Haggling Techniques

L

Leofan7

CAG Veteran
Hi everyone. This is my first time here, and I hope to have a great time. I just got my hands on a DS a few weeks ago after temporarily leaving the video game console money-pit a few years ago. Whenever I go shopping for video games, I wince at the sight of people dropping sometimes over a thousand dollars for a overkill console and sub-par, overhyped games. I keep telling myself that I won't be one of those poor consumers. I want to stick it to the fat cats at EB, Best Buy, and my personal enemy, GameStop.

I was just wondering how some of my fellow CAGs haggle at such video game stores. Be it for trade-ins, used games, or even new games and consoles. Now I know haggling has been pretty much restricted to flea markets and cattle auctions these days, but this is what a free-market economy is made of, and I don't see why more people do it at actual retail stores.

So, I'm looking for ways people have haggled or "swindled" the store to get yourself a good gaming deal. So next time I stop by my local game store, I can get a better deal.

Thanks for dealing with my long-winded first post, and I hope to have a blast at CAG.
 
Now I know haggling has been pretty much restricted to flea markets and cattle auctions these days, but this is what a free-market economy is made of, and I don't see why more people do it at actual retail stores.
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Um... I don't think haggling will get you very far at EB / GS / Best Buy.
 
Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that. You can haggle with them all you want, but you'll just be wasting everyone's time. Their prices are set by their corporate office and can't be changed. Look at it this way; you don't haggle at Wal-Mart or Target do you? That's because you can't. That being said, if you want to find a good deal at these stores, just watch the CAG forums for price drops and coupons. This is a great place to find deals, and many of them are not EB/Gamestop exclusive.


Anyway, weclome!
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Um... I don't think haggling will get you very far at EB / GS / Best Buy.[/QUOTE]

But admit it... it does make for a few good laughs afterwards. :rofl:
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Um... I don't think haggling will get you very far at EB / GS / Best Buy.[/QUOTE]

i agree. most of those employees get paid by the hour (not how much they can sell). they can care less about how much you're only willing to pay. on top of that, they probably don't have the power to override the price unless they're the managers (and there is usually no reason for them to do that anyway, the product will probably sell at regular price, why lower the margins). it is possible to haggle over at bestbuy (it has been disscussed before over at fatwallet), but you have to buy a crap load of useless junk like replacement plans & monster cables (and then go thru the hassle of returning it afterward).
 
I see what you all mean. I understand about not being able to haggle in a retail world, but has anyone here actually pulled it off? Just wondering.
 
This thread is a bit on the retarded side, you cant haggle with a retail store. You can try to check here and every so often you will find an amazing clearance/ sale to take advantage of (again, no haggling but usually low prices). If you are trying to haggle, you can try online forums (like the trading forum here), bidding on ebay, or possibly try haggling at a mom and pop store near you. You have zero chance of haggling with a retail chain.
 
[quote name='Leofan7']I see what you all mean. I understand about not being able to haggle in a retail world, but has anyone here actually pulled it off? Just wondering.[/QUOTE]

If they have, I'm willing to bet whatever employee they convinced is out on his/her ass. As for the person who pulled it off; a career in politics is in his future.
 
this is an awesome idea. Next time I'm at Best Buy and the cashier tells me the total after scanning everything I'm just gonna say, "Hmm, no. How about I give you half that." I'll scream "free market economy" as security escorts me out.
 
[quote name='raregamergirl']This thread is a bit on the retarded side, you cant haggle with a retail store. You can try to check here and every so often you will find an amazing clearance/ sale to take advantage of (again, no haggling but usually low prices). If you are trying to haggle, you can try online forums (like the trading forum here), bidding on ebay, or possibly try haggling at a mom and pop store near you. You have zero chance of haggling with a retail chain.[/QUOTE]

IF you're a super hot chick willing to perform some "services", I'm sure you can haggle at any store (assuming it is a guy that you're haggling with).
 
LOL Haggling at a normal retail corporation owned chain store? C'mon now, this is America, land of greed and home of high prices that can't be changed, what do you want?

Like most have said, flea markets or 'mom and pop' stores you may be able to haggle on prices, but try that in Best Buy or EB/GS and you're more likely to get all the clerks laughing at you as you walk out with your head down embarassed.

I can imagine it now, at a grocery store:

Clerk: That'll be $12 please.
Leofan7: I'll give you 3 dollars for that bag of kitty num nums.
Clerk: Sir, the price is set by our office, we can't take whatever you're only willing to give.
Leofan7: FREE MARKET!
Security: Come with us sir.

 
You cant haggle at a retail store unless theres something on clearance and its a managers special or something along those lines.

The closest I ever got to haggling at eb was asking them to price match a $50 game to Targets $45 price... the manager was an but so I didnt by the game there.

His loss.
 
LOL Newscientist, you're kidding right? I mean, for the $5 price difference, you would have had Targets better return policy versus EB's 7 day nonsense.

I mean, I guess they don't expect people to have a life and actually TRY the game out within a week. I mean, I've been busy working with a family member at their car lot and I've had little time to play games lately.
 
You can haggle big-ticket items at retail, such as TVs at Best Buy. Hell, I've done it. When I was looking last summer for an HDTV (for my soon to be 360), I had an employee ask if he could help. I told him my situation, price range, and sets that I had been eyeing. After chatting, I was pretty dead-set on a new 30" Toshiba Wide-CRT. It was marked somewhere around $780. I asked him how low they could go on that particular set, and he went to see a manager. He told me $750. I showed him a competitors ad for $740, and asked him if he'd beat it. He said they could match it. So, I talked a bit more, and said I'd buy it with a 2 year warrenty if they took another $20 off, and he agreed.

Funny thing is, a few minutes later I noticed an open-box 46" Toshiba wide RPCRT, normally running at $1399, on sale for the week at $999, and the open box model at $899. So, we moved over there. It was missing a remote, and he said he'd take $30 off, or give me a free Universal remote. After about 5 minutes, I got $50 off AND a free remote. Plus, I had a 20% off coupon on open-box, and so, after tax, I got a 46" HDTV for about $750.
 
Okay, okay. I've made myself look like an idiot. I mostly just meant haggling with trade-in prices. I didn't mean to drone on like that. I'm not planning on haggling my next grocery bill down a couple bucks and scream FREE MARKET ECONOMY. Never mind. Just never mind.
 
just bring a bat, grab the nearest old woman and tell them you want $5 off or she gets it.
 
[quote name='mattcube64']You can haggle big-ticket items at retail, such as TVs at Best Buy. Hell, I've done it. When I was looking last summer for an HDTV (for my soon to be 360), I had an employee ask if he could help. I told him my situation, price range, and sets that I had been eyeing. After chatting, I was pretty dead-set on a new 30" Toshiba Wide-CRT. It was marked somewhere around $780. I asked him how low they could go on that particular set, and he went to see a manager. He told me $750. I showed him a competitors ad for $740, and asked him if he'd beat it. He said they could match it. So, I talked a bit more, and said I'd buy it with a 2 year warrenty if they took another $20 off, and he agreed.

Funny thing is, a few minutes later I noticed an open-box 46" Toshiba wide RPCRT, normally running at $1399, on sale for the week at $999, and the open box model at $899. So, we moved over there. It was missing a remote, and he said he'd take $30 off, or give me a free Universal remote. After about 5 minutes, I got $50 off AND a free remote. Plus, I had a 20% off coupon on open-box, and so, after tax, I got a 46" HDTV for about $750.[/QUOTE]

Damn nice job. A 46" Toshiba HDTV for $750 is a great deal.
 
as an EB games employee (on leave at the moment), i would like to plead with you... nay, BEG OF YOU, not to haggle the trade in prices.

we are a retail operation, and as with every retail operation, prices (including values assigned to trade-ins) are determined by corporate and our computers are updated daily accordingly. i strongly suggest, in mind of saving yourself a lot of embarassment, never ever hagglng at a retail establishment. you'll also be doing the employees a favor, because that way they don't have to explain that they have no control over prices or trade-in values.

anyways, getting the lowest price or best trade value is what the internet is for... hell, you're on cheapassgamer, you should know to take those Room Zooms to FYE by now.
 
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