QUICK DISCLAIMER: All views & OPINIONS expressed in Matt's Column are his own and the topics are that of his own choice. Comments are welcome below, however please make them relevant to the topic only.
I can’t say I have ever had the nerve to haggle for anything in my entire life! If a shopkeeper sets a price then that’s how much I pay, if I’m on a market stall and the man/woman behind the stand sets the price... then that’s how much I pay. My dad, however, has done me proud many times by his consistent haggling skills and managing in the end to come out with an out and out bargain!
I always see it as embarrassing. I can quite happily tell my dad that I would like him to get something cheaper for me, but if he attempts then I am nowhere to be seen due to sheer embarrassment!
Financial times are hard these days and many people want as much value for money as they possibly can, however, of course also it needs to be a fair rate which shall see either shop keepers or stall holders still be in profit at the end of it. After all of course, the demise of the high street is already clearly apparent!
The Sun newspaper reporter Louis Wood went round some independent business to try and get a bargain with his hard earned cash! Using tactics such as pulling out money from his Dell Boy like jeans and stating “I have no more” or even the walk off tactic, somehow playing mental games with the shop keeper into making him/her think that they NEED a sale! How on earth do these people hold their nerve?
High Street chain BrightHouse have said that recently, more than ever they see more people come into the stores trying to get themselves a deal.
Boss Leo McKee says: "People are haggling much, much more than they ever did before. It seems to be a new trend."
Reporter Louis Wood headed into a Butchers for a 11kg Gammon Joint which should have been £77, after haggling tactics of the reporter holding his nerve stating he only had £50 on him... the butcher Peter Sargent reluctantly agrees to the sale. He said:
"People are trying it all the time though usually just on something small like a sausage.
"With this sale, I could afford to let it go for £50 but not much less."
Overall a respectable saving of £27!
Testing his haggling skills again, Louis Wood, this time tries to haggle the latest Blackberry smart phone (model 9860)
In Carphone Warehouse the flashy 9860 model is selling for £449.95 but the Mobile Inn, an independent retailer, offer him one for £400.
After dramatically threatening to walk out when his offer of £350 is refused – caused a swift rethink and a sale agreement.
Salesman Mr Khan chuckles when it was explained of the experiment saying:
"It's become more and more common for people to haggle. I'm only actually making about £20 out of this sale, so it's hard for us."
Overall saving of £50 on the latest bit of technological kit!
Is this the norm? The bear face cheek of it! maybe its more a Northern thing in wanting to barter at every opportunity? I just couldn’t... surely this doesn’t happen all the time does it?
I can understand of course at the likes of a car boot sale or an antiques fair. Market stalls or independent businesses though, certainly not! Of course this wouldn’t happen in the likes of Tesco or ASDA, as they of course however, have their own “cheaper” brands which I suspect rules out the need for bartering. Saying that, I am aware of somebody who managed to barter the price of a video game in ASDA, therefore contradicts my previous point... though surely an irregular occurrence? You couldn't play with prices on your weekly shop at the tills could you? It would probably be far too much faff for the cashiers anyway. I like a good bargain, but I think any bartering I want doing, I shall leave to the embarrassment of my father! As I’m afraid I can simply not envisage myself trying to barter with a Butcher, a Baker or even a Candlestick maker!
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