It’s a very British thing to be reluctant to talk about money for fear of coming across as tight, or worse, gloating.
But our collective inability to negotiate could be costing up to £150 more than those who dare to ask the question “What’s the best price on that?”
And it is possible to start conversations in-store and online while you’re shopping to see if you can get a better price - but you might want to practise your facial expressions in the mirror first, because it’s all about confidence.
Tom Church, Co-Founder of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk, said: “I have spoken to many members in the last few years who regularly haggle for discounts and are successful.
“Even if you only get 10% off, every reduction helps you to make savings. You may even get some huge discounts, as one person proved by getting £150 off!”
So here are eight ways you could get some money knocked off your bill at the checkout - because if you save the pennies, the pounds will look after themselves, right?
Leave your item in your online shopping basket
How do you haggle with an online store? Don’t check out straight away. It’s the equivalent of saying “I’ll go see if I can find it cheaper elsewhere, first”. To which the retailer with go: “Oh, no, no, no. No need for that, here’s some money off.”
Laura S suggests putting the item in your basket and sit back to wait for a discount code.
And member Martin H uses a method called basket dumping to get a deal. He explained “I try basket dumping, where you make sure you are logged in (sign up if you have to) put stuff in your basket then leave it there and some companies will send you a discount code in a day or two. On some sites I even buy first then ask, if it is limited stock or time [sensitive].”
Tom added: ‘While it isn’t a direct negotiation, if you leave the item you want in your online shopping basket for a day or two you could receive an incentive from the shop in the form of a discount. From speaking with members,
“I’ve learned that Boohoo can offer 10% off, then 15%, then 20%. Ocado can give you vouchers if you sign up for an online account but don’t spend, and Photobox will give you a whopping 50% off! It’s not guaranteed, but it’s worth a try.’
Get a manager or supervisor
Staff members, supervisors and managers can sometimes have the power to provide discounts at their own discretion. Now, we aren’t saying demand to speak to a manager - just ask if there’s anything they can do.
Tom said: ‘If you’re not keen on paying full price for an item, nothing is stopping you from negotiating with a member of staff. The worst they can do is say no. Cashiers often have the power to give 10% off if you ask at checkout, so it can’t hurt to give it a go. ‘
LatestDeals user Lou I said: ‘Every time I shop in Curry’s I get £20-£30 off. ‘Managers discretion’ they usually call it!’
Negotiate a discount if the order is wrong or item is damaged
If you spot a mark or a defect in an item on the shop floor, it’s worth asking for some extra discount at the checkout.
Tom noticed that because sale clothes are tried on the most, they’re more likely to be stained with makeup or damaged.
He said: “Check the clothing more than normal. If you see a mark you have a choice: leave it, or try to bag an extra discount at checkout. Often, cashiers have the power to give a further discount of up to 10%.”
Danielle L added: “I usually haggle when they've messed up an order or something.”
Expert negotiator Richard W said: “I've haggled for cars, watches, internet providers. I sometimes get something off in a supermarket if the box is damaged.”
Be nice to employees
Shoppers shouldn’t need telling to do this, however, sometimes it really does pay to be nice.
One ex-IKEA worker shared that you could get delivery costs waived just by being friendly and polite.
Rebekah W said: “I used to work in the Bargain Corner section at IKEA and you absolutely can haggle there! We obviously couldn't go crazy with reductions but the nicer you are the more likely we were to further reduce things.
“It was also pretty common to reduce the equivalent of delivery if the customer was buying multiple large products from that section, like a bed frame, mattress, dining table and fridge freezer. We'd happily take off the price of delivery if that customer was also friendly and polite.”
Sarah M was in agreement, adding: “I used to work for H Samuel and they would give you 10% if you were particularly nice. The manager would always say ‘are they nice’ before letting you give it.”
Pick your shops carefully
It probably isn’t worth trying to get money off a 50p tin of beans (but every little helps, right?)
However, if you’re in the market for new technology or furniture there is a good opportunity to negotiate a deal.
Deals expert Tom said: “When you make it clear you’re in the market to make a big purchase, staff members will often have the ability to negotiate a discount up to a certain amount. They will want to ensure they make a sale, so it’s well worth testing the waters and seeing how much they are willing to bend on the original price.”
Ben A added: “Certainly at furniture shops and expensive good shops there is room to haggle. I have only done it twice, once at PC World where I got about £150 and a ream of paper off a computer system and the other at The Perfume Shop where I bought three bottles, asked if they had any 3 for 2 offers which they didn't but got a 10%.”
Take a risk
If you’re not confident enough to try it yourself, try shopping with a friend or family member who can negotiate on your behalf.
One member, Gill T, embarrassed her mate in store, and wound up getting her a free pair of headphones.
She said: “I’m a bit shy when it comes to haggling, but after I watched a documentary about it I got all hyped up. When my friend bought a sound bar in Currys, I was like ‘And what will you throw in with that?’ [My friend] was mortified, but the guy went away and came back with some headphones….”
Tom added: “Haggling takes a certain level of confidence, so if you’re not quite ready to do it yourself it’s worth having someone with you to show you how it’s done! Hopefully once you’ve seen them successfully negotiate a discount, you’ll be inspired to give it a go yourself.”
Make a strong case
Employees are still human beings, so sometimes you can play the sympathy card and see if you get lucky.
Nikki H said: “My husband tries his luck anywhere. He took the dog to the groomers once and asked if he could get any discount as the dog only has three legs and they actually knocked a fiver off it!”
Sometimes you can grab a discount simply by being a loyal customer. Siobhan M added: ‘I emailed a store and asked for a discount, said I've been a customer for many years and never once received any form of discount or promotion. I asked for a 20% discount and that's just what they gave me, definitely worth asking.”
Try different techniques and be patient
Haggling won’t always be successful, but being persistent and patient will pay off.
Haggler Barry D said: “Some stores will give discounts depending on how you go about it and different circumstances. I've had discounts at various stores, including Currys, B&Q, Aldi and local retailers.
“I used to work for Currys and know every sales person has a percentage of their sales as a discount to play with. A month ago, I bought a soundbar and asked if I bought from there would they be able to give me an optical cable cheap. They discounted the £22 cost off the total. This was not the Currys I used to work at either.”
Dean C shared a similar experience, and said: “I’ve worked in Harrods, Liberty, M&S, Debenhams and Carphone Warehouse, and I gave discounts in all of them. OK, you wouldn’t get a discount in ALL departments and not all customers that asked got a discount, but it is possible and does happen.”
I think the moral of this story, and the key to saving some cash is that, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. Always be kind and polite, and if you don’t get a discount, don’t sweat it - just try again next time.
