Haggle on he high street.

There may seem little cause for cheer at present, but for those
still willing and able to splash out on big ticket items there is
reason for a spring in your step: the economic gloom makes this an
ideal time to hammer down the price of luxury goods and bag a bargain.Ever
tested your haggling skills in the chaotic street markets of far-flung
holiday destinations? Putting this talent to use on home soil may not
immediately appeal as a way to slash costs - haggling over prices is
far from the traditional, reserved British character. Yet with
retailers expecting dire consequences from a deep recession, shops and
businesses alike are inclined to be more flexible than ever when it
comes to negotiating - so why not chance your arm and take advantage of
this?Whether you need a new sofa, car or holiday, it's a buyer's
market, says Marc Lockley, a negotiating expert and author of How to
Pay Less for More. "Embarrassment prevents many people from negotiating
when it comes to price," he says. "But if you do some preparation and
practice, your confidence will increase and you can make some serious
savings."
New car
Sales of new cars have
sunk to an all-time low, with the drying up of finance deals
compounding the misery for dealerships since the onset of the credit
freeze. This has inevitably left dealers feeling the pinch and
scrambling to get rid of stock. The flipside for the savvy consumer is
that you can get big sums off your dream set of wheels. According to Simon Empson, managing director of Essex-based car broker Broadspeed.com,
there are discounts of 25% to 50% to be had for those willing to
haggle. The best time to approach a dealer is in the final few days of
each quarter, when they are at the end of their commission cycle. "Nearly
half of all our business is concentrated on just four days a year, at
the end of each quarter, when the brave customers searching for a deal
approach us - and they can take advantage of lots of offers we are
forbidden from displaying online," he says. Try to get some
extras thrown in, Lockley adds, such as a free tank of petrol. "And be
interested, but not committed; talk-up a competitor's model that you
are also considering - if the salesperson thinks you may go and buy an
alternative model down the road, they will do all they can to stop you
doing that." Get your skates on, however - Empson says
production cuts, struggling component manufacturers and the collapsing
pound will see a short supply of cars later in the year, and cheap
deals will dry up.
Furniture
Big-ticket
items such as furniture often have a high mark-up, leaving room for the
buyer to negotiate. If you're planning to haggle, your best bet will be
with the independent retailers, as they are more likely to be open to
reducing prices. "Furniture retailers aren't growing at the
moment unless they're very niche," says Neil Saunders, analyst at
retail consultancy Verdict. "They will be looking for every sale they
can as it's no longer about making profit, but keeping the cashflow
going." If it's a particular item you want, look on the
internet to find the cheapest price on offer, says Sarah Dennis, retail
research at consumer group Which?. "Then ask for a senior member of
staff in a shop as they are more likely to advise on available
discounts, and build a rapport with them." Be specific about the deal you want, she adds - asking for, say, 20% to be knocked off - and then negotiating from there.
Electrical goods
The
method for knocking a significant sum off electrical goods is similar.
Start with the online retailers, and find the cheapest price. Then,
take a printout of this to the shop and find a salesperson keen to
detail all the bells and whistles on the product you want. "Put
effort into asking lots of questions, and think about what will
motivate them to give you a better deal, so stay away from saying your
freezer has packed up, for example, as then they'll know you're
desperate for a new one," Lockley says. "Staff invariably work on
commission in these shops and can offer hefty discounts if you refuse
to budge and they feel you could go elsewhere." Also, get them
to throw in free delivery if the item is bulky. Sales staff have
weekly, monthly or quarterly targets on the amount of warranties they
can sell. Reaching this target's often crucial to them, so it gives
consumers a real bargaining tool on products they're likely to flog
warranties with.The best bit is you're free to change your mind
within 45 days of purchasing the warranty, so cancel for a full refund.
Comet, Dixons at PC World are especially good for this loophole,
according to website MoneySavingExpert.com.
Holidays
With
holiday firms such as XL and airlines such as Zoom going bust during
the downturn, the survivors need your cash more than ever to stay in
business. So here's somewhere to put your haggling skills to the test.
Before booking a holiday, spend some time doing your research and
comparing prices online, in brochures and at travel agents - it may be
worth calling the tour operator and speaking to someone senior who can
further reduce the cost. Some travel agents also have to sell a certain number of holidays a week, so be patient and test the water on different days. "To
a certain extent travel agents expect you to haggle, and have a pot of
money that's available to clinch the deal if the price is right," says
Rochelle Turner, head of research at Which? Holidays. "Our research
shows the brochure price tends to be higher than that available from a
travel agent." Also, pick up the phone and speak to the hotel
owners themselves, or the manager of the resort, Lockley says. "This
can work in your favour when booking a holiday independently."

i tried to get a discount on our holiday cottage booking but no chance as she had miscalulated the number of nights it cost us an extra £25.lolno good at hagglinjg methinks