MSE News: Homebase is the top store to haggle in, MoneySavers say

Former_MSE_Helen

"Haggling needn't just take place in exotic bazaars - it happens in the UK, and it's most likely to work at Homebase..."

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Homebase is the top store to haggle in, MoneySavers say




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richardw

...and in other news "..a recent survey revealed that bragging about getting discounts is just as common as bragging about catching large fish, when in reality all they got was an appropriate discount off a soon to be obsolete TV with a free overpriced and over specified HDMI cable"

SailorSam

It's got on that list that it's 57% for Tesco and 51% for Asda will be given a discount if you ask. Does that mean if i'm only buying some cheese or a bag of potatoes i should ask the girl at the checkout for money off.

andyuk01

richardw wrote: »

...and in other news "..a recent survey revealed that bragging about getting discounts is just as common as bragging about catching large fish, when in reality all they got was an appropriate discount off a soon to be obsolete TV with a free overpriced and over specified HDMI cable"

+1

I used to work in an electrical store and now work in the head office of a large retailer

If it's the last one left, offer to "help them clear their shelves for restocking".

Bad advice, any decent sales person is going to want to avoid the time and hassle of packaging a display item only to have to get another one out tomorrow or the next day, and most store managers don't want empty displays

Better advice would be to look for the indicators that large retailers use to classify products - some use different colour dots to indicate the margin a product makes, others use specific letters of odd pricing (usually xxx.97p) to indicate a product is end of line and wont be restocked - better chance of a deal on these items

If it was on sale, but that's ended, you know they're willing to accept that price.

Not true, the majority of promotions are funded in some way by the supplier or from a marketing contribution, usually limited to a set time period or quantity - once the time is up or the quantity sold no more funding and no more lower prices

If you're buying more than one product, a bulk-buy haggle is often easier – make a discount a condition of increasing the volume of your purchase

Rarely works, most sales people are measured on the 'solutions' they sell, selling a lot of standalone hardware ruins this measure and most wont be drawn into discounting to get a larger sale, and in some cases they'll refuse to sell more than 1 or 2 of the item

A better approach would be to build a bundle with all the relevant accessories, negotiate a discount and take advantage of the returns policy to take back what you don't want

Print internet prices out first, and talk to more than one store. Then play them off against each other – asking them to beat prices.

Can work, depends on how much time and effort you are prepared to invest in saving a few £s - if some offers to match the internet price and has it in stock then take that deal, very few retailers will be drawn into any kind of bidding war

If they're trying to flog you a warranty with a product, even though most are ridiculously overpriced, ask for a discount on the main product and then agree. After that, as warranties have a cooling-off period, just cancel it and keep the discount.

Very effective but watch out for where the discount is applied

If you're buying anything that has accessories (eg, a floor lamp), ask them to throw those in for free (eg, the light bulbs) – it's an easy haggle.

Its also where most retailers make their money and unlikely to happen

Money-Saving-King

andyuk01 wrote: »

"
If it's the last one left, offer to "help them clear their shelves for restocking".

Bad advice, any decent sales person is going to want to avoid the time and hassle of packaging a display item only to have to get another one out tomorrow or the next day, and most store managers don't want empty displays

I agree, surely the forum have just made that up! If anyone said that to me, one it's obvious they don't want to actually help but just get something cheap, I find this kind of off putting.

Also having an empty space as you say is a hassle in retail. A customer would never help the restocking situation as it has just created even more work!

anotheruser

Seems a bit like a half hearted effort of a report.
However I will give some of them a go, together with my other powers of persuasion... I want a new TV that is currently £1500 down to £1200 at least.
Gonna take all my efforts on this bad boy!

Seca

Just bought a new patio set from Homebase. It was advertised at 129.99 reduced in sale to 110.00 is then i got vouchers through from home base 15 percent off making it 93.00 ish. Got to the store and the guys there eventually found a table and parasol in the stock room and 4 chairs slightly scratched. So I scratched my chin and thought ok haggle at the till.I did and got the whole set for £80.00 !!!! a saving of £50.00!!!! and its powder coated and I can get that done easy at work. Did not really look at the scratches because of this...... and when I got it home it was just dust and fibres from the packaging no scratches at al l!!!! Laughing as i write this and note to self .KEEP BEING ASSERTIVE !!!!