Hi everyone,

I have done a few "luxury watch" shops in the past, and am looking to grab a few more in the near future. They pay very well and I really like looking at the fancy, expensive toys. That being said, I learned something new on these- that you can actually "talk down" the price at these fancy stores. Who knew?

My question is for those of you who have done this. Any advice on clever, subtle ways to bring up the negotiation process, or continue to talk them down after they've lowered the price once for you? Every time I've done it thus far, I've felt so embarrassed even asking.

Thanks for the advice!

JDFG

Is this for part of your shop or are you thinking of buying one yourself?

I have done Cartier (and many other upscale watch shops) and saw a diamond watch for a mere $44,000. I wouldn't think of bargaining down. The instructions do not say anything about it. They do offer no interest financing and lifetime warranty. I "might" ask if they ever have promotions, but not on that watch, just in general. Sometime's they'll take 10% off but that's it. What price range were you talking about.

I have performed luxury watch evaluations where the scenario specifically requires the shopper to bargain down the price as much as possible. The client wished to see what type of markdowns were being offered on their line. These watches sold in the $10,000 to $15,000 range.

Hi all,

This is for a shop- I can only dream about spending that kind of money on myself at this point!!

I've done two of these shops and both asked me to bargain one "round". This latest set of shops I'm considering wants me to bargain as far as I can, at least three rounds of negotiation. Apparently this is possible no matter what brand, but some brands will be willing to go down more than others. It's just so plain awkward asking for it, because our society does not usually do bargaining. I'm just wondering what approaches you all took to not get spotted as a shopper. I'm told they're very watchful for us "consumer spies"!!

Truly,

jdfg

I haven't performed any of the watch shops, but I negotiate LOTS of prices in a variety of places.

In the grocery store, when they have, for example, bacon marked down because it's close to the sell by date. It may have originally been $4.99 & it's now marked $2.99. I will count them in the display case & let the meat manager know that he has 40 packages of bacon & I'll take them all for $40. As long as I get them in my freezer. Sometimes he'll do it and sometimes he won't. But, I'm not afraid to ask & it gives me confidence in other confrontational situations. I consider it good practice.

I've also negotiated things in places like Sears (before Kmart bought them...it's much tougher to do now).

I consider price tags as "suggestions." I don't mind asking if there are any discounts available or if I can help clean out their expiring inventory.

Good luck!

I know for watches where they state a price of 1,000 to 5,000...they do ask you to see if they offer a discount (that is pre-set). I don't call that bargaining down, and think too much would tip them off. Folks looking for a nice watch, really don't go there. I'm the world's best bargainer, but know where and when. I'm actually shopping for a new dishwasher and would love to get a bargain, but in Sears, or established stores, I think it's a no no....and never have I in a grocery store, as it's not up to the clerk and would seem embarassing for a few cents. My short answer to you JDFG is to ask if they're giving a discount, or would it be better to wait till after the holidays for my purchase.

I'm with Joytron that I negotiate in real life. Unfortunately a 'take them all' approach won't work with a watch shop :^)

My significant other wears an $800+ list price watch that we negotiated to $200 by double teaming. His 'first choice' watch was a $600 and I objected, so they led him to the 'clearance' case where the $800+ watch was reduced to $750 or so. Wearing my $10 Walmart watch, I objected to the use of 'our' funds for something that won't keep time any better than my Walmart. Thus the negotiations began. When they were down to about $400 I said it was ridiculous, I could see no reason to pay more than $200 for a fancy watch. So $200 it was (plus, of course tax). And the watch has given him nothing but problems. It has a custom band that loses pins every 6-8 months and needs to be returned to the factory for repair because the thing is so darn 'custom'. They can't even replace the band with a more standard one because it is so darn 'custom'.

You won't be given the opportunity to double team on a shop, probably, but "My husband/wife would kill me if I spent that much!" has always been a spectacular negotiating tool when I am by myself.

I agree Flash...my SO would kill me, but I do love it, might work a bit (maybe). I bought a $275.00 dress at Macy's marked down to $17.00 with coupons and another 50% off and such, and didn't have to play the game. When MSing, I think it a giveaway, because those uppity shops aren't really used to that, but, anything is possible (don't get caught). They have their prices pretty set in watch shops, remember your not bartering with an owner of a Kiosk, and their Manager will be brought in, and then when you don't buy it (what next)?personally you can do better at Macy's. Today's economy does leave things open. I did a Diamond shop and there was room to negogiate on a lesser brand name made in Canada. Going to an off brand might help the negogiation. Name brands charge for the name, not necessarily the greatness of the product.
Yesterday I bought a new watch for $12.00 at Kohl's, if it last a couple years, I'm good with that, would love a Cartier.

edited to say: this is a great thread, let's expand to negogiations on everything without starting a new thread...see, I'm saving space.....



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2010 05:38PM by Irene_L.A..

The point is that it is only the Nouveau Riche who do not negotiate. Back before I retired it was not unusual that my old money rich bought Jaguars and Lexuses for their families at outrageous discounts while my new money rich were going into debt for the showpiece. The old money rich have the money because they have learned how to hang onto it while getting what they want.

This is fantastic, and a very interesting comment on cultural history. When I'm not a MS, I'm a history teacher, and I have never thought about this, but it is so true. One thing I've learned as a MS is that "it never hurts to ask." I used to think it was so brazen, but from doing these shops I've learned that certain industries expect it. Still doesn't take away the nervousness in actually asking for it.

When I've visited foreign country markets, I never get squeamish about it. Maybe because there it's culturally expected. There the problem is not going too far and becoming the "ugly American", realizing that people there are selling their wares to eat and survive. But, when we're dealing with $20,000 watches, the perspective changes.

OK, philosophizing aside, thanks for the advice! Let's keep it going, and also share other ways to get deals out there!!

I have friends out of work and retired, they don't know how to negotiate and never will, too much pride...they just don't buy. The smart shopper will always look for a good deal. My cousin drives a Lexus, but still loves a bargan, but not to my degree...she must have name brands I always loved getting a good product on sale, since I was a young girl, married, and now alone. The old rich is not what is once was, with interest rates this low, and not that much $$ coming in, everyone wants a good deal, but not everyone knows how to get one. That's what makes us shoppers.

Other than negotiating, I still LOVE to combine bargains with my MSing.

Last week, I performed a few grocery mystery shops, which are my favorite. I did the shop, but also made two other purchases on separate receipts. The first was a 15' swimming pool that my Mother had been wanting. She actually bought one around Labor Day for the clearance price of $125. But, over the weekend they were $75. I called her & she wanted another for spare parts. Then, when walking around the store, I found a 3.5 cubic foot refrigerator. The sticker price said $70, but I had them scan the UPC and found that it was only $42. It's perfect because I've been wanting another fridge for the basement. Why, you ask? Because I keep getting blocks of Kraft cheese at Meijer (not a MS) for 17 cents each!!! I need the space and the $42 fridge is a great find.

I had to hurry home & unload though. It was the beginning of a 4-store route and with a swimming pool and fridge in my vehicle, I wasn't going to be able to fit anything else in.

So, I do negotiate lots of things. But, I also recognize when a deal is great & I seize it.

Hmm,let's see. My college student son loses a couple of credit cards and a couple of cell phones annually. I think a $20,000 watch would be pefect for his birthday.

Yes, there is a spare refrigerator in the garage that is used as less active storage for bargains. There are 'unintended' bargains in there as well 'finds', such as when I went through Walmart and there was an obvious misprice. I called it to the cashier's attention and her reaction was, with some annoyance, "That is what it rings, so that is what it costs!" So I took my purchases to the car, thought about how much freezer room there was in the garage refrigerator and went back to purchase about 30# of our favorite Italian sausage at about 24 cents a pound instead of the usual $2.39 per pound. Same cashier didn't even question it when I came through with every package in the case and paid under $10 total.

But back to topic, negotiating is the way of life in much of the world and is very much an outgrowth of the barter system. The growth of larger stores that just hire peons to run the registers is why the US has 'fixed prices' as a cultural standard. "That is what it costs, take it or leave it," is by far a minority of the world's sales. High ticket items generally have very very high profit margins and even very heavily discounted there is plenty of profit in them to keep a store well stocked and profitable with few sales. When it comes down to it, as long as a sale is still profitable or it disposes of goods that are not turning over, it is in the interest of the merchant to negotiate.

We were at the state fair a couple of weeks ago. There was a booth with items from Africa. They are purchased straight from the people who make them and I thought that was great as a means of supporting them. Beautiful items at not outrageous prices. My daughter got a one of a kind snake skin purse (it's so cool!) for about $55. Her boyfriend got a collectible knife, not sure how much he paid. I fell in love with this beautiful bracelet for $24. Didn't get it, but couldn't get it out of my mind either. After seeing all of the fair, we returned to the booth, and it was still there (it was also one of a kind). The native African tending the booth, said, "it is calling your name. How about if I give it to you for $20?) Now it would probably never occurred to me to bargain. He said to me, "that's right, in your country you don't barter." I love my new bracelet.

Oh and I got a new washer two weeks ago. The delivery team had a new guy, first day on the job, and he dents the front of the washer by hitting my daughter's car mirror. He hides, while the experienced guy apologizes and tells me I can have 10% off or a new one. I said I would think about it. So the washer was on sale for $529, I believe. I called the delivery manager about it. He said, "how about $75 off?" I said, "how about $100?" and he said sure. Then my sales person calls to apologize and to get my credit card info to return and reprice. I explain how it happened, that the car mirror was hit and there was some white paint left on it. So he says, "did you ask for anything off for that? We can send someone out there to look at it." I hadn't even thought of that, it was so minor, so I said," oh, it's not worth it to have someone come out. How about another $25 for that?" Sure, he says, and I notice that when I receive the new receipt it was actually $30. So $130 off, the state of WA is offering a $150 rebate for purchasing a new high efficiency washer and there is some other rebate I think for $75. So a washer originally priced $699 is now I think less than $200 with one tiny dent I hardly notice. I'm happy, and it works terrific and it is so quiet! Yah!

jdfg, I've done two of these. In both cases, I've asked them if they can do better on the price, or if they offer any discounts. Both times, the associate smiled and politely said no. It was really easy. However, in one of these cases, the associate told me about a trade-in program that could reduce the price of the watch, and also offered to see if they could find a used watch for sale in the database. (They keep a registry of that sort of thing.) Your situation sounds like you CAN negotiate, but for the ones I did, I think the objective was more about integrity, politeness and trying to make the sale work without offering a straight discount. At any rate, I don't think it's a big deal to ask if they can do better on the price or have any type of discount. Don't worry!

Thanks, nicelytwicely!! I appreciate it!

In her younger days my mother was friends with very well known names of old family money. They would question the price of everything, not rudely or coarsly, but everything but tips (although some of them could be cheap about tips). Jet planes, luxury furs, cruises, paper napkins, drug store reading glasses (ask for the manager - I'm a regular customer, and I think I saw these for less at competitors) Or I'm visiting from out of town and I'd love to mention your store to all my friends who visit your city. I'd like to buy this $39,000 watch for my Dad, but he'd just scold me if I paid more than half that. I really love the diamond studded cigarette lighter, could you let me have it for X dollars --- well then could you make me one with cz stones? The one I loved was "I see you have an early bird special on the menu and that it ended five hours ago, but I'd just love to have it at that price now, could you take care of that for me? Well of course I'd love to speak to your manager."
One of the girls told me, just because we have money doesn't mean we like to be taken advantage of.

Fabulous!!