Your favourite haggling approach...

[Nick M.K. 574]

I know, I know...

We don't like to haggle and we try not to. 

BUT

Every now and then in this job the old haggling craft needs to be applied. When buying and when selling. What is your favourite approach, what do you "tell them"?

1) When buying I personally will praise a car rather than point every little mark. When the buyer eventually (I do take my time) warms to me I will tell them all these little minor things I would want to improve to "add" to the meticulous care the car has received by it's owner and will make an offer that will allow me to do all that and still earn from the deal. Cash deposit immediately followed by a transfer for the full balance. One of the reviews on my website actually says "When he buys, he pays" :-)

2) When selling... oh dear. 

I will not talk money over the phone or in an email. I avoid talking money during the test drive or when they stand by the car before or after that. I always like to sit the customer in my office and to slow the deal a bit. Coffees, Teas, service history files, spec checks, MY life story, THEIR life story, anything to keep my buyer in their chair for a bit longer and to make them forget the previous car they've looked at and especially the one they were planning to look at next. Lots of jokes and lots of humour only interrupted by an expressionless look if they say something like "come on, what's another £200 to you". When that question comes I have a big screen calculator and will multiply the £200 or £100 or whatever by 150 cars a year and show them the £30,000 on the screen explaining as politely as I have it in me that I simply can not take that £30K out of the business just like that and it usually does it. 

[David Ayers 171]

Forget who it was on the old AT forum (Danny Pyrke?) who said a customer asked for a discount.

He said “Spell discount.”

“D I s c o u n t”

He said “You missed out the F”

The customer replied “There’s no F in discount”

Which is absolutely correct.

[Nick M.K. 574]

Just now, David Ayers said:

customer replied “There’s no F in discount”

I had to read this out loud twice to get it but it's really funny. Especially in Essex where Danny was/is based and the G is normally silent after an N 

[Mark101 536]

I am so going to use that - abolsutely brilliant

I use a bizarre anti sales tactic - done it for years (cars and non cars) but I promise you, the minute someone makes it in front of me - they have bought the car, all but 2 or 3 since I started again in feb this year and I have sold more than 4 before some smart arse calls it.

[Autolink100 34]

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

I am so going to use that - abolsutely brilliant

I use a bizarre anti sales tactic - done it for years (cars and non cars) but I promise you, the minute someone makes it in front of me - they have bought the car, all but 2 or 3 since I started again in feb this year and I have sold more than 4 before some smart arse calls it.

Come on then, lets hear it 

[Mark101 536]

22 minutes ago, Autolink100 said:

Come on then, lets hear it 

You’ll have to some and see me 

[Mark101 536]

6 hours ago, tradex said:

Why bother to bragg about it then

It is hard to explain on here but I thought anti sales would explain well enough - perhaps matter a fact would sum things up better.

Many people often talk about providing a non pushy, no pressure selling environment. I basically take that to the extreme.  I introduce myself, hand keys to the car and then ask them to peruse at their own leisure and if they need me, I will be in the office (nothing different there you might say).  Inevitably, they do come into the office, if only to hand the keys back and/or ask their obligatory question - how much for cash, you can write back your invoice value etc etc.

My reply is universal - I never discount my cars because every car comes with a new MOT (no advisories), Fresh Service (due or not), PDI and Warranty (one that actually does cover you).  If you’re unsure about the car, I suggest you go and have a look at some others, sleep on it, I am not in a hurry to sell etc.

Putting the process into text doesn’t really translate but I guess I can’t be the only person who walks in to a shop, store, showroom and hates being badgered by an irritating obviously target driven sales rep.  Bearing in mind, many will have experienced the stereotypical pushy franchise type sales person (pointy shoes AD would say).  I try to be the polar opposite of that.

On a side note, I often watch a video from Steve Richards (I think) as for some reason his channel gets recommended to me? I haven’t subscribed.  No doubt he is a brilliant traditional type salesman, his videos are entertaining and I am sure this approach works on some people - personally, I  hate being sold to.

Edited November 17, 2018 by Mark101

[BHM 994]

I’m with both of you but as hard as I am are you two saying you NEVER discount?

I don’t often but sometimes to get a sticky car away, or a scruffy shitter, the only way seems to be to give in & get it gone.

I NEVER get into monetary discussions over the phone or via email - I think most of those types of enquiries are just fishing or simply don’t have the money; the “I’ve got money coming in next week” punters.

How come so many can afford a car next week when some miraculous payment gets to them? It puzzles me because it’s taken 35/40/50/whatever years so far & they haven’t got a ha’penny to scratch their arses with!

[Arfur Dealy 823]

Mr Customer, as I explained in the video I do not over price to reduce. 

If buying privately, I bid politely, smiling and cheekily straight in the their nuts..... 

[Mark101 536]

When a car is won (auction, private, PX whatever) I check the price point from AT suggestion/Cazana/HPI et al and add about £250-£500 to the advertised price.  Once it is back and recon costs established, I then adjust the price as high as achievable whilst still attracting interest (from the right type of customer I.e people who appreciate value).  If a car has little or no interest, I then readjust - my point is I DECIDE how much I will take, not a punter.  I kick the how much without warranty mate in to touch and wait for the right buyer.

The only time I negotiate is when there is a PX in chop (unavoidable).

Rather than discount, I add extra value - for example, a V70 D5 almost due a belt; rather than get chipped £500 (what he believed to cost), I said the price is fixed, take your PX shitter out of the deal (suits me) and I will do the belt.

See for me, the belt being done over a discount suits me too - I shouldn’t have a claim on that car now for a snapped belt, whereas a discount maybe a quick deal but a ticking clock and all these I don’t want a warranty, I understand the belt is due types always come renege when the shit hits the fan.

[BHM 994]

11 minutes ago, Arfur Dealy said:

Mr Customer, as I explained in the video I do not over price to reduce. 

If buying privately, I bid politely, smiling and cheekily straight in the their nuts..... 

Hmmmm, I treat others with the same courtesy I’d like to experience.

12 minutes ago, tradex said:

By discount I mean from the sticker price, we do erm 'revise' the listed sticker price sir.....just dropped a wedge off a 10 plate black CRV petrol even though AT told me it was a good price, sick of the sight of it, they seem to have dropped of the radar recently...go figure?

Prices got superheated recently and there are now a LOT of overpriced ones out there - I’ve not bought one in about 2 months & funnily enough I’m sat on a diesel, the first time I’ve had a ‘newer’ shape CRV longer than a fortnight - a couple of viewings but not Honda men, just Peugeot men fancying a slice of Japanese quality but wanting to pay French-dross prices. Tbh though, EVERYTHING seems to be dead for the last fortnight up here in the grim north.

[Blenheim Car Sales 111]

1, Look are you having it or not

[mike101 8]

I agree with the non salesy approach. I think it’s what the modern world wants. In my oppinion the service/added value you offer is the important part.

Sometimes however some people require you to help them make the decision  - it’s just making sure that you don’t push them into something they don’t want to do. Otherwise you can guarantee it’ll come back and bite you!

[CCC 31]

When buying then 1) is pretty much word for word. 

When selling my own cars privately the traders who rang up and offered me 50% off the asking without even seeing wound me up.

There was one that made me smile. I’d advertised an E39 535i at midnight at had a phone call at 7am from a guy in Stafford. He’d driven down immediately and bought it there and then at the advertised price (by the time he arrived I’d had several calls so knew it was going to sell fast).

At 9.30am a trader rings and launches into his spiel about why it will never sell and how he would do me a favour, etc. 

He rabbited on for a whole minute whilst I tried to interrupt him to tell him the car had already sold, to the first viewer for the full asking.

Being polite got us my sons Focus for £300. Spares or repair at £500 and everyone else had just taken the piss and slated it. We drove it, praised it and offered £300 politely, expecting a haggle and she accepted it there and then. A steal as it needed £100 of work and was worth £500 all day long to someone who could fix it.

 

 

[Dan W 57]

Our approach when asked for a discount is usually, Seems like the car isn't for you then mr customer.

same as arfur we also say we don't inflate to discount.

[Nick M.K. 574]

29 minutes ago, mike101 said:

I think it’s what the modern world wants. In my oppinion the service/added value you offer is the important part.

Absolutely but just you also said: Some buyers out there will not SEE or KNOW about the service or added value even if it hit them on the head. So, the question is, how do you "not sell" (yourself, your cars, your service etc) while making sure the customers will see all these benefits?

[metcars 397]

2 hours ago, mike101 said:

I agree with the non salesy approach. I think it’s what the modern world wants. 

Have you bought anything in Curry's lately?

Edited November 17, 2018 by met

[Nick M.K. 574]

3 minutes ago, met said:

Have you bought anything in Curry's lately?

I haven't. For years. I buy everything online these days. Excluding food.

I always want to use a promo code, a deal code, a voucher code etc and sometimes will not buy if a code or a deal or a voucher is not available. I wanted a new bookcase for the office recently, it was £390 which I wouldn't mind paying. The store (including online) had a promotion "5% off everything" which specifically excluded that bookcase and a couple of other items so guess what: no new bookcase for me just yet. I know it's irrational but then so are most of our buyers :-)))

[BHM 994]

3 hours ago, CCC said:

At 9.30am a trader rings and launches into his spiel about why it will never sell and how he would do me a favour, etc. 

.....Being polite got us my sons Focus for £300. Spares or repair at £500 and everyone else had just taken the piss and slated it.

Here! Here! Some of the trade phoning for a car are the greediest scum out there. 50% of them are a complete waste of time & expect retail ready for scrap money and then want more off for a drink.

When making a purchase, be it a something from shop or once in a blue moon a car from a private, I treat the seller with respect & deal upfront & go there anticipating to buy at full money. If it’s not as described then fair enough, but I hear the Gumtree lads at the block bragging about their latest ‘private’ they’ve raped (allegedly - talk is cheap at the block) & it’s nothing to be proud about.

Traders who whinge about punters haggling then take the piss with a private are the worst type of person. 

Tbh if some of you came around here working your tickets you’d get a rude awakening. 

[MrC 142]

1 hour ago, met said:

Have you bought anything in Curry's lately?

I used to hate going in to Currys. Do you still get accosted 15 times in 15 seconds? 

[trade vet 703]

We had an interesting haggler in this morning.We have a mint old swapper up for £1500.This punter ( not of these shores) has a scrap swapper and we offer £200 to be polite.A while later he offers us £100 plus his scrap.Our guy says no thank you and you may be better off going elsewhere.Now I suppose you have to make allowances for cultural differences but I did get a annoyed when 15 minutes later he comes back in and then offers £1000 plus his scrap.We did not explain that we considered his new offer as an insult as he would not have understood.We thought we had got rid of him then 30 mins later a phone caller asks ‘ what is best price’.....I left at that point.

[EPV 631]

I rarely discount cars. Two occasions spring to mind. 320i, nice car, overpriced according to AT at £7250 but I don’t care what they think on this occasion as I have (well, had) a black 320i vert with 19” wheels and cream leather. You’re gonna have to pay mr customer to get this one. Bloke emails, offers £6,750 i decline, £7,000 is all he has, i decline, he pays a £100 deposit later that day and pays full price. 

A Skoda Yeti, absolutely mint this thing, bone dry everywhere and looks 2 years old instead of 7 year old, overpriced slightly by £150 at £7490.  Polite lady drives it, loves it, wants to buy it, offers me £7,000, telling me there one the same price as mine but 2 years younger and 200 miles away. An obvious bluff.  I politely decline and proceed to bore her with the fact the car has a new ticket, no advisories, new rear boots, just serviced.  I have over 30 five star reviews on AT and I have no idea about the condition of the 200 mile away car nor can I speak for intelligently about the integrity of the other dealer but I know the car I have is mint, and i’m a man of my word. 

She was pretty much bored into submission I think and paid full price. 

I think 95% of the people that come to see my cars have probably bought it in their mind and they feel they have to make a cursory attempt at getting a discount. So, I rarely discount because I don’t need to. 

[mike101 8]

4 hours ago, Nick M.K. said:

Absolutely but just you also said: Some buyers out there will not SEE or KNOW about the service or added value even if it hit them on the head. So, the question is, how do you "not sell" (yourself, your cars, your service etc) while making sure the customers will see all these benefits?

For us as a niche/specialist it’s about marketing within our sector.

I think there’s always an element though of it being a numbers game. Most of the enquires don’t care about the added value but it’s trying to sieve out the ones who get your business model and focus on them. 

[AAM90 22]

6 hours ago, mike101 said:

I agree with the non salesy approach. I think it’s what the modern world wants. In my oppinion the service/added value you offer is the important part.

Sometimes however some people require you to help them make the decision  - it’s just making sure that you don’t push them into something they don’t want to do. Otherwise you can guarantee it’ll come back and bite you!

+1

[Arfur Dealy 823]

8 hours ago, BHM said:

Hmmmm, I treat others with the same courtesy I’d like to experience.

BHM courtesy has nothing to do with it. I state very clearly that I don't reduce so Billy don't ask. When someone does I refer them back to my video. 

On the odd accasion I buy privately, the seller always overprices with the expectation to be chipped, that's the difference. Two completely different scenarios.