Haggling for prices

[michael_lowe3]

Hey guys,

 

So my friend just went to Guitar Center and bought some heavy duty speakers and haggled down the price from around 1000 to 850. I

realize speaker and sound equipment are in a different realm than Canon lenses, but I was just wondering if it was a) possible to haggle

with Canon distributors and b) is it socially acceptable? (I don't want to come off like a cheap-o, but i AM a student...)

 

I figure speakers and lenses are both heavy duty professional equipment so if you haggle prices for one, can you for the other?

[bobatkins]

Maybe at a local dealer, very unlikely from a major vendor (B&H, Adorama etc.)

[becks_panno]

Michael,

 

I am a large reatil store owner. My family has been in the reatil business for 54 years. We have a very prosperous business even in these poor financial times. There is Nothing, Absolutely Nothing wrong with trying to get a better price for something by way of verbal negotiations. It should be done with finesse though, and not by saying things in a brash or take or leave it manner.

 

Sometimes at the very least you can get a discount by paying cash (without paying the tax%). It never hurts to ask. If your tax rate is 7.00% you could say "if I pay cash can I save 7%". Anyone with a pulse will know what you are refering to without using the words No Tax.

 

Bob is correct with repectect to the large e-trade business (Amazon/B&H/Adorama etc.). However, your chances are better with the brick and mortar stores (your local photo shops).

[Charles_Webster]

I always ask "Is there a professional discount available?" It got me 15% off a lens at the local store a couple of years ago. But at that, the price was still a bit higher than B&H would have been w/o shipping.

 

<Chas>

[david_henderson]

Nothing wrong with asking IMO. Personally I got quite a large discount off a Nikon 9000 scanner by taking in a list of competitors prices and inviting the retailer to check them out, and I quite often try to buy two related items at the same time so it opens up a route to ask whether I can get a discount if I buy both here and now.

 

I think you have to target this though- I suspect that most staff in chain stores, or even the branch manager, may not have the authority to deal. Its best IMO to stick to stores where the owner is on site and where the item is in stock. In reality though I'm not sure you save vs the most competitive internet or telephone based outlets- your biggest real benefit might well be satisfaction in buying locally and the potential to walk out of the store with the item today.

[w_t1]

I printed out B&H's page/price on an item, took it into my local store Glazers, and they matched the price, which was about a 15% drop from their sticker

[scott_ferris]

I once spent $12,000 at B&H, they didn't even consider giving me a t-shirt, no interest in discounts at all, the price they say is the price you pay, well maybe if you negotiate a huge contract with them but nothing else. I would use them again though but I wish NY/all states could sort out the duty free/sales tax nonsense, I don't use any of the facilities in any state so don't see why I should contribute to it, most countries allow for this but the US doesn't.

 

Take care, Scott.

[chrisjb]

You never get what you don`t ask for.

 

When I managed a photostore, my best customers were the ones I gave a lil discount to, a free roll of film with a new camera brought them back for D&P a lil off the next roll and back for other items. most good retailers can pick a long term customer and look after them, I always price things in various places then go to the one I want with a price to pay, most times the store will oblige otherwise go to another, as per my first line and a friendly attitude it becomes easy practice :)

 

Good luck

 

Don`t work at the blasted garage for petro; tho...

[Jeff Lear]

I was always uncomfortable with asking but a couple years ago I knew what I wanted and found a familiar salesperson. I approached him with "what's the best price you can give me on the Canon 100-400?"... I had overheard someone at the local flea market use that line and felt that it was relatively benign. It worked, they sold me the lens for a few dollars less than B&H's online price and threw in a Hoya Pro UV filter. Now, whenever I go in they always say "let me see what I can do for you on that." Part of it is building a relationship with the store and it's employees, camaraderie means that you often don't even need to ask.