Posts Tagged ‘Tactic’

Garage sale shopping is more than just a bargain treasure hunt for children. It turns out that learning how to haggle over the price of an item can be an excellent way of teaching children how to negotiate. Start by teaching your kids always to be respectful of the seller. A politely phrased question, such as “M’am, would you take a nickel for this doll?” is more likely to get an affirmative answer than whining or crying to Mom or Dad. Plus, it’s hard for some sellers to resist a cute youngster offering a shiny nickel for a teddy bear or a toy truck. Next, school your youngsters for a “no” reply in case you run into a Scrooge. Some people are going to be rude and it could just be because they had to get up so early to set up their garage sale. Make sure that the children are armed with a stock reply, such as “OK, I’ll ask my mom or dad about it.” It gives the child control over the situation so they aren’t frightened by rudeness. At the same time it alerts the seller that the child isn’t unaccompanied. Sometimes this tactic can result in the adults conducting the haggling but be sure to include the child in the conversation, such as, “Would 25 cents for this doll be OK with you, Susie?” Older children with particular interests, such as sports trading cards, stamp collecting, video games of all sorts, etc., should be encouraged to become experts in the value of their interests. In this way, an older child can often startle an adult seller into a better deal by demonstrating knowledge of the object’s value. Parents and older children also can become a haggling tag-team through observation. Children are much more observant than adults give them credit for being. Often for this very reason, children are less threatening observers than adults. Consequently children can watch their elders as they haggle over other purchases and give their parents valuable intelligence about how flexible a seller is. This creates a bond between parent and child, especially when their teamwork results in the purchase of a bargain of mutual value and benefit. The proudest moment of course will be when your youngster successfully conducts the negotiation for an item all by himself or herself. When this happens, and it will, you’ve scored a double success.

There’s a certain unspoken etiquette that goes along with haggling at a garage sale. Typically it is only learned by hard experience but there are a few tips that can start beginners off on the right foot.

First, always be friendly and respectful to the seller. Your chances of negotiating a bargain go down with every frown.

Second, be sure that it is OK to haggle with the seller. You could watch the seller interact with other buyers to determine how flexible he or she might be. A quicker way is simply to ask, “Are your prices negotiable?”

Third, do some research on the items you are seeking before you head out for the garage sale. If you have some sense of what the item sells for, both new and secondhand, then you can offer a reasonable lower price. Don’t forget that the seller needs and deserves to make some profit.

Consider using these phrases or something similar but remember to always deliver them in a friendly tone. Practice in front of a mirror if you usually sound too confrontational or rude.

• “Have you noticed this crack? I’ll give you half since it’s damaged.”
• “I’m sorry; I simply cannot afford to pay that price.”
• “That must be the tourist rate. So what’s the real price?”
• “No thank you, it’s just too expensive.”
• “I’ll think about it and come back later.” Be aware that this tactic could result in item being snatched up by another buyer before you return.
• “What’s your best price for this?”

Some buyers like to examine an item, put it down and then come back later. This variation on one of the above phrases can work but again you risk the item being purchased by someone else in the meantime.

Among other haggling tactics, watch out for unmarked items. Usually the seller wants you to make an offer in this case, so don’t volunteer a price. Ask the seller for his or her price for the item. Often what they are asking is less than what you would have offered.

When you find something you want that’s listed for 25 cents or less, don’t insult your seller by haggling over something this cheap. If you can’t afford something for a quarter, you shouldn’t be out shopping.