I don't mind any buyer asking me for a discount on any item unless
it's like $5 sticker price.
I've been a collectibles dealer since 1966 and it's just the name of the game
everyone likes to get a deal, or at least the perception of a deal
and on 95% of everything I sell that is retail stickered I'll almost
always take 10% off.. sometimes more and only rarely 5%. The higher
priced the item is generally where I discount the least. A $5000 item
is much more likely to achieve close to sticker than $5000 worth of $50 posters
All collectibles retailers have a built in cushion and I almost never
find someone who just pulls the item from a box and says "here's your
money" and frequently I even offer a lower price before even being
asked to. This is generally when I have an item that the buyer is
hesitating, or I have duplicates. I'm at wherever I am to make
sales.. not to take my merch home and if my profit margin is so close
that I can't offer a break.. then I'm paying too much for my merchandise
now if someone asks for a really large discount I just kindly turn
them down. Sometimes when asked if I take offers, I say "Make me an
offer I can turn down easily". It gets a laugh and it makes the buyer
think about what is fair.
Ultimately the perception of a bargain to the buyer is what can make
a long time customer, or a forgotten source of income that just
walked away from my table. On the rare occasion I can't dicker with
my item, I try to be as polite as possible and direct them to my
auctions with the words "I do weekly 99 cent auctions. This item may
turn up there eventually & maybe you'll get a bargain then"
Heck.. even car dealers are happy to bargain with you to make a
sale.. only places like the electric company or Exxon don't discount
for sales.. What kind of feelings do you folks harbor against those
companies I ask??
Rich
At 05:28 AM 5/31/2009, Franc wrote:
I don't haggle unless I'm spending at least $100 at someone's table.
I just think it's poor form. FRANC
-----Original Message-----
From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Scott Burns
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 8:36 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Cinevent--No Haggle Zone?
I must have just been unlucky that the dealers having what I wanted
to buy wouldn't haggle. I thought it odd since it had NEVER happened
before. As Rich pointed out, he would have haggled...but alas, no
items caught my eye on his table. Maybe next year Rich!
Personally I don't think it's out-of-line to offer 20 bucks for
something marked $25. One would assume that dealers build in a bit
of wiggle room since bargaining seems commonplace, if not expected.
Scott
----------
From: MoPo List On Behalf Of Franc
Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 8:21 PM
Subject: Re: [MOPO] Cinevent--No Haggle Zone?
Dealers must have known that I was upset by te smelly rooms, so they
treated me kindly allowed me to haggle. I didn;t notice any
difference this year in connection with the pricing and the
bargaining. Volume is the key. I personally get pissed off when
someone wants to buy one $25 item and offers me $20 or even $23. FRANC
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