Four Steps to Get Stores to Lower Their Prices—just for You

Shopping can be great fun, going out and finding something you want, having someone wait on you, showing you around, picking out exactly the size, shape and color you’ve dreamed about and planning how to show it off.

Shopping can be a real rush. Until you peek at the price tag. Suddenly, the sky turns dark and the birds stop singing. If only life could be a flea market, where everyone dickers until the price no longer causes your wallet to cry out in pain.

I’m going to tell you something I discovered this past week:

NEARLY EVERY PRICE IS NEGOTIABLE.

I went to a department store to purchase a mattress and boxspring. The store was having a sale. They wanted too much, so I used my four price-lowering tips and saved $100 BELOW the SALE price.

I went shopping for a refrigerator. I found one for 50 percent off. Again I used my four-step method, and saved $100 off the sale price of

Here is how you are most likely to get the store to change the price—just for you.

1. Talk to someone with authority. The salesperson’s assistant will say what they’re told to say. Ask to talk to a supervisor.

2. Act like you will leave if you don’t get the price break you want. They want to sell things. That’s the bottom line. If you will buy it, they’ll do their best to make it easy for you.

3. Have an edge. The best edge is cash or a debit card. If you can say, “I will pay in full now”, you will have them foaming at the mouth, trying to make you happy.

4. Smile. Everyone likes helping a nice person.

So there you have it. Your four-step technique to getting stores to lower their prices—just for you. I hope you have as much fun as I’m having!