The Secret to Good Negotiation

I am an awesome negotiator. Over the years, I have saved thousands of dollars, just by asking! What would you do with an extra thousand dollars or two? That's a lot of Starbucks.....

Coupons: You don't have to be some extreme couponer. Before you go, just search online for in store coupons. A lot of places offer a 20% off coupon or $50 off coupon just for signing up for their email. I actually downloaded one coupon from a furniture store website that was $50 off. I went to the sale section and found a vase that was half off, plus the $50 off, and I got a $100 vase for FREE!

Free Delivery: Most furniture stores pay their sales staff commission. They want to sell something just as much as you want to buy it! Go ahead! Ask for extra discounts, free delivery, anything extra they can throw your way if you "buy it today". They know they are more likely to make a sale if you buy it today, than if they charge you full delivery and take the chance that you'll come back and make the purchase tomorrow. Most associates have the authority to remove the delivery discount, and by all means, ask! Don't be intimidated if they have to call a manager. I used this tactic on my bedroom set and saved myself $400!

Make 'em sweat: If they don't give you a deal, walk away. You can always come back and get the same deal if you can't live without it. But chances are, the closer you get to the door, the sweeter the deal will get. I got this chandelier at a garage sale from $50 to $35 by walking away :)

Milk your discounts: Are you a contractor? Military? A senior? A student? A teacher? Do you work in the same complex as the store? A lot of stores give discounts for many reasons. Just ask what kind of discounts they offer and you're likely to fit into one of those categories!

Craigslist negotiation:
Make the trip: Drive to the location before you make an offer. Just tell them you would like to come see it, but don't give them the price in your head yet. I made a half hour trip for this bookcase and got it for $100 off the asking price, plus he delivered it to my house and put it in my office!

Point out the imperfections: If you're buying something used, it's going to have some scratches and dents-that's what gives it character! But Craigslist Seller McGoo does not need to know that you are excited about the history of the piece. If they said it was in great shape in the ad, just say "Well it's not in the condition I was expecting, it hardly looks new...", and if they warned you about some scratches in the ad, just say "I didn't realize it had this many scratches on it...".
If it's in perfect shape, point out something else: "Well, it's a lot larger than I imagined, I just don't know how it's going to look in the space..." or "It looks a lot different than the picture on Craigslist..."
Really debate over the decision-1.because you need to in any purchase, and 2. because it's a great negotiating tool! While you're thinking about it or "thinking about it", Craigslist Seller McGoo is thinking "Man, I really just want to get rid of this thing! I'd give it away for free right now!" ...And that's when you pounce :) Because of a few imperfections, I got this Pottery Barn end table for $5!

See beyond the photo: Most people are horrible at taking pictures. Really look at what you're buying and not the quality of the photo. The less others can see in the photo, the better for you! Less competition = greater negotiation. I bought this bed(headboard, footboard, etc, NOT a mattress!) off a picture of it in 10 pieces, laying on a floor of a dark garage. I was able to get it for $50, and once I put it together, I could have sold it for $300!

Make an offer: After pointing out the imperfections and your concerns, say "Since I'm really not sure about it, I'd like to try it and give you $___ for it." Too simple? Fine, make it harder, but I'm not going to teach you how to do it!! This negotiation tool has worked 10 out of 10 times for me. I even got one man to deliver a bookcase to my door.


Never refuse a hand-me-down! I was given this palm from an old friend in college who was moving to California. I offered him $20 for it, but he gave it to me for free! A new ceramic pot and it has been a main piece in our living room for years.

This Horchow mirror started as a horrid picture on Craigslist of the side of it in a corner of a storage unit. A 45 minute trip and a bit of negotiating, I got this $900 mirror for $150.

I got this Pennsylvania House wingback chair on Craigslist from a college kid. When I showed up, it was completely different from what the photo looked like, and the kid just wanted to get rid of it, not realizing it was a $1,200 chair. I hesitated, and he offered it to me for free, but I felt bad and gave him $5 for coffee :) Not a recommended negotiating tactic, but I figured I've saved so much over the years, it's time to pay it forward!