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Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
47909 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 9:59 AM
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Nov 08, 2009 8:04 am) Lets put it this way $75K may be a very reasonable price for a base 2010 Land Rover Range Rover with no options but its not affordable for me. Or $25K is an affordable price for me for a car but not a reasonable price for say a Honda Fit. In short affordable is the ability to pay, reasonable is the willingness to pay. |
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Replying to: tallman1 (Nov 08, 2009 8:55 am) Fair enough...that is reasonable. I kind of test people first. I walk in to the dealership, I say I want a new XYZ5000 with leather a/c and bum warmers. Salesperson says, that car lists for $30k but lets see what we can do. I am Ok with that. If he says that car is $30k, let's write it up. I have lost my trust. I don't think he is necessarily dishonest - but I don't think he is acting on my behalf and I'd rather go somewhere else. I don't mind someone trying to get full retail, but if I know that is unreasonable based on the type of car, I'll try somewhere else. That salesman has failed my little test. |
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Nov 08, 2009 7:30 am) Example. I had a bowflex on craigs list - lots of interest and lots of very low offers - there is a lot more exercise equipment out there. Cheap TV - worth get rid of fast price $20 - asked $30 (again planning on haggle factor) and people bought it for the full $30. Either way I think the difference here is that Driver is talking about grinding on price as compared to straight forward negotiation. So when high price A is presented along with strong arm tactics - it is a stupid price - however if price A is offered with an indication that open negotiation is there it is a good starting point. BTW, I agree - High price A with strong arm tactics = me saying thanks and good luck with that... Ah Driver - I did not see your last post, I think we are in agreement here though...
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Replying to: graphicguy (Nov 08, 2009 6:50 am) That's exactly how it's gone for me the last few dealers I've gone in to. After I make my firm offer, in a professional manner BTW, they start out by asking me to go in to great detail how I arrived at my figure, then go in to all kinds of stories how I was wrong and I need to pay more. Keep in mind, here in central Florida (home of the $699 dealer fee) it's become a cess pool. It usually takes me repeating myself 3-4 times, sometimes more, each time my stress level is increasing, before they finally get the message. Sometimes I walk out empty handed, but other times I'm successful. They clearly didn't believe me the first time I said my offer was firm. I've even tried the email and phone approach but get "come on in and we'll talk about it". The grinding can come from both parties. |
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Replying to: driver100 (Nov 08, 2009 5:55 am) I say the price is $XXXXX (MSRP), you say you're not paying MSRP. I say make me an offer then, and we start negotiations. I am not going to drop my MSRP for you, hoping I'll randomly hit some magical number in your head. If you have a target price, you name it and I'll see if it's doable. I told customers before that who sit down and tell me to offer them a price.  Right away I'll tell them: My offer is MSRP what's yours? I'm not playing poker with you, trying to figure out what price you have in your head or in your tightly folded piece of paper you're holding close to your chest. We're asking MSRP, if you'd like to make an offer lower than that please feel free to do so.
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Replying to: isellhondas (Nov 07, 2009 4:48 pm) I happen to agree with the sales folks on this one. If you don't ask, you don't get. Years ago I was selling an old Chevy for $950. I thought it was worth $950 and didn't build any "haggle room" into the price. Everyone who came to look offered less than I was asking even though my price was already pretty low. I of course was offended by the low balls and wouldn't budge. After a few week I was just about ready to give up and sell it to the high offer  $750. While I was waiting for him to call me back a guy came in and paid my asking price without argument. What I learned: Almost everybody wants it cheaper no matter what the price. There is usually some person who is different than "almost everybody" who will pay full price. The only thing I'm still not clear on is why many dealerships bump the asking price of used cars up so high that it scares people off? That one guy in a hundred can't be buying that many cars. |
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Nov 08, 2009 8:04 am) I think of "affordable" as being what the customer CAN pay. He might pay more. Example: Joe Blow can afford Car A but would prefer Car B. Rather than buying Car A, he goes into his savings or borrows more money to buy Car B. Many people buy more car than they actually can afford. Just my 2 cents: I'm not asking any salesman the price of a car until I decide on the car that I want. Why would I waste my time and his? There is one exception. Car A may come in two option packages. I might ask the price difference between the two. Richard
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Replying to: richard64 (Nov 08, 2009 12:15 pm) 
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Replying to: snakeweasel (Nov 08, 2009 7:26 am) The house across the street from us sold for $10K more than the asking price. My van sold for $50 less than I offered. (that should have told me something). 
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Replying to: murphydog (Nov 08, 2009 11:02 am) Exactly, I don't have the gtime or patience for the dance. Give me your MSRP or a more realistic price...I don't care. You will get more respect from me if you start out lower, because you are giving me credit for not being a bumpkin who thinks people would actually pay full Retail. If you want to give me full retail price (and have your fingers crossed under the desk hoping I'll take it at that price), I might buy from you, but you'll have to get real very fast. Murph, I think people expect to haggle with craiglist. I think someone who knows how the car game works knows you don't pay full retail very often.` Driver is talking about grinding on price as compared to straight forward negotiation. That's a good point. I negotiate all day long on many issues, and that is part of the process. Grinding I don't have the time or patience, let's get down to business. Don't wear me out so I don't have the energy to get to your competitor...I think that is another sales tactic that is used. We spend maybe $100000 on trucking every year. Am I going to change carriers for 5% discount, or even 10%....no, I'd be changing every week. If someone can save me half then we are talking. That has actually happened....and that is why I'll listen to any pitch, but it better be good for me to change.
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