In general, I see "no-haggle" pricing as a friendlier term for price-fixing.
No haggle pricing vs. Negotiating
- Thread starter macarose
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You have to be so, so careful as a consumer, especially when buying a vehicle. But, that doesn't mean all businesses are out to rip you off.
But I think the biggest difference is big brand car dealership that's run by a big company/dealer group vs a local small used car dealer. Every business needs to make money, but a good, privately owned, car lot that has good intentions and fair no-haggle pricing sounds fantastic to me. People that still want to haggle, well, they can go somewhere else, like you said.
Now, "real" car dealerships, holy cow you have to be careful. When I bought my Volt from the nearby Chevy dealer when they gave me the paper showing the price they had put a $3500 "service contract" on there. I asked, what is that, I did not ask for that? "Oh, it's like a warranty, in case something happens, after all, it's a used car out of factory warranty." Um, first off, a service contract and warranty are two different things. Second, it's a Chevy Volt, it doesn't need a bunch of regular maintenance. Maybe an oil change and tire rotation once a year, if that? Like, literally, I'd have thrown away $3500 and I suspect a non-zero number of people fall for it... Now if that had been an actual warranty that gave, let's say, 5 year/60k full coverage against, say, the EV battery failing or something, that would have been worth considering although not for $3500. But no, they wanted to charge me $3500 for what probably would have been two oil changes.
So people are used to being ripped off and playing games. If your business doesn't do that, I have great respect for you, but be aware that lots of people that go car shopping think all dealers play games and they can play games too. Shutting that behavior down politely is all you can do. Stick to your morals and business plan. If you have honesty and integrity on your side you will win long term.
I will say, I've learned this in my years as an adult so far... The cheaper the item/product/service you're trying to sell is, the more time consuming your customers are.
When I worked at the computer store, the people that bought $200 computers were 10x needier than the ones buying $1000 computers. Having bought and sold a bunch of used cars, the cheaper the car the more people tried to get it for dirt cheap, haggle endlessly, waste my time, ask hundreds of dumb questions, schedule time to get it then no-call-no-show, etc. My side job/business is web design and development. When I first started out I was doing websites for like $300. Holy cow those customers were trouble.
I'm the assistant manager at a parts store. The customers with beat up old cars are usually the ones that want free help with everything, want free diagnostics (I can pull the codes for you and print a list of possible solutions but you have to take it to a mechanic for an actual diagnostic... three hours later YOU TOLD ME THIS O2 SENSOR WAS GOING TO FIX IT I WANT MY $300 BACK... No, I told you, you should take it to a shop, we do not guarantee changing any of these components will solve the problem, you told me you wanted to buy this part and I told you before you purchased it that electrical parts could not be returned once installed). Vs the customers with clean/expensive cars just want the part and move on with their day. Sure they're a bit rude or impatient but that's just how people are.
Long story short, it's your business, and you can choose your customers. If they want to haggle they can go elsewhere. Facebook marketplace, OfferUp, plenty of optionsout there if they want a beater with a heater.
But I think the biggest difference is big brand car dealership that's run by a big company/dealer group vs a local small used car dealer. Every business needs to make money, but a good, privately owned, car lot that has good intentions and fair no-haggle pricing sounds fantastic to me. People that still want to haggle, well, they can go somewhere else, like you said.
Now, "real" car dealerships, holy cow you have to be careful. When I bought my Volt from the nearby Chevy dealer when they gave me the paper showing the price they had put a $3500 "service contract" on there. I asked, what is that, I did not ask for that? "Oh, it's like a warranty, in case something happens, after all, it's a used car out of factory warranty." Um, first off, a service contract and warranty are two different things. Second, it's a Chevy Volt, it doesn't need a bunch of regular maintenance. Maybe an oil change and tire rotation once a year, if that? Like, literally, I'd have thrown away $3500 and I suspect a non-zero number of people fall for it... Now if that had been an actual warranty that gave, let's say, 5 year/60k full coverage against, say, the EV battery failing or something, that would have been worth considering although not for $3500. But no, they wanted to charge me $3500 for what probably would have been two oil changes.
So people are used to being ripped off and playing games. If your business doesn't do that, I have great respect for you, but be aware that lots of people that go car shopping think all dealers play games and they can play games too. Shutting that behavior down politely is all you can do. Stick to your morals and business plan. If you have honesty and integrity on your side you will win long term.
I will say, I've learned this in my years as an adult so far... The cheaper the item/product/service you're trying to sell is, the more time consuming your customers are.
When I worked at the computer store, the people that bought $200 computers were 10x needier than the ones buying $1000 computers. Having bought and sold a bunch of used cars, the cheaper the car the more people tried to get it for dirt cheap, haggle endlessly, waste my time, ask hundreds of dumb questions, schedule time to get it then no-call-no-show, etc. My side job/business is web design and development. When I first started out I was doing websites for like $300. Holy cow those customers were trouble.
I'm the assistant manager at a parts store. The customers with beat up old cars are usually the ones that want free help with everything, want free diagnostics (I can pull the codes for you and print a list of possible solutions but you have to take it to a mechanic for an actual diagnostic... three hours later YOU TOLD ME THIS O2 SENSOR WAS GOING TO FIX IT I WANT MY $300 BACK... No, I told you, you should take it to a shop, we do not guarantee changing any of these components will solve the problem, you told me you wanted to buy this part and I told you before you purchased it that electrical parts could not be returned once installed). Vs the customers with clean/expensive cars just want the part and move on with their day. Sure they're a bit rude or impatient but that's just how people are.
Long story short, it's your business, and you can choose your customers. If they want to haggle they can go elsewhere. Facebook marketplace, OfferUp, plenty of optionsout there if they want a beater with a heater.
thats why I never trusted Saturn dealers...
It never hurts to ask, that’s my experience. Not sure why it’s seen as such a negative thing. It comes with the territory.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
. Maybe he buys 100% of his inventory from an auction, oh wait, that’s bidding and not a firm price either.
I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
. Maybe he buys 100% of his inventory from an auction, oh wait, that’s bidding and not a firm price either.I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
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Yeah I bought Oakley rx glasses online last year, and they were backordered.It never hurts to ask, that’s my experience. Not sure why it’s seen as such a negative thing. It comes with the territory.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
In the meantime since they were in my cart, I saw the price has dropped $75. I sent an email since I haven’t even got my glasses yet, can I kindly get a credit. No response but automated email from PayPal a seller has refunded you $75
Ps thank goodness my wife took over health and now we have $0 deductible so no more FSA. This means no more buying rx eyeglasses and sunglasses to spend the funds.
It never hurts to ask, that’s my experience. Not sure why it’s seen as such a negative thing. It comes with the territory.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
Let your parents know they did a fine job of educating you and exposing you to awesome life experiences.
BingoIt never hurts to ask, that’s my experience. Not sure why it’s seen as such a negative thing. It comes with the territory.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
It never hurts to ask, that’s my experience. Not sure why it’s seen as such a negative thing. It comes with the territory.
Also, I wonder if OP doesn’t negotiate on trade-ins either and just pays whatever the owner asks for
I bet OP would laugh at me if I wanted to sell my vehicle to him, but told him I do not negotiate.
It's not what you ask but how you ask. Act with kindness and mutual respect and you get it back.
Interesting logic when it comes to how some think they have input on how much profit a dealer should be allowed to make. I'll bet no one has went to their employer and told them "hey, my monthly expenses are $3890 so can you reduce my monthly pay down to $4000? I don't need to make extra money....".
All things being equal .... a well informed consumer will almost always prevail.
Its a dance, its best to not take it personally. Learn to say NO politely and mean it.
I bought a truck recently from a dealer/salesperson I have been a customer of for 30 yrs. He always warns the finance guy that I dont buy any of the extras. I do however give them a chance to look for better financing than my local credit union has. They very rarely do, but I always give them the shot. The salesman and I were joking when we came back to his office from the finance guys, he asked me if he sold me anything and I jokingly replied that "I bought it all, even the paint protection" we had a good laugh.
As hokie as some of these items are (the list this time was about 18 deep) there are people that actually buy them. Just because I dont see the value in them doesnt mean someone else wont.
If you think cars and trucks are bad, buy an RV..... now theres some high pressure folks (some, not all)
Its a dance, its best to not take it personally. Learn to say NO politely and mean it.
I bought a truck recently from a dealer/salesperson I have been a customer of for 30 yrs. He always warns the finance guy that I dont buy any of the extras. I do however give them a chance to look for better financing than my local credit union has. They very rarely do, but I always give them the shot. The salesman and I were joking when we came back to his office from the finance guys, he asked me if he sold me anything and I jokingly replied that "I bought it all, even the paint protection" we had a good laugh.
As hokie as some of these items are (the list this time was about 18 deep) there are people that actually buy them. Just because I dont see the value in them doesnt mean someone else wont.
If you think cars and trucks are bad, buy an RV..... now theres some high pressure folks (some, not all)
Not only that....but with only a few exceptions ( about three companies ship them with one-that I know of) RV's are not required to have a factory MSRP sticker. So-the issue being is the starting price is in outer space -it's so high.
Two sides to every coin and every story.
You can email dealers for new car pricing. Those who will play will give you a killer offer via email. Those you don't want to deal with will come back with something stupid like "come on in and lets talk about your needs". When shopping new or used, I've already decided what I want and need in a vehicle. If a dealer offers a killer price and then doesn't try to renegotiate what they've already said they would do by adding a bunch of junk fees, I'll complete the purchase.
Of the seven new cars we've bought in the nearly forty years we've been married, four were offered at compelling prices requiring no negotiation, with the other three requiring some negotiation with an outcome I found acceptable.
All things considered I'd rather be offered a good deal and walk into the store needing only to complete the purchase, usually cash unless there was free or really cheap financing on offer. If a dealer offers a car at a given price and then tries to jack it up with a bunch of nonsense charges and unwanted service contracts that they call "insurance" then it's time to walk.
Finally, any dealer that wants to talk to you before offering a price is not one that I'd deal with.
The funny thing is that the area dealers no savvy buyer will set foot in still move plenty of cars.
You can email dealers for new car pricing. Those who will play will give you a killer offer via email. Those you don't want to deal with will come back with something stupid like "come on in and lets talk about your needs". When shopping new or used, I've already decided what I want and need in a vehicle. If a dealer offers a killer price and then doesn't try to renegotiate what they've already said they would do by adding a bunch of junk fees, I'll complete the purchase.
Of the seven new cars we've bought in the nearly forty years we've been married, four were offered at compelling prices requiring no negotiation, with the other three requiring some negotiation with an outcome I found acceptable.
All things considered I'd rather be offered a good deal and walk into the store needing only to complete the purchase, usually cash unless there was free or really cheap financing on offer. If a dealer offers a car at a given price and then tries to jack it up with a bunch of nonsense charges and unwanted service contracts that they call "insurance" then it's time to walk.
Finally, any dealer that wants to talk to you before offering a price is not one that I'd deal with.
The funny thing is that the area dealers no savvy buyer will set foot in still move plenty of cars.
I bought a new car last week, one year newer than the one it replaced, one trim level higher and much better equipped. My dealer doesn't add anything to any vehicle ever. They are honest and straightforward. Sounds like just like the OP.
Part of the problem is participation trophies. One segment of society has trained and brought up their bunch to expect to always be recognized and rewarded and to always have everything go their way. Car dealers and salespeople should not make any money on their deal. Making it on others is ok, but not on them. So they expect every legitimate cut and discount and several illegitimate ones as well. They don't do as they should and never will. Unless we can move people back to doing and being right we're doomed for this to always continue.
Part of the problem is participation trophies. One segment of society has trained and brought up their bunch to expect to always be recognized and rewarded and to always have everything go their way. Car dealers and salespeople should not make any money on their deal. Making it on others is ok, but not on them. So they expect every legitimate cut and discount and several illegitimate ones as well. They don't do as they should and never will. Unless we can move people back to doing and being right we're doomed for this to always continue.
Exactly this, you should have your OTD price in writing before you leave your house. If the dealer is difficult to work with over the phone or email, it's not going to get any better in person.
As a consumer that will purchase a car from just about anywhere in the nation, no-haggle pricing will pretty much never get me to buy since there is always a better deal elsewhere. A large local dealership with a national footprint near me is no-haggle, and they are basically the only gig in town so they sell just fine. Their prices are fair...not good, not bad, just fair. Last time I was looking at a vehicle there I ended up buying one on the other side of the county that was cleaner, less miles, and a few grand less. It was a no-brainer.
“I get that it's a generational thing and a media driven us-vs.-them attitude.”
You mean older generations right? Because in my experience they are the more common obnoxious haggling types. Garage sales highlight this better than anything. Gen Z and Millennials are not the ones typically trying to negotiate 50 cents off an old sweater with vomit stains on it.
You mean older generations right? Because in my experience they are the more common obnoxious haggling types. Garage sales highlight this better than anything. Gen Z and Millennials are not the ones typically trying to negotiate 50 cents off an old sweater with vomit stains on it.
It’s absolutely true for me (young millennial/Zillenial), price it fair and I’ll buy it…. But man my brother in law (older Gen Z) would negotiate for a McDonald’s cheeseburger if he could
I worked for a Large Lexus dealership a few years back. At the time Lexus rolled out its "Lexus Plus" no haggle pricing at select dealerships. The dealership a couple hours south of me is located in a very affluent town where the average income is $1.1 -1.5 million per year. They went with the no haggle price structure. I think it depends on the market.
This 100%.
People just believe they will be screwed by the auto industry regardless. If you run the dealership as you say, that sounds like a good way to purchase a vehicle. We have a dealer locally (Honda dealer) with no haggle pricing, but they still have a lot of strange fees that don't really make any sense.
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