The NY Times Home and Garden section has an article today about trying to haggle in retail stores, specifically for furniture. As a member of the trade, I am often in a position to get a discount anyway, but apparently now some stores are extending that trade discount to the masses as well as offering further discounting if you just ask for it.
However, not all stores are willing do do this. I felt the article seemed to conclude by seeing the glass half full since several of the stores the author approached were willing to negotiate somewhat, but I came away from it with a more half-empty feeling - the discounts the author seemed to get were around 10% or less, and seemed piddling as a percentage of the cost of most of the items.
They ran a companion article with more comments from the vendors' point of view, and it became clear that stores have vastly different attitudes towards discounting. ABC Carpet sounds like they want the merch to move at virtually any cost, but the Conran Shop is insulted that people want any wiggle room at all on pricing.
My hunch would be that the potential for a deep discount on some products might bring more bodies into the store and move more product at both sale and discounted prices for ABC, while the "thumb up your nose at cost-conscious shoppers" attitude from Conran would annoy shoppers and push them to other, friendlier outlets.
Finally, a second companion article about the general downturn in home furnishings describes the generally sad state of the industry and the massive 180 it has done from a relatively strong position it held a few years ago when the housing market was also flourishing and people needed to fill up all those new homes. It mentions that Pottery Barn is struggling, which I hadn't realized.
Have you ever successfully haggled at a retail establishment without an advertised sale on something?
However, not all stores are willing do do this. I felt the article seemed to conclude by seeing the glass half full since several of the stores the author approached were willing to negotiate somewhat, but I came away from it with a more half-empty feeling - the discounts the author seemed to get were around 10% or less, and seemed piddling as a percentage of the cost of most of the items.
They ran a companion article with more comments from the vendors' point of view, and it became clear that stores have vastly different attitudes towards discounting. ABC Carpet sounds like they want the merch to move at virtually any cost, but the Conran Shop is insulted that people want any wiggle room at all on pricing.
My hunch would be that the potential for a deep discount on some products might bring more bodies into the store and move more product at both sale and discounted prices for ABC, while the "thumb up your nose at cost-conscious shoppers" attitude from Conran would annoy shoppers and push them to other, friendlier outlets.
Finally, a second companion article about the general downturn in home furnishings describes the generally sad state of the industry and the massive 180 it has done from a relatively strong position it held a few years ago when the housing market was also flourishing and people needed to fill up all those new homes. It mentions that Pottery Barn is struggling, which I hadn't realized.
Have you ever successfully haggled at a retail establishment without an advertised sale on something?
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