Getting discounts can be easy. Often, all you need to do is ask. Weblog Free Money Finance shares another tip for making this happen: ask if there’s a discount for new customers.
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski.
This wasn’t for pay TV or telephone service either — it even works if you’re finding a new dry cleaner:
I had several shirts and a couple pants that needed cleaned. As the lady took them we chatted with her a bit. We told her we were new in the area and were trying to find a drycleaner.
As she collected the clothes, my wife asked if they had any discounts available. That’s it. All she said was, “Do you have any discounts available?” (I know, pretty simple right?)
I immediately thought, “Of course they don’t — why even ask?”
The lady paused for a moment, then said, “I could give you a $US40 credit as a new customer. Would that be ok?”
Uh, yeah!
It’s certainly not a new idea, but it’s helpful to see so many examples of this working in the real world. If you haven’t tried it, why not give it a shot?
Another Example of Asking for a Discount [Free Money Finance]
Comments
5 responses to “Ask For ‘New Customer’ Discounts Anywhere You Go”
I always ask for discounts except for at the supermarket and discount retailers (like Big W).
My electricity, mobile, Internet, Foxtel, insurance, all discounted.
Please don’t Harass the staff of places like Big W, Coles and Woolworths about prices, they can not give you a discount.
If a price on the shelf advertises $10 for a “Doo-dah” and the register says $15 that’s when you say something. But make sure you got a “Doo-dah” and not the pricier “Doo-dah Deluxe”
Places like JB Hifi and the dreaded Harvey Norman can offer you a lower price especially when you have a big order. But chances are JB will be lower than Harvey Normans discounted price on the sticker. Asking will get you stuff cheaper but. Games, DVDs, Blu-rays and small items are generally not going to be discounted.
That’s what I said – I always ask except for supermarkets and discount retailers (like Big W)
Would Target be discount retailer? They have a fixed pricing system.
Just to be clear I wasn’t trying to correct or argue with you, it doesn’t look that way but. I was just hoping to reinforce that discounts are not universal for every store.
I have seen some jerk yell at the girl behind the counter, myself (she was about to cry I had to do something) her manager, the store manager, center security and the police who eventually arrived. He wanted them to price match a higher price give a discount on it, than apply the discount to their price. He had walked a long way looking for the lowest price (Big Ws) and it wasn’t low enough.
This article should really be about developing the confidence to ask for a discount in ANY situation; how you justify it is situation dependent. Equally important, it’s about having the confidence to walk away from the purchase when you’re unable to secure the price you’re willing to pay, rather than paying more than you were originally prepared to. If you can’t get anything off the list price, but you were happy with that anyway, then no worries.
BUT…
‘New customer discounts’ are evil! Surely loyal customers should be the ones who are rewarded? I know onboarding new customers is pretty much where the whole marketing budget goes, but it’s a shame the world has lost the ability to foster relationships and nurture those relationships for attaining new business.
over the last few years I have started to ask for a better price.
This is something I have learnt from my wife.
I love the way it was asked in this story, it is not aggressive in any way that you see some people try to “haggle”.
I will use this wording next time I feel the need : D
Joeyp