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Haggling Makes A Comeback

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Mar 30, 2009 10:07 pm US/Mountain

Haggling Makes A Comeback

Good Question: When is it okay to haggle?

Written by Alan Gionet
Reporting
Alan Gionet
DENVER (CBS4) ― "Sometimes I do say I'm a regular customer, I come in here a lot," said Beth Nelson during a visit to the store-closing sale at Baudine's in Tamarac Square in Denver. It's one of the techniques that can help make haggling work.

There's word going around about new life to haggling with the recession. We're used to it at car dealerships and antique stores.

"I would say most people have fun with it and they're not bitter about it," said Del Hurd of Red's Antique Galleries on Evans.

They even have a sign encouraging people to make an offer. Hurd says he doesn't try to read how much money people may have.

"A lot of it has to do with how we bought (it); maybe what we have in it," Hurd said.

Fancy clothes or an expensive watch on their wrist don't make much difference when he's having a back-and-forth over an item.

"You never know what's in their pocket."

Janet Simons, the editor of bestcoloradodeals.com, points out that haggling is worth a try.

"Well first of all you need to remember that adage that if you don't ask, the answer is always going to be no," Simons said.

But Simons says you have to realize you're not in a great bargaining position.

"This isn't a negotiation. You don't have anything to negotiate with" Simons said.

"I've learned to be nice and then say, 'Well, could you give me a little off,' or, 'I noticed that this had a little tear,'" Nelson said.

"If there's something wrong with them I go to the register and see if I can get 10 percent off," said shopper Cecille Torres. "Most of the time they give it to me."

Stores like T.J. Maxx and Marshalls admit they will give a little off when the time is right.

"And then if places like Macy's are having a sale or something, they'll take it down because they're getting rid of inventory," Nelson said.

Aimee LaBaugh, owner of Baudine's Shoes, says she's not yet ready to haggle, even though her store is closing soon.

"You know it's a tough environment for everyone. If we could haggle with our vendors, then I would be more than happy to pass that along to the customers," LaBaugh said.

She says the closer it comes to the day she shuts the doors, the more likely she will be to haggle.

"As time goes on and as the inventory gets lower and the sizes are kind of broken, that's when we can really start talking deals," LaBaugh said.

CBS4 asked how to haggle.

"How you would talk to me is, 'Hey, there's only a pair left of this style and it's in my size and the price is X and then maybe we'll talk a deal," LaBaugh said.

You can also look at the price of hotel rooms. CBS4 checked prices online, then called around to try to get a better deal.

"You know where the hotel is and you know what hotel it is and you've got their phone number," Simons said. "And you can call and say you know this is the price that I got from whatever ... if those sites are getting money, which one assumes they are, then probably."

Arm yourself with this information and you may be a little bolder. Simons says overall you need to remember it should be fun. View it like recreation.

"If it's no fun for you and you hate it and you just want to walk out of a store as soon as you walk in, then it's not worth your time," Simons said.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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