Well, right now I am looking to buya 5 string music man stingray or bongo bass. I know they are presently going at guitar center for about $800-$900. I have the money the only thing is I want to have a good wad of cash afterwords so I can buy a this used bass across the street in this pawn shop I saw. I want to try to talk the guys down to about $790-890 with a Hard Shell case and some GHS strings. How would you go about haggling on something that is already on megadiscount like this? How much do you think Guitar Center payed to get them?
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Haggling.
- Thread starter CaNaDaRoCkSoY
- Start date
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Do your homework.
-Go into the store with printouts or quotes from other retailers that are below their price...
Go in there and spend some time not only playing the instrument, but also looking over all the details of the instrument. MAKE NOTE of any problems...those are all discounts waiting to happen. Don't let on until you (in order)
1. work the 'other retailer' prices angle (have your proof ready)
2. work the 'this scratch, this ding, this squeeky tuner..." angle (get $ off the discount price)
3. work the "well I'm going to have to spend an extra X dollars to get this set up correctly angle.
4. DON'T mention any trades until you've got a bottom line price. THEN bring in your old gear.
As a side note, most retailers may not give you as much as you want on a discount, but they will sometimes make up for it in accessory booty. Strings, Strap, Cord, Etc...
-Go into the store with printouts or quotes from other retailers that are below their price...
Go in there and spend some time not only playing the instrument, but also looking over all the details of the instrument. MAKE NOTE of any problems...those are all discounts waiting to happen. Don't let on until you (in order)
1. work the 'other retailer' prices angle (have your proof ready)
2. work the 'this scratch, this ding, this squeeky tuner..." angle (get $ off the discount price)
3. work the "well I'm going to have to spend an extra X dollars to get this set up correctly angle.
4. DON'T mention any trades until you've got a bottom line price. THEN bring in your old gear.
As a side note, most retailers may not give you as much as you want on a discount, but they will sometimes make up for it in accessory booty. Strings, Strap, Cord, Etc...
One thing I found that works (for me, especially if I'm looking for a substantial discount) is to name my starting price First. If the salesperson states his price first its difficult for him to back off his position substantially without looking like a fool or a ripoff.
CaNaDaRoCkSoY said:
Been there, done that. You are in luck!
I just bought a Black Bongo 4HH. Really good price. Unfortunately, they will NOT budge on this. I've heard from sources that this is a price that is even LOWER than the cost they get it for. They were just offered some sideway type deals that encourages them to sell it, but the EBMM deals they are doing now (are there even any left?!) are ridiculously low. I'm not saying it IMPOSSIBLE...try it out! But believe me when I say I tried...OH HOW I TRIED. And I always get lower prices there when I usually do "my thang". Nope. Not this time. And I understand why. THIS THING ROCKS!!!!!!!!
Oh, and about the hardshell case, another dead end. I'm not sure if its the same with an SR5 or Sterling, but with the Bongo I bought, check the list price. Remember it and check the list price on that bass with case. Sometimes EBMM ship without case at a lower list price so that GC can sell it lower.
My advice
, if you are satisfied with the price enough, get to the point of ALMOST buying and ask to see the case IT COMES WITH (or so you think 
) to see how well it fits or whatever. Then, if they say that the case is extra say "WHAAAT? The case doesn't come with it? Oh, now I dunno, my budget is pretttttty tight right now...blah blah blah". I tried that. It ALMOST worked, but that was for a Bongo that wasn't supposed to come with one as I confirmed the list price was non-case. Who knows, your SR5 or whatever you are buying might!Any questions? Either way, you will love your new EBMM. The prices are pretty good already. Even better less discount! Good luck! Show us what you got after you make the deal!
-T
- Mar 22, 2005
- 3,718
- 6
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Lakland Basses
I have a good relationship with the guys here at my local guitar store. And all my high dollar items such as basses, amps, and cabs I try and buy from them.
I work as a salesman for a tractor dealership and I will tell you upfront that if you act like a dick to the salesman, they are DEFINITELY not going to go out of their way to sell you anything. 90% of the time the people who come in and try and negotiate prices over and over and over after you keep giving them the best price you can do, they are usually the ones that are just BSing.
If you want to get a good deal from a salesmen, you have to be respectful towards them. I saw someone earlier say that you need to ask them the best price they can do then when they come back give a disgusted look and ask again.........this is what you do if you DON"T want to get the best price possible, unless the salesman is really really desperate.
Businesses have to make money in order to keep their doors open, and now days local shops are struggling more than ever before because of the internet music stores......and you haggling them to death does nothing but piss them off, and make you look bad.
I work as a salesman for a tractor dealership and I will tell you upfront that if you act like a dick to the salesman, they are DEFINITELY not going to go out of their way to sell you anything. 90% of the time the people who come in and try and negotiate prices over and over and over after you keep giving them the best price you can do, they are usually the ones that are just BSing.
If you want to get a good deal from a salesmen, you have to be respectful towards them. I saw someone earlier say that you need to ask them the best price they can do then when they come back give a disgusted look and ask again.........this is what you do if you DON"T want to get the best price possible, unless the salesman is really really desperate.
Businesses have to make money in order to keep their doors open, and now days local shops are struggling more than ever before because of the internet music stores......and you haggling them to death does nothing but piss them off, and make you look bad.
- Mar 22, 2005
- 3,718
- 6
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Lakland Basses
Those chain music stores is the only place where an attitude like that has a possibility to work.......elsewhere if you act like that they really won't waste their time helping you....because in all reality it is a waste of their time.......they spend 2 hours with you and make even less money......where they can spend 30 min. helping many other customers who are a little less arrogant and are willing to negotiate a little but not trying to outright steal money out of the salesman and stores pockets.
sorry, your advice is the worst i've ever seen.
listen to this guy, he knows what he's talking about. i only ask one time what the best price they can give me, and if i think it's acceptable i'll take it otherwise i'll just go on and not waste anymore of my time or the salesmans time.
Maybe because I spent a couple years selling used cars I have a little different attitude or, maybe it is because I spent 30 years running my own business or maybe it is because most of my working life has been spent estimating values and sale prices for used goods.
First, I seldom buy from a chain store. I want service now and in the future, so I stick with stores with an owner / manager who has been in business for a while. There are 5 stores in Colorado that I do most of my music business with. I know the owners by sight and name. If its been a while since I've been in the shop they may not remember me at first, so I introduce myself, talk about what I'm interested in and get their help with sorting through their stock. I have often had people tell me that they have something coming in a few days later, or in the shop being repaired, or behind the counter and just came in a couple hours earlier, or the UPS truck left it and they haven't had time to stock it. They know that time is money and time spent gathering dust on the wall is money out of their pocket. I don't have to tell them that.
I never buy anything that I don't already have a good idea what a fair price is. Market value is not the same as cost. What they paid for something is irrelevant to what I am willing to pay. They may get a heck of a bargain and pass the savings on to me, or they may not tell me about the bargain and just pocket the extra cash. On the other hand, they may just want something out of the shop and suggest a price that represents a loss to them and a heck of a bargain for me. In 1968 I walked into the Alexandria Folklore Center in Virginia a noticed a 1941 Epiphone Deluxe guitar (similar to a Gibson L-5) I played it, liked it and had $800 cash in my wallet having just cashed my paycheck. I asked how much he wanted and he said, $175. I paid for it and on the way out the door I stopped and asked him why so little since I was sure it was a $300 to $400 guitar. He said he had just bought it a half an hour earlier for $75. He was happy (he had made 233% profit in a half an hour) and I was ecstatic.
On unusual items I frequently do the price research for a shop owner and suggest a price. For example a couple years ago a "closet classic" excellent condition 1954 Fender Dual Pro steel guitar came into a shop I deal with. I asked the price and the owner told me he had no idea. I told him I would do the research and came back a couple days later with several sales within the past couple years as well as several that were currently for sale around the country. There was a $200 spread in my conclusion of a reasonable price and I suggested the low end, in cash, that day. He agreed and I walked out the door. He might have said another person had offered him more and I would have believed him, but I wouldn't have offered more than the upper end of my value conclusion. Several months later the shop owner introduced me the the touring steel guitarist who he had also been talking with about that guitar. But I showed up with the research to support my price and the cash, so I ended up with it.
One shop I have dealt with regularly for the past several years never charges me retail for anything and never calculates the sales tax. The other day I asked about the price of a Hal Leonard book I wanted. The sticker was $22.95. The salesman said, "Give me $15.00". I looked in my wallet and I only had $13.00. He said, "Ok. Give me $13.00." I told him I would come back later and pay $15.00 and he said, "No. Just give me the $13.00, I want to close the shop and go home."
This is business. It is not a competition to see who is "most manly" or has the biggest ego. If you are blustering, threatening or just being a jerk I would expect the owner to at the least ask you to leave the shop and come back with a different attitude or maybe even call the cops. Sometimes I suggest a price that is outside the negotiating range of a saleman. That's fine. I suggest that he discuss it with the owner and let me know. If we don't make a deal, so what. Some instruments are outside my purchasing capacity and always will be. I will never own a real D'Angelico New Yorker guitar or a Dumble amp. There will always be other instruments and other deals.
First, I seldom buy from a chain store. I want service now and in the future, so I stick with stores with an owner / manager who has been in business for a while. There are 5 stores in Colorado that I do most of my music business with. I know the owners by sight and name. If its been a while since I've been in the shop they may not remember me at first, so I introduce myself, talk about what I'm interested in and get their help with sorting through their stock. I have often had people tell me that they have something coming in a few days later, or in the shop being repaired, or behind the counter and just came in a couple hours earlier, or the UPS truck left it and they haven't had time to stock it. They know that time is money and time spent gathering dust on the wall is money out of their pocket. I don't have to tell them that.
I never buy anything that I don't already have a good idea what a fair price is. Market value is not the same as cost. What they paid for something is irrelevant to what I am willing to pay. They may get a heck of a bargain and pass the savings on to me, or they may not tell me about the bargain and just pocket the extra cash. On the other hand, they may just want something out of the shop and suggest a price that represents a loss to them and a heck of a bargain for me. In 1968 I walked into the Alexandria Folklore Center in Virginia a noticed a 1941 Epiphone Deluxe guitar (similar to a Gibson L-5) I played it, liked it and had $800 cash in my wallet having just cashed my paycheck. I asked how much he wanted and he said, $175. I paid for it and on the way out the door I stopped and asked him why so little since I was sure it was a $300 to $400 guitar. He said he had just bought it a half an hour earlier for $75. He was happy (he had made 233% profit in a half an hour) and I was ecstatic.
On unusual items I frequently do the price research for a shop owner and suggest a price. For example a couple years ago a "closet classic" excellent condition 1954 Fender Dual Pro steel guitar came into a shop I deal with. I asked the price and the owner told me he had no idea. I told him I would do the research and came back a couple days later with several sales within the past couple years as well as several that were currently for sale around the country. There was a $200 spread in my conclusion of a reasonable price and I suggested the low end, in cash, that day. He agreed and I walked out the door. He might have said another person had offered him more and I would have believed him, but I wouldn't have offered more than the upper end of my value conclusion. Several months later the shop owner introduced me the the touring steel guitarist who he had also been talking with about that guitar. But I showed up with the research to support my price and the cash, so I ended up with it.
One shop I have dealt with regularly for the past several years never charges me retail for anything and never calculates the sales tax. The other day I asked about the price of a Hal Leonard book I wanted. The sticker was $22.95. The salesman said, "Give me $15.00". I looked in my wallet and I only had $13.00. He said, "Ok. Give me $13.00." I told him I would come back later and pay $15.00 and he said, "No. Just give me the $13.00, I want to close the shop and go home."
This is business. It is not a competition to see who is "most manly" or has the biggest ego. If you are blustering, threatening or just being a jerk I would expect the owner to at the least ask you to leave the shop and come back with a different attitude or maybe even call the cops. Sometimes I suggest a price that is outside the negotiating range of a saleman. That's fine. I suggest that he discuss it with the owner and let me know. If we don't make a deal, so what. Some instruments are outside my purchasing capacity and always will be. I will never own a real D'Angelico New Yorker guitar or a Dumble amp. There will always be other instruments and other deals.
I get crazy deals all the time. My haggling usually consists of:
"So, what'll ya take for it?"
I complete the deals I like (if possible... can't get them all) and pass on the ones I don't... no harm, no foul.
Developing relationships when possible is a great idea. I don't ask about stuff I'm not genuinely interested in, it wastes salespeople's time. I don't BS people, I either buy or don't buy but I never pretend I'm going to do anything I don't intend to do. If you don't have the funds to complete a transaction, why waste someone's time? When sellers know you're serious, they generally don't waste time getting to the bottom line.
The flip side of that is don't get so caught up that you can't say no when you should. Remember, you got up that morning without that item, chances are you can go to bed without it too
For people I do and don't know, knowing what I'm looking at is key. Know the market. It's hard to know a good deal if you don't know what a good deal is. Do the research.
I don't negotiate ridiculous deals down. When I was offered an F Bass BN6 for $1,000... end of discussion
Very clean Polytone MiniBrute III for $65? Shut up and pay the man
This is what's worked for me... and after hanging around me, my wife has become a crazy deal magnet too.
"So, what'll ya take for it?"
I complete the deals I like (if possible... can't get them all) and pass on the ones I don't... no harm, no foul.
Developing relationships when possible is a great idea. I don't ask about stuff I'm not genuinely interested in, it wastes salespeople's time. I don't BS people, I either buy or don't buy but I never pretend I'm going to do anything I don't intend to do. If you don't have the funds to complete a transaction, why waste someone's time? When sellers know you're serious, they generally don't waste time getting to the bottom line.
The flip side of that is don't get so caught up that you can't say no when you should. Remember, you got up that morning without that item, chances are you can go to bed without it too
For people I do and don't know, knowing what I'm looking at is key. Know the market. It's hard to know a good deal if you don't know what a good deal is. Do the research.
I don't negotiate ridiculous deals down. When I was offered an F Bass BN6 for $1,000... end of discussion
Very clean Polytone MiniBrute III for $65? Shut up and pay the man
This is what's worked for me... and after hanging around me, my wife has become a crazy deal magnet too.
