High Street Haggling Discussion

calicocat

:T. :T.


Was in TKmax yesterday, found a top I liked but it had damage and would need repairing.

I did look for one undamaged but couldn't find one. Anyhow......at the till I pointed this out (nicely), and got 33% off........yay....result.

I haven't really haggled before......might try it again now....:D

milocat

My husband has been going on and on about getting a drone for Christmas! Our budget is £50 each this year, and the one he wanted was £60 for a large one with bells on, or £40 for a bog standard, sort of plasticky thing.
In our town there is a stall that sells them and other gadgets every year. I went in early this morning and asked a load of questions, telling the man that I was useless with technology and didn't understand what the point in the item was... I don't generally recommend slagging the item off if you want a discount! After about 5 minutes I said I would have to think about it and began to walk away. He called me back and said if I would purchase the drone today he would give me student discount off the price (10%). I said my husband works in the shopping centre and has a card that already entitles him to a discount centrewide of 15% (half true - only in certain stores, and of varying percentage). He believed me and said he would offer it to me for £51. Luckily having read this thread earlier, I pulled a trick out of my sleeve and asked him about refunds/replacements, as the pop-up shop vanishes by Boxing Day. He said he's never had a problem, and can't offer a guarantee on it, but would offer me a further 10% off marked price if I would take it. I think he just wanted me to stop asking questions! In the end it came to £45 (and a free carrier bag!).
So I got the larger item for only £5 more than the medium sized one, and came in under budget.
I felt very MSE as I sashayed away

Scottishmummy

I got given some money for my birthday and decided to use it to buy a handbag as the one I was using had had a broken zip for nearly a year. I had a particular style in mind but no matter where I went I couldn't find it. Then heading back to the car my husband happened to look in a shop window that hired kilts. There on a shelf were a couple of bags. We went in and I took down one of the bags. It was covered in dust and I said to the salesperson it had obviously been there a while. I um-ed and ah-ed a bit then asked if there was any chance of a discount. She said as I had pointed out it had been there a while I could have it for £50. It should have been £85. Result. :j It was also stuffed with carrier bags used to help it sit properly on the shelf and she left them in there. 8 decent thick carrier bags for free :rotfl:

poundsign

I tried John Lewis price match today for a Whistles dress. Whistles were offering 25% discount but no longer had the size I needed so I tried John Lewis website. The dress was available in the size I needed but JL we're not offering the discount I filled in the on line form and my price match was accepted. However there was one major snag, the price match would only apply as long as I needed a size 16 as JL would only match what was available. not quite what I expected from Jl and one lost sale for them.

dlusman

poundsign wrote: »

I tried John Lewis price match today for a Whistles dress. Whistles were offering 25% discount but no longer had the size I needed so I tried John Lewis website. The dress was available in the size I needed but JL we're not offering the discount I filled in the on line form and my price match was accepted. However there was one major snag, the price match would only apply as long as I needed a size 16 as JL would only match what was available. not quite what I expected from Jl and one lost sale for them.

So you expected JL to price match against a non-existant item ?????

Some T&Cs from the jl site ( which I think are fair enough ) :

The prices we match

We match prices publicly available to all customers, based on those displayed in a shop, on the high street competitor's own website, or the first price quoted to us over the phone. The price has to apply to an identical individual product in terms of make, model, size or colour. We match bundles only on a case by case basis, and we don't match special prices only available to certain customers – such as negotiated prices or prices for groups like account holders or club members. We don't match prices only available via 3rd party websites, or with voucher codes.
Stock availability

We carry a wide range of lines, and the competitor has to have the line actually in stock (rather than available only to order) for us to match the price. For products that we deliver, we ask that the competitor is able to deliver in equivalent timescales to us, and on products that require delivery, we'll take delivery charges into account when comparing prices. Our standard delivery service is free for orders of £50 and over.

Serena03

I always haggle particularly if the item is last on display, slightly dusty or has a slight mark, cut or rip. I think it's only fair and when i used to work in retail you are allowed to give at least 10% off if the item is slightly damaged or dirty. As a consumer you have a right to ask at least! Great bargain Scottish Mummy! :)

TartanPennySaver

I've tried to encourage my kids to haggle confidently. This started in a market in Majorca where I saved him a couple of euros on a mobile phone cover. He now seldom buys anything without looking for a discount or freebie and is now better at it than me.

EzeJ

Was buying a dress. Original price of the dress was £29.99 but was on sale for £19.99. I saw a bit of a thread kind of seam with bits of fluffy thread hanging out. In fact, you could just cut that off and the dress would be normal. I, however, haggled based on this and only paid and offered to pay £15 but eventually paid £15.99 for it because they could only reduce it by a further 20%. These discounts are there to be given away and sometimes the stores are desperate to let these items Go for next to nothing.

1dw

I wanted to buy a pair of clarks boots in debenhams, already in the sale, reduced from £100 to £80 (Clarks are selling them for £110).

I opened an online chat and said they are a bit above my budget of £70, but I really like them, can they help.

First response was a standard cut and past about having sale periods at different times of year, can't help, sorry.

I replied, saying I was disappointed and how customer service in the past has been great, I'm sure there was something they could do for me, it would make my day, wife wouldn't want me to go above my budget (all true).

To which they said, purchase it, and contact us and we will refund £10 as a goodwill gesture.

Boom.

kah22

OK maybe not a great result but a result nevertheless and it gives me confidence to do it again

I had bought a Fitbit Charge HR from Boots and about eleven months after the sale it developed a fault in the wrist band. A common fault it appears

Contacted Boots online and they just said send it back for a full refund. No quibbling at all

Anyway there was a hiccup with the refund. Without knowing it my card was damaged, the account frozen and Boots couldn't put the payment into it and I was away from home at the time! By the time M&S got a new card to me some time had passed from I first contacted Boots

So I had the new Fitbit sitting in my basket for several days then emailed customer service and asked, politely, for a goodwill gesture. While I didn't get a discount they did add 600 extra points onto my account, worth £6, not much but something

I must say that my dealings with Boots customer service was second to none and I've bought my new Fitbit 2 from them tonight