Brits are too polite to haggle and it costs us almost £300 a year

1. The art of haggling could be a dying skill as a quarter of Brits admit to being ‘terrible’ when it comes to bagging a bargain at a boot sale, secondhand shop or on a circular economy platform. Our British politeness could be to blame as half fear coming across as awkward while 38% worry they could be perceived as rude.

   A further 24% admit to being embarrassed at being seen as thrifty, according to new research from circular economy platform Gumtree, whilst 32% blame not knowing what an acceptable offer is. However, the research, released to mark Recycle Week taking place this week reveals 87% of people want to improve their bargain-hunting and secondhand shopping skills, with 85% citing financial pressures.

   It comes as a lack of negotiation skills means over half admitted they have paid over the odds for items in the past. And this is a costly mistake, as Brits estimated losing an average of £291 across the last 12 months through a lack of negotiating, rising to £3,194 over a lifetime.

   Some shopping environments are more conducive to haggling than others as 44% of those who had attended a boot sale or jumble sale said they had tried to get the cost of their items down, whereas only 22% of those who used circular economy platforms had offered lower than the asking price – falling to 17% in the high street.

   However, with nearly two thirds (63%) ‘extremely worried’ about rising prices due to the cost-of-living crisis, bagging a bargain appears to be worth the potential awkwardness, as Brits agreed they felt satisfied (50%), proud (41%) and rewarded (27%) when they knew they had got a great deal. A further three in 10 (29%) agreed that the feeling increased when shopping secondhand, knowing that their purchase is sustainable. Interestingly, nearly a third (30%) see bagging a bargain as a form of social currency.

   Heading into the festive period, it seems this year Brits are planning to be more mindful about their consumption as 84% say they’re looking to have a more conscious Christmas. They revealed plans to cut back on the number of gifts they buy (45%), not buy any new party outfits (37%) and buy and send less cards (34%). Meanwhile 15% are looking at buying more secondhand gifts and more than a quarter (28%) plan to sell some of their possessions to make money to spend over the Christmas period.

   Reasons for this shift include cutting back on costs (70%), prioritising spending time with loved ones (39%) and having less of an environmental impact (23%).

   As purse strings tighten, new ways to ‘purchase’ items are beginning to emerge – most notably the art of ‘trading up’ which one in 10 (10%) of us are keen to get involved in. Interestingly, this rises to 18% amongst those aged 18-29. Furthermore, a third (33%) said they had swapped items with friends or family and a further 38% agreeing they would definitely like to do this more, rising to 42% among those aged 30 and under.

   In response, Gumtree has partnered with TV presenter Oobah Butler, known for his Stock Market trades on Instagram to offer consumers top tips on bagging a bargain and trading up. Oobah will run a series of Swap Shop Instagram Lives in the run up to Black Friday inviting members of the public to suggest what they would be willing to trade for one of his must-have items.

   Hannah Rouch, Chief Marketing Officer at Gumtree said: “We’ve got a lot better at doing our bit every day when it comes to plastics, cans and bottles, but recycling is about so much more than that. Buying, selling, giving away or swapping pre-loved items through groups and platforms means we’re extending the life of products and cutting down on consumption. It also offers the opportunity to own or borrow items we might not otherwise have been able to, due to cost or availability."

   Oobah Butlern said:“We can lack confidence in trying to bargain and get a great deal, as the research seems to suggest, but it’s something I grew up with - starting with Sunday morning boot sales with my dad and the excitement of going from car to car, picking up toys, games and my first football shirt. As a teenager, I’d go to charity shops to find outfits (that with hindsight look more Compo from Last of the Summer Wine than Kurt Cobain, which then progressed to picking up bargains that I could sell online when I first moved to London to help with rent. It crystalised during the pandemic, when I started my own swap shop on my social media, and traded an old box of bric-a-brac from under my bed, eventually ending up via a Peugeot with a £10,000 Robert Frank print. Trading in general really makes sense in the current climate, with incessant waste being a horror for the environment and excess cardboard boxes becoming an all too familiar sight outside our homes. So, where a lot of us see the things lying around our houses as inconveniences, maybe we should see untapped potential. I’d encourage everyone to have a dig, take a picture, and see what people offer. It’s all upside, my friends. All upside.”

   Top tips for bagging a bargain

   In response to the findings, Gumtree has released a series of top tips to further help those Brits who struggle to bag a bargain…

   1. Always be prepared: The first rule is to do your research. Is the item priced fairly or is there room to negotiate? If there is, make sure you've benchmarked it against similar items so you can confidently go in with your offer. You'll also feel more at peace should you miss out knowing you didn't over pay. Be brave with haggling, while you don’t want to waste sellers’ time by carving the price in two, what’s a reasonable compromise?
   2. Free to a good home : Bagging a bargain can be as simple as searching the freebies section. You never know what someone might be giving away for free.Sellers may also list free items in the specific category so, a chair in the chairs, stools and other seating, so explore the site to reach your good find.
   3. Swap til you drop : Don't forget an old fashioned swap shop! A swap can be a great option, especially for enthusiasts and collectors. Suggest a swap, is there an item you’re willing to part with in exchange for something else? From a vinyl record to an unused vase or even a VW van, it’s worth a try.
   4. Broaden your horizons: For larger ticket items it may be useful to look a little wider in your search to bag a bargain. Try broadening your distance and look outside of your local community. You never know what’s around the corner.
   5. See the potential: how can you give it a new lease of life with a bit of TLC to make it the perfect addition to your household/home

   Top items to get good deals on

   The top ten items that likely to be traded as secondhand or through circular economy platforms that Brits would like to get a good deal on were:

   1. Books (35%)
   2. Clothing (34%)
   3. Cars (24%)
   4. Home furnishings (23%)
   5. Games (20%)
   6. Furniture (19%)
   7. Kids toys (18%)
   8. Shoes (17%)
   9. Jewellery (16%)
   10. Antiques (16%)