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Do you ask for a discount?

(70 Posts)
Pleasebenice Tue 03-Mar-26 18:57:05

I always ask, nicely, of course. £30 off 2 new tyres, £5 off two tops at a craft market and so on. My granddaughters are mortified if I ask (dont do in front of them anymore) but surely it is worth a go. It’s a bit of a game. Be nice and see if you can get a better room or a bit off the price. Is it just me?

ViceVersa Tue 03-Mar-26 19:02:07

I don't, but I'm married to a man who will haggle over almost anything! grin

RosiesMawagain Tue 03-Mar-26 20:33:31

Why should you?
A price is a price..
You don’t haggle over your shopping at the check out do you?
Or perhaps you do.
I would be similarly mortified in your GDs’ place.

valdavi Tue 03-Mar-26 20:45:01

I don't often haggle.
When I do though, I usually get a little discount - just enough that I feel I've got a bargain & the seller isn't out-of-pocket.

Often tempted in charity shops but that's a bit infra-dig.

keepingquiet Tue 03-Mar-26 21:05:43

Haggling in a charity shop seems wrong for lots of reasons...

kittylester Tue 03-Mar-26 21:11:31

Surely, the price is the price?

dragonfly46 Tue 03-Mar-26 21:35:04

I only ‘haggle’ with stuff online visiting several sites to get the best price. In the shops I pay what it says on the ticket. We do not live in Turkey!

Oreo Tue 03-Mar-26 21:41:46

I do when it’s an expensive buy, new sofas or a car for instance.
Always get a good deal.You have to be pleasant and do it in a certain way that’s good natured.

rafichagran Tue 03-Mar-26 21:58:36

I dont haggle either. If I think the price is too high I dont buy the goods.
I was in a charity shop and a coat was marked up at a tenner, it was a good coat with a brand name, the customer tried to get a fiver off. I found it distasteful.
I have also done car boots, my clothes, I was told by many customer's were reasonably priced, clean, and good quality. I wanted am £4 for one thing and I had someone offer me £2. I told them politely I was not shifting on price. Someone half an hour later paid the full price and got a real bargain.
My advice is pay the full price.

Moth62 Tue 03-Mar-26 22:13:57

As someone who has made crafts to sell in the past, I would suggest that you are usually getting a bargain anyway, as very few crafters sell their goods at the true price, if you were to take into account the number of hours they take to make.

petra Tue 03-Mar-26 22:18:07

valdavi

I don't often haggle.
When I do though, I usually get a little discount - just enough that I feel I've got a bargain & the seller isn't out-of-pocket.

Often tempted in charity shops but that's a bit infra-dig.

My manager in our charity is hopeless with hagglers. She’s too nice.
When a customer asked for a discount she calls me. She excuses herself from the mumper and lets me deal with it.
No is a sentance 😂
We have our regular customers who spend a lot of money. We sometimes give them a discount as a little thank you.

Wyllow3 Tue 03-Mar-26 22:21:44

I agree with Moth, I'd never haggle on a hand made when I can estimate the hours put in.

And not in a Charity shop

(Unless there is a major fault/stain that been overlooked on an otherwise properly high priced garment)

25Avalon Tue 03-Mar-26 22:24:22

Only on large expensive items or if I offer to pay cash.

ixion Tue 03-Mar-26 22:25:40

I gave up watching Antiques Roadshow years ago.

What's your best price?

Cringe.

Grammaretto Tue 03-Mar-26 22:27:14

No I don't approve at all of haggling.
I know people do but I feel it's wrong.
When I sell things on line (eBay, gumtree, Facebook etc) I set a price unless it's an auction.
Several people texted me and asked if I'd accept a lower price. I said no and sure enough the item was sold for the price asked.

I have actually heard people boasting about their bargains and how they never pay the full price for things.

You're right. It's a game for some but an unfair one.

friendlygingercat Tue 03-Mar-26 22:38:30

Ive been involved in the antiques trade since the 1960s and so I always ask for a discount. I have travelled around the Islamic Middle East where prices are negotiable and enjoy a good haggle.

Allira Tue 03-Mar-26 23:04:23

ixion

I gave up watching Antiques Roadshow years ago.

What's your best price?

Cringe.

Do you mean Antiques Road Trip?

We rarely watch except to 😲

What would happen if we were to go into an antiques shop and offer £40 for two items which together would total eg £125?
Why do the owners often smile and say "I'll do both for £45?"

Because they're on the telly?

Allira Tue 03-Mar-26 23:06:25

friendlygingercat

Ive been involved in the antiques trade since the 1960s and so I always ask for a discount. I have travelled around the Islamic Middle East where prices are negotiable and enjoy a good haggle.

I think haggling in some countries is expected.

I might ask if there are any special discounts in eg a furniture shop if I'm paying a very large amount and the shop is part of a chain.

Skallywag Tue 03-Mar-26 23:25:49

It depends where you are and what you’re buying.
I had a person round to measure me up for some window blinds, the price quoted was nearly £600. I said that was much more than I was expecting so he cut it down by about £40 I said if you can do it for 500 I’ll say yes now, and he said okay ! So sometimes it’s wise to haggle

Grantanow Tue 03-Mar-26 23:52:21

The price is not always the price. Newspapers, insurance companies, broadband suppliers are often keen to keep our custom and in my experience czn be negotiated down, Car dealers ditto.

MT62 Wed 04-Mar-26 00:27:14

Yes sometimes. £75 off a new rug, but it was probably overpriced to begin with.

MT62 Wed 04-Mar-26 00:31:28

& ask if they will price match, which most shops will do.

mae13 Wed 04-Mar-26 01:36:50

My sister-in-law comes from the Phillippines were haggling is as routine as breathing, so when she came over here my brother had to explain that "we don't do that here."

It really took quite a while to get through......

Pleasebenice Wed 04-Mar-26 07:12:06

I am surprised at how little you are willing to haggle. Yes pick where you do it and would not do it for handmade goods or charity shops (who would do that?). If you listen to Martin Lewis he suggests that it is always worth asking. The price is not always the price! Don’t be greedy or rude but give it a go.

Cabbie21 Wed 04-Mar-26 07:16:27

At antique fairs the dealers expect you to haggle. Sometimes they have bought a box of items as a job lot to sell on individually and so they make a lot of money on those and can afford to adjust their asking price. It’s the norm to ask for their “ best price”. However the discounts on the TV shows are usually much more than normal.