 275 the would jump on it.. but with an honest DEAL at 275 they walk away pissed.... People are idiots.

 

[mptrimshop]

i haggle for fun....it just is.....same reason i go to garage sales....haggling is fun...not to say i will walk away from a deal if they don't haggle ....but it never hurts to try....ya just gotta do it in good spirits and be respectfull

 

[kdstrick]

Everything that has a price is negotiable. That is not to say that the seller will choose to lower the price. But if you do not ask, he certainly won't.

In the recent past, I "haggled" the price of a laptop (the very one I am using right now) and Best Buy agreed to reduce the price by $50. Who would have thought a "big-box" retailer would have done that? I didn't expect them to. The moral is...

It never hurts to ask.

Just don't get steamed if they say 'no'. Oh, and do not haggle if you aren't prepared to buy it on the spot. It is rude to haggle over something that you do not intend to buy.

 

[tkopp]

I work at a pawn shop, so the process isn't foreign to me.

My goal is to get within $50 of an internet price + shipping and FFL fee. I'm willing to pay more to have a local shop where I can fondle the weapon before I make a purchasing decision, but I'm not going to pay a great deal more. If a price is fair I shut up and buy.

But when a shop puts out a romanian AK from 1975 with a mash of chinese and other parts, many inexpertly dremeled to be made to fit, and they want $600 for it? Yeah. I'm offering $300 or walking.

 

[peyton]

I will do it if I know the price should be lower. Cash talks too, the sight of BEN FRANKLIN's mean I am in the business of buying.

 

[czarjl]

If the price is marked I usually don't try to haggle... if I think the marked price is a bit high or I'm getting a bunch of stuff or a big ticket item, I may ask if they can do any better. I only ask once and if they say no that's the price I leave it at that, no need to be rude.

If the price is not marked I assume that the price is more flexible... especially if they are quoting the price out of thin air.

 

[sarge83]

It depends on the price. If it is a fair price I won't haggle. If it is over priced or a bit high I do. If we come to a fair price for each of us great, if not, no harm, no foul. Doesn't mean I won't come back unless the owner acts like a horses rear end to me the customer.

That being said you as the customer can't act like a jerk either and expect nice treatment in return.

 

[Just One Shot]

Why are you getting upset enough to call people idiots when it isn't even your business?

How do you know these people are going elsewhere and buying inferior guns at an elevated price? Were you there or are you simply speculating?


Haggling is as old as civilization itself.

If your friend truely has the best prices then the informed shopper will recognize it. Still, looking to barter doesn't make the individual an idiot.

I often ask if the prices listed is the best they can do. If they say it is then, I'll either pass if I think it's too high or I'll go ahead and make the purchase if I feel it's within the reasonable range of the current market value.

Free market is just that. The freedom to purchase a product of the individuals choice. Granted, there are some not so wise consumers out there but, that's to their detriment not yours.

You never know when a gun has been in inventory for a long period and the seller may want to move it at a lower price so he can turn his inventory.

As it's already been said, it never hurts to ask.

I've been serving customers for 27 years and when I'm shopping I expect the same service and respect that I give to my customers.

Besides any retailer who is customer oriented won't get upset over being asked if the price is negotiable.

If a retailer becomes irritable over me asking a simple question then in all liklelihood he has lost all my business, now and in the future regardless of price.

On the other hand, if they are personable and friendly, I am more likely to purchase the item from them and would more than likely return. If they're really customer friendly, I would even give them some free advertisement by word of mouth.


There's too much competition in the gun market to put up with a seller that isn't customer friendly.

 

[CoRoMo]

the worst that can happen is they say no

BINGO! But I wouldn't use the word haggle. I make an offer.

I never pop off offers for guns I never intend to buy. When I've shopped around and narrowed down the guns to one particular one, I'll wait a day or two just to "sleep on it" so to speak. I always have my mind made up that I am buying this very gun today because of the price/quality/features/etc. When I go in to get it, I'll make an offer of 3%-5% less than their price. If I'm using cash, they'll often agree since they have the 3%-5% already in the price to cover a credit card transaction. It's not haggling for haggling's sake.

If they say no, I buy it anyway because that was the plan.

Either way, no harm done. If they agree, I get a few bucks extra to put back into my budget or wherever.
I don't spend my money rashly.

 

[DHJenkins]

My boss once told me "You won't get anything if you don't ask for it." I asked for a raise right then - and got it.

Most privately owned gun stores around here expect some haggling. I wouldn't try it at an Academy, for example, but when it's a mom & pop, there's no harm in trying - especially since I won't haggle unless I've already made up my mind to buy it.

Those of you who don't approve can mind your own business.

 

[rbernie]

I guess I will just never get it.

They why ask it?