Author Topic: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts  (Read 1363 times)

pauldawes

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Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« on: 17:18:13, 04/02/18 »
Over the years I've gleamed some useful tips from this site on best way to get best price when buying kit. For example, until I was a member here I'd not heard about Go Outdoors price matching policy, never mind exactly how it operates.


Thought it might be useful to have a thread for us to contribute useful tips/ discuss best way to get a good price when buying walking gear.


My own two tips (as some one who tends to buy walking kit in physical shops still, as opposed to internet) are:-


1/ Once you are paying "chunky money" (my own limit is 50 quid or above) do at least a bit of research to establish best internet price..even if intending to buy in local shop. It never hurts to say something like "I like this...and want to buy it now...but can you get a bit closer to internet price?".


2/ Never be remotely embarrassed about asking for a discount...this should almost be an "automatic reflex". To quote a good friend "Many stores give a 10% sales discount immediately after you ask for it...but if you don't ask you pay full price!".

gunwharfman

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #1 on: 17:57:15, 04/02/18 »
I also found that Snow and Rock price matched when I last bought boots from them. I just handed over the internet site details, they checked on line that the boots were as cheap as I said they were and they then sold me the boots at the internet price.

Nowadays I'm lucky that now I have done all of my hiking purchases, just can't think of anything else to buy for 2018. But if I need  some new boots and clothing in particular, shops I find, are the best way to get something that actually fits well. I've never really tried to haggle but I would have a go if the item was a high price in the first place.

sussamb

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #2 on: 18:22:53, 04/02/18 »
Cotswold will price match too  O0
Where there's a will ...

Jac

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #3 on: 08:45:02, 05/02/18 »
So will (did) Taunton Leisure when asked
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

pauldawes

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #4 on: 09:08:37, 05/02/18 »
More stores than I realised price match. That’s really useful, because, for example, it opens up possibility of going in store to try boots on, buying them then and there, while still getting best competitive price.


I think that shows one advantage of having a half decent mobile phone...potentially having tried fit (of jacket/ boots/ whatever in store)...you can do price comparison search straightaway, and put price match into operation immediately.

gunwharfman

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #5 on: 10:01:02, 05/02/18 »
I agree, smart phones to me are worth their weight in gold! I'm of an age wher I can easily tut-tut (and I have done!) at the way some people immerse their lives into them but used sensibly they have saved me so much money. I've never done a proper financial comarison between the 'old' way (driving to and shoppings in shops) to the 'new' way (ordering as much as possible on line) but the 'new' way is really good. For me this month alone, two on line shops from Tesco, organised three passports and two Power of Attorneys, bought a bivi, organised my new driving licence, paid my car insurance (mine went down by £22) set up an appointment with my doctor, changed our gas and electricity provider and have sorted a few other things out as well. All from my phone! Some days I've just sat on a stile in the sunshine doing this and that, then off walking or running again. Why go home to sort out matters when you can do it in a variety of nice places.What really helps is my folding bluetooth keyboard, typing on a phone screen keyboard is such a chore!

Then of course there are the other savings, no need to buy a TomTom thingy, mines on my phone and its free, so are my maps, copiies of train tickets, copies of documents, etc, books, a mi-fi phone, bus timetables, its my camera, I can type or speak reminder notes, its my diary, the list seems to be endless. In the 'old' days I'd be driving here and there, spending time gassing to human beings behind counters, postage, envelopes and on an on and on, spending money on fuel, lees wear and tear on tyres, engine, etc and I even suspect my shoes are lasting longer! Plus everything is back up on my PC when I get home. Brilliant!

Of course there is always a downside, I must not lose it, or have it stolen from me!

fernman

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #6 on: 13:39:14, 05/02/18 »
Of course there is always a downside, I must not lose it, or have it stolen from me!

Another downside is having an elderly relative calling you requesting urgent assistance when you're out for a walk, and you then having to get them to grasp that you're an hour-and-a-half away from your car and an hour's drive from home.
Of course, you could always turn your phone off but then you won't be able to do all the things GWM has suggested.

Andies

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #7 on: 14:58:43, 05/02/18 »
I try to research before hand and armed with that information have no shame in haggling. At the end of the day they don't have to give me a discount, but then they probably won't get my hard earned ;)

I employ the same haggling tactics with all suppliers. It never ceases to amaze me how just telephoning a supplier and saying you don't like the price or price increase, that they immediately seem to give you a discount. By coincidence just off the phone from British Gas who wanted to up my gas cover renewal by 20%. By the end of the call I was paying exactly the same as last year, notwithstanding the increase in insurance premium tax by 2%, and had been given upgraded cover which now includes plumbing and electrics at no extra cost O0

Did the same with the AA a few weeks ago. They wanted £260 for my subscription renewal, I called, we discussed, and I ended up with exactly the same cover for £156  O0

My advice is do your research, and stay very calm when discussing what you would like. Getting aggressive doesn't usually work and people respond best if you treat them with respect. They will only give you a discount if they are still making something out of the deal. Some profit is better than none if you go elsewhere :)

pauldawes

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #8 on: 15:52:01, 05/02/18 »


I employ the same haggling tactics with all suppliers. It never ceases to amaze me how just telephoning a supplier and saying you don't like the price or price increase, that they immediately seem to give you a discount. By coincidence just off the phone from British Gas who wanted to up my gas cover renewal by 20%. By the end of the call I was paying exactly the same as last year, notwithstanding the increase in insurance premium tax by 2%, and had been given upgraded cover which now includes plumbing and electrics at no extra cost O0




I haven’t quoted everything you’ve put, but effectively agree with “spirit”of it all.


Gas, electricity, water ( to go on meter or not), car insurance, house insurance...these are the sort of recurring bills where loyal customers who “routinely” renew with same supplier without challenging cost quoted get royally shafted.


Particularly galling in case of gas, and electricity where exactly same stuff is delivered to your house regardless of which supplier you use.


Doing the sort of stuff you describe can seem to be a bit of a faff at the time. But when done systematically year after year it saves a fortune..it can make a comfortable retirement possible a couple of years earlier.
« Last Edit: 16:02:16, 05/02/18 by pauldawes »

Deerplay

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #9 on: 23:29:21, 25/02/18 »
Anyone buying from an outdoor type shop should ask for an automatic 10 - 15% discount on the purchase price as they offer these to members of so many organisations, e.g. National Trust, Ramblers, BMC members' Volunteer Rangers, Scouts etc. If they say no ask them to imagine you are a member of a qualifying organisation. It's worked for me.
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Lakeland Lorry

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Re: Gear:- Negotiating Discounts
« Reply #10 on: 08:07:42, 26/02/18 »
Anyone buying from an outdoor type shop should ask for an automatic 10 - 15% discount on the purchase price as they offer these to members of so many organisations, e.g. National Trust, Ramblers, BMC members' Volunteer Rangers, Scouts etc. If they say no ask them to imagine you are a member of a qualifying organisation. It's worked for me.

It won't work in George Fisher's in Keswick.   The only people who get any sort of discount in Fisher's are the member of the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.   Fisher's are excellent when it comes to offering advice though, so I really don't mind not getting the discount.


 

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