For some people, bargaining is part of the fun of shopping. They enjoy comparing prices, making a counteroffer and seeing whether a seller will come down. For others, the moment someone says, “You can negotiate,” the experience becomes uncomfortable. They would rather pay the quoted price and leave.
Psychology suggests that this does not necessarily mean these people are careless with money or unwilling to look for a good deal. Negotiation avoidance can be influenced by anxiety, conflict aversion, perceptions of fairness and the desire to avoid an uncomfortable social interaction. Recent research on negotiation avoidance found that people sometimes choose not to negotiate even when doing so could benefit them financially, because the psychological cost of the interaction can feel greater than the potential reward.
