The Great 'Shops You Can Haggle In' Hunt

Pelican_2

Amazon DON'T price match (which surprised me). I rang them to ask, having seen a book I wanted £10 cheaper elsewhere on the internet), and there was no discussion, just a point blank "no".

I have never been successful at getting Currys or Comet to haggle either. I recently bought a new dishwasher, fridge-freezer and cooker- even with that lot, they wouldn't give me a discount!

Maybe it's just me?!

full-time-mum

Currys On-Line
OH is going to try and get a tv price matched as he has found the one we want cheaper on another site which is in their list. Pity we can't then use the 5% discount and cashback sites at the same time.

freebird65

I'm absolutely rubbish at haggling (& so is OH) so always send my Mum out for big purchases as she's a complete demon at it and has no shame - she gets discounts on EVERYTHING.

Also....I run my own business online and if a potential customer emails me and asks for a discount, I will always do something if I can.....so it boils down to the old adage of "if you don't ask, you don't get".

HoofeHearted

My best haggle was some years ago. I went into my local Dixons shop and asked about a Camcorder (pre-digital era). They showed me the one I wanted and I then said that I could get it cheaper at Boots. I showed them a leaflet I had advertising the same model at Boots. I had already been into the Boots store across the road from Dixons and they were not stocking camcorders. The saleman looked at the leaflet and immediately sold it to me for the same price.

Result? So I thought for 1 week!

The following week Dixons were having a sale, and my camcorder was now being sold for £50 cheaper than I paid.

I went back to the shop with my receipt and asked about their policy at the time, of matching prices within 14 days. The salesman asked where was it now cheaper. I said "HERE!".

He was a little uncertain as what to do next, but luckily I recognised a visitor in the store who was talking to the store manager. It was Sir Stanley Kalms, the (then) Chairman of Dixons. When I suggested that we ask "the boss" about the discount, he promptly gave me a refund of £50.

To this day I don't know if I would have received the £50 without Sir Stanley's "intervention"

dotchas

Pelican wrote: »

Amazon DON'T price match (which surprised me). I rang them to ask, having seen a book I wanted £10 cheaper elsewhere on the internet), and there was no discussion, just a point blank "no".

I have never been successful at getting Currys or Comet to haggle either. I recently bought a new dishwasher, fridge-freezer and cooker- even with that lot, they wouldn't give me a discount!

Maybe it's just me?!

Amazon don't match prices at time of purchase but they do give a refund if THEY drop the price of an item after you have bought(within 30 days).Just e-mail and ask for a refund!

Lynnn

I was due a free upgrade with Vodafone but was uninspired by the models offered. Chose instead a Palm Treo smartphone which can email and has a QWERTY keyboard etc.

1) Was told in a Vodafone shop that this upgrade would cost an additonal £276
2) Phoned Voda and they offered it at £150 for the same 18month contract
3) Phoned Voda again quoting their offers on this model for new customers and saying I was an old and loyal customer. They offered me the phone for £60 plus a PAYG sim with £6 credit on it for my daughter, all on a 12 month contract.

I dealt !

rmg1

vixarooni wrote: »

I could never haggle.

If i really wanted something id probably haggle and then theyd say no and then id look a div having to buy it full price!

You don't look a div - you look like a customer exiting the shop. They'll usually follow you and offer you at least the discount you asked for!!

pixwix

I don't pretend to be the world's best haggler, but I've had a few successes - though I don't always simply take the lowest price. It helps to do a bit of research and have an idea of what kind of prices you can realistically look for, and what real costs are likely to be if returns/refunds become necessary. Learn the best time to call, too - some shops are better early in the day, some are better later when they're tired.

Some are a waste of time altogether - my local Homebase (if ever a shop has gone down the tubes...) lost a sale for two greenhouses last year because they flatly refused to deliver 15 miles for free - the B&Q branch 20 miles further away was happy to oblige. But if you never ask, you don't get and you don't learn.

I'm not as mobile as I used to be, so - when shopping on the high street - I sometimes find it saves a bit of legwork to counter the phrase "Find a better price and we'll match it" - with "If I find a better price I'll take it - so what's your best price?"

Doesn't always work in this rural area where some small local retailers will go into receivership rather than ever drop a penny off a (usually inflated) price. In one shop last year, the item I wanted was £40.15 (why the 15p? don't ask!). I had two £20 notes but not a penny in change. The proprietor watched me walk out empty-handed rather than write off the 15p - let alone haggle the price any further...

But you'll find any early embarrassments are quickly forgotten as you find what good sport it is, as well as saving money...

Remember, you can always walk back and take up an offer you refused - let the assistant smirk, it's no skin off your back - but once you've paid, all discussion is ended.

ramellous1

Has anyone had success in Mothercare. I am after a car seat for over £100 there.

twelve_string

patcat wrote: »

Tried at Currys. They promise to Pricematch. Found what I wanted at £25 dearer than the best I found. They wouldn't even take a pound off. They said that they can only pricematch their own internet site or Dixons. So of course they lost a sale.

Dixon Stores Group (Currys,Dixons,PCworld etc) should price match any local retail store within 30 miles. Only if the product is in stock in the cheaper store. mail order or internet only not included