It’s no secret that I enjoy haggling. I have written a great deal on it, and even been interviewed by Forbes about it; but this last week I was interviewed by a local Television station about haggling, and this new experience prompted me to develop some good faith rules to haggling.

Why develop rules for something that is essentially every man for himself? Because with the economy where it is, the consumer has great power, and as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility. So if you want to be a responsible haggler, try out the rules below.

  • No Lying.  Remember that salespeople CAN get in trouble by lowering a price for you, so your lie could potentially get a person fired. Plus it’s just bad karma.
  • Don’t haggle unless you are prepared to buy. If you spend time haggling with a salesperson, you had better be prepared to buy when you get your price. If he agrees to your price and you don’t buy, you are flat out wasting his time when he could be selling to other people at higher margins. Plus your chances of being able to work with him again drops and he is less likely to budge on price with other people because it didn’t get him a sale.
  • Walk if you don’t get your price. If you are trying to haggle and it doesn’t work you should thank the person for the time, accept it and leave. Haggling doesn’t always work, but if it doesn’t work and you purchase anyway, you are accepting defeat.
  • Be courteous. Remember, no one owes you anything other than to let you buy the product at it’s marked price. Buying in a retail store is not like buying a car, where you constantly feel like they are trying to gouge you. Being civil and fair is the key, so don’t be pushy and always be grateful, even if it is thanking the person for their time when you leave.
  • Be a good customer. If someone gives you a good deal, let them know that their faith in you was not misplaced. Go back to that person the next time you shop, but still expect another deal. Also, don’t haggle with the person every time, you don’t want the guy that really hooked you up to dread seeing your face again because you are going to try and milk another deal. Relationships are always key in haggling.
  • Remember that you don’t always need to haggle to get a good deal. There are many ways, aside from haggling to get a great deal. Check out Secrets of a Bargain Hunter to find out how!

These rules may not only be key in helping you get your price, but they also ensure that the salesperson doesn’t have a bad experience with someone trying to haggle.

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