I own a chain of bulk candy stores and from time to time (daily) people purchase large quanities of M&Ms or Jelly Belly ect… Most don’t ask for a discount and I usually wont volunteer unless I see some hesitation on there part. Example lady calls today for 16 pounds of M&Ms @ $7.99 per pound = $127.84 and she asks can I give her 10% off and I say sure, she saved $12.78 + $1.08 in sales tax. I would have gave her 20% if she had pushed it considering our average ticket is $5.00 You usually can’t do this at Big Box retailers but at Mom & Pop operations we kind of expect you to ask. Everything is nagotiable! You have not because you have asked not. Ask and Ye shall recieve.
I want to take a moment to personally thank Lonnie for his excellent books and tape set. These have saved me thousands of dollars. His book, D.O.W., in a simple way, shows me and everyone how to negotiate lower prices for mobile homes and ultimately anything we purchase. His clasic question, “If I pay you all cash today, what is the lowest price you will accept”. Also, I love his bird dog techniques. I have modified his question to, “if I buy a few ______ and pay all cash today, what is the lowest price you will accept”. I have received hundreds to thousands of dollars off on refrigerators, stoves, propane home heaters, land, skirting, stairs, mobile homes, water well installations, and many more items. My best friend in Arizona, saved $5k on a doublewide by using Lonnie’s techniques. I am not posting this e-mail to sell Lonnie’s books, even though I have purchased multiple copies and given them out to my friends and family. I have met Lonnie and his wife and they are down to earth, enjoyable, honest people. I write this e-mail to encourage you to use these techniques on everything you buy. Especially things you buy in bulk. The worst that happens, is they say no. But you would be surprised how many will give you 10% or more off without even a fight.
So, thank you Lonnie for your wonderful words of wisdom and savings me thousands of dollars!!
Posted by Ken L (MI) on April 25, 2006 at 11:48:12:
I am going to try this on some window blinds my wife got a quote on. She reaaaalllly wants them. I think the price came in (from a mom and pop store) way higher than she expected (like 5x as high) so I am going to try and use Lonnie’s techniques on this. Why not? I am not buying them at all at the price now, so why not check see what I can do? I’ll report back on how it comes out. I can walk away from this without batting an eye.
Thanks for the kind words. And congratulations on making money by negotiating.
A wise man (or was it a wise woman) once said that ?negotiations will make you more money than anything you can do, for the time involved? Or words to that affect.
See you in Atlanta?
Lonnie
PS Keep the lobsters & beer on ice. Some day, when you least expect it, Joanne & I just might show up on your door-step.
Posted by JeffB (MI) on April 25, 2006 at 05:52:08:
Good post, Chris. Asking for a discount this way is something I often forget, so it’s great to read your post as a reminder to always apply Lonnie’s techniques.
Despite the countless times I have read Lonnie’s books, it seems I am always forgetting some small details, which though they seem insignificant, could be costing me big money. Which is precisely one of the reasons I frequent this great forum, not just for the new ideas but reinforcement of the basic principles.