This post is going to cover the “find and define” your price approach. Surprisingly a lot of consumers simply pay the sticker price and don’t care to ask for a discount. Some people may feel embarrassed to ask or just assume the retailer won’t work with them. This isn’t true. You’re spending money that you worked for. You deserve the best deal. When you are able to get a discount it’s also rewarding. You feel like you got the right price for the item and it gives you a good reassuring feeling. The discount also helps if you decide to sell the item at a later date. Now you need to be realistic during the bargaining game. This blog is about Audio/Video gear so that is what I’m talking about throughout this post. You cannot expect a big discount when you are dealing with speakers in the 100-500 range or components in the 200-800 range. However, if you are in the price range of 1000-15,000 there is always room for negotiation. This is why brick and mortar shops still today are so beneficial. I do love online shopping and the simplicity it brings, but you lose the personal relationship building aspect. I’ve personally received discounts by simply buying items from the same salesmen over the course of a year or two.
So how does all this play out? I want to cover the different online markets first and then go into detail. This is where I think each online marketplace stands and what in provides:
Items Manufacture Site – This normally lists the MSRP (Manufactorer Suggested Retail Price). This is the highest price and the price you should not pay. Notice the word Suggested! That very much applies.
Amazon – This is normally the lowest price online you will find. Either Amazon will sell the item or it will ship from a reseller. This is a good way to get an idea of the price you should pay. It is not always the lowest though. Most brick and mortar stores are starting to price match amazon and online retailers.
Ebay – I personally only use this when I plan to sell an item I own and I only use it to get a price range. It is too much of hassle to worry about shipping/receiving. To me this is more for rare items and better suited for collectors seeking items no longer available in stores or not sold in stores.
Craigslist – This can be great… It depends on how comfortable you are with buying used gear. Take into consideration there isn’t a warranty. If there is, the warrant has already started when the seller originally purchased the item. Normally the seller will not have or be able to provide the original receipt which is sometimes required for warranty replacements. I use craigslist for selling from time to time, but when buying expensive gear I prefer to ensure I am able to obtain support and a good warranty in MY name.
So look at Amazon to get a price range for where to begin discussing. Now typically single item purchases aren’t going to net a high discount, but if you are purchasing a package of items you can literally save between 10-20%. With high end audio purchases it’s not uncommon to get that much off. You can normally check forums and get an idea of what other people are paying as well. You can approach this like buying a car. If you take a nice approach and don’t turn it into a “bid for your service” generally multiple locations will work with you. I’ve taken a quoted price from one store before and mentioned it to a second store and either they will try to go lower or politely say they can’t. There is no reason at all for you not to try and get the best deal. Don’t be afraid to play the game. I think most people would be surprised.
–Austin
Common Mans Home Theater 