Become A Better Haggler By Avoiding Yes Or No Questions

Haggling with a salesperson is just as much about establishing a rapport as it is about driving down a price. By avoiding yes or no questions at first, you can keep sellers from dismissing you immediately and earn some time to engage with them.

Photo by Chris Doelle.

Rushing into a negotiation with a blunt request will often lead to a blunt response. That’s why Tod Marks at Consumer Reports suggests you avoid asking the sellers you’re haggling with yes or no questions:

It’s easy to dismiss a proposal outright if you ask a question that can be answered with a blunt yes or no. Say you’re drooling over a fancy mattress. Try a little diplomacy and couch your request: “I’ve been saving up for this bed for a long time, but the price is still out of range. Is there any way you can help me? Is there a sale coming up, or what’s the lowest amount the mattress has sold for when it was on sale?”

You want to be upfront about what you’re after, but you also want to engage them so you can build rapport with the seller. It’s not a bad idea to treat them with respect and politely mention that you’re comparing prices with competitors too. Of course, when all else fails, there’s one yes or no question you can always ask. You can find more haggling tips at the link below.

Haggle Your Way to Holiday Savings [Consumer Reports]