(F) Haggling and Tactics

In the last class, we learnt some tactics that are used when a person simply wants to win or to counter such a person.

1.    Exaggerated First Offer

2.    Speed Ups

3.    Delays

4.    Drawing Lines

5.    Creating Competition

6.    Concessions

7.    Investment

8.    Authority Limits

I was a little surprised that many of my class mates said that they've never haggled!:o I think it's quite popular in Kansai area, especially in Osaka.

Since I was a little child, I had seen my father haggling, often in a mass home electronics retailer. At the time, I saw both my father and a shop assistant using some of the tactics mentioned above.

For example...

When my father was planning to buy a new printer and talking with a salesman, my father said to him "Though my memory may be wrong, but I think...I remember that ●●(the name of a different rival shop) was selling this at lower price." =Creating Competition

After some conversations, my father suggested a certain price and then the salesman said "Ummm...I'm sorry, but I'll go to speak with my manager about this."=Authority Limits

Some minutes later, he came back, and suggested a new price saying "Sorry, this is our bottom line." =Drawing Lines. It was a bit higher than what my father suggested but lower than the original price.

Also, he said, "Although we can't go any lower than this, we will give you a set of copy papers and photo papers." =Concessions

Finally, my father bought the printer at the price that the salesman suggested, with making use of a discount coupon which can only be used at the shop (further discount!!).

And I did a very similar conversation with a shop assistant when I bought my new printer in Tokyo. At that time however, I didn't know that it's very rare to haggle here, so I'm a bit ashamed if people around me thought I was a strange girl...X(