haggle

[luvin_tubin_sqezin]

You got a great deal.

I don't understand why you say.."a reputable dealer can be worth a couple extra dollars in the long run."

this guy save you $2K upfront.  

It was just advise to the original author of the post....more for him I guess to focus less on a few hundred dollars and more on the dealer seeing as you will have a long term relationship with them.  My dealer has a very good rep also and had we paid more, we would have still thought it was a good deal.....

[jsimo7]

Steve is correct being able to "haggle" depends on many things a customer should have done first. The dealer does not want you to ask for discount, free accessories, ect.  if you are not ready to buy now, if he has given you a fair price. He will appreciate your offer much more if you are truly ready to buy and make a statement something like "I will buy right now if you do this accessory or whatever". I don't feel it is bad make a fair offer AFTER you know what a fair offer is, but you must follow through and complete the purchase if he is willing to do what you asked him to do, or you should  be somewhat flexible if he counters you with something close. Making a unfair offer and not being ready to buy will hurt your relationship with the dealer. I will never make a offer until I'm ready to buy now.

[Tatooed_Lady]

I agree.....I'm willing to pay a bit more for the same product (or jump a level or two HIGHER) if the person selling the product that I'm looking at is a "decent" sort, and can make me feel comfortable about the money spent...my hubby is the same way.

[Wisoki]

$5000 in cash shouldn't make a bit of difference. A reputable dealer collects and pays sales tax. A dealer that shaves will soon no longer be a dealer. The 2 or 300 he can put in his pocet now is meaningless over the course of a year. The customers perception that cash speaks louder than a check or credit card is just that, a perception. It all spends the same in the end.

If you go to that dealer with 50 $100 dollar bills you will get the deal with a coverlift and probably save a couple bucks in tax.

When negotiating, make sure you are in their office and not on the sales floor and lay the cash in front of the salesperson.  Trust me they won’t walk away from the deal, but you need to be willing.  

I believe someone on this forum did this.

[Chris_H]

Wisoki,

I am in complete agreement with you because $300 dollars doesn’t mean much over the course of a year for the dealer, but $300 dollars for a consumer could be a make or break decision.  I am sure you lost a sale or two because the guy down the road was $300 less.  

However, it is salesmanship.  Lay the money in front of them and make the dealer say “No” to the deal.  My argument is that it is extremely difficult to say no to 50 $100 dollar bills, but pretty easy to say no to a credit card or check.  

Chris

[jsimo7]

Credit cards cost form 3/4% to3% depending on volume of sales through the credit card co. So 2% of 5000 is 100.00 cost to the merchant. You shouldn't expect to save 300 for cash when a credit card cost is 100

[Guzz]

Steve is correct being able to "haggle" depends on many things a customer should have done first. The dealer does not want you to ask for discount, free accessories, ect.  if you are not ready to buy now, if he has given you a fair price. He will appreciate your offer much more if you are truly ready to buy and make a statement something like "I will buy right now if you do this accessory or whatever". I don't feel it is bad make a fair offer AFTER you know what a fair offer is, but you must follow through and complete the purchase if he is willing to do what you asked him to do, or you should  be somewhat flexible if he counters you with something close. Making a unfair offer and not being ready to buy will hurt your relationship with the dealer. I will never make a offer until I'm ready to buy now.

I agree, I hate it when you come to an agreement with a customer only for them to then move the goal posts. You can't negotiate with someone who does that.

[East_TX_Spa]

Reciprocity.

"If you are able to take delivery by the end of the week, I'll go ahead and include the cover lifter.  How does that sound?"

You scratch my leg and I'll scratch yours.

Terminator

[TN__HOT_TUB]

My wife isn't particularly blown away by the dealer.  I've visited their showroom 4 times.  My wife visited twice and did not have a pleasant experience either time.  Granted, we had our two small kids with us.

I visited on a Saturday...met the sales guy and browsed the showroom.  He said they were running a sale next week.  I returned on Monday with wife and kids...sales guy was with somebody, said hello and then carried on.  Twenty minutes later, we walked out of the showroom without even saying goodbye. I think i would have sent somebody else over to us to once again say hello...especially since there were about 5 other folks working there (i'm sure they we'ren't sales staff...but come on).

Wife, kids, and I returned Wednesday afternoon and asked for "Joe."  The other sales guy, "Bob" said he wasn't there.  We browsed the showroom again...climbing in and out of various tubs.  "Bob" was not all that friendly.  I guess since I asked for "Joe" he knew he wouldn't be collecting a sales commission for assisting us.  Finding out about the tubs, was almost like pulling teeth..."Bob" was definitely not excited about having us there.  Twenty minutes later, we left. Wife does not want to go back.

I returned a few days later, alone.  "Joe" was there and was quite helpful (I wish my wife and kids had been there this time).  "Joe" gave me a price quote and here we are.

Trust me, I haven't been a jerk...I haven't wasted anybody's time or hammered anybody about anything.  I'd think it would be clear to them that I'm quite interested in a hot tub (4 seperate visits in two weeks...i was even crazy enough to bring my two kids twice). When you guys speak of all this wonderful dealer relationship...I wonder how anxious they'll be to help and/or service me after they've got my money? Right now they aren't exactly jumping at the bit to collect that money of mine.

I just called "Joe" and left my phone number for him to call me back.  Let's hope he does.  Rest assured, I'm anxious to start a relationship...I just don't know if they are.

there's the phone...gotta go

[shabba34]

Huh. I guess I come across differntly in the written word than in person.    

I'm a great  customer and will "haggle" and bargin and shop around, but I'm not an a-hole about it. There is a thing called tact, and it's about dealing with salesfolks in a polite manner that allows you to deal, but not be combative, or try to nickle and dime the seller.


 Haggleing isn't necessaryly a diryt word.   Shop around, know what  the competive prices are.  When your ready to make a deal, then deal.  Ask what's the best price they can do, and since, if you've done your homework, you'll know if the seller is being forthright.  Look at the prices of all the items included seperatley and bundled.   It's all about creating a relationship with the dealer and getting a square deal.  Asking about it and investigating it is part of the process.  

It's the customers that think haggeling has to be a aggresive, or beating the dealer situation that is wrong.

Perhaps a nicer word would be "negotating your best deal".

How's that sound?
 

 

Drewstar, I was talking about you making a joke on the hammer me and hammer me part.

[TN__HOT_TUB]

I'll keep this one short.

Good news folks. He did call back.  He IS going to work with me on an accessory or two.  He even advised me on which accessories I ought to look into and which ones I ought to save my money on.

Wet test scheduled for tomorrow. Unless we drown in the tub, I think we'll place our order.