by Jacqueline Trovato

Created on: July 29, 2009   Last Updated: July 30, 2009

The prices of many everyday items people buy at retail stores like furniture, jewelry, appliances, mattresses, antiques, electronics, and clothing-are negotiable. Even those who acknowledge that retailers will bargain, or who have friends or family members who are devoted dickerers, often say they'd be too embarrassed to do it themselves. They believe it's undignified. Retailers have exploited this forever. Whoever coined the expression "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it," must have been a retailer. There is no benefit to paying full retail for anything a consumer can get with only the slightest additional effort to negotiate.

How to Negotiate With Retail Stores

Some retailers will flat-out refuse to bargain. Others will bargain only occasionally, or only in special circumstances, or only with great reluctance. Price flexibility is most common on the purchases that are least common: expensive things. The risk-to-reward ratio makes retail bargaining a no-brainer. The downside-that a consumer will be told "no"-is negligible. The upside-saving a slew of dollars, having some fun, and reinforcing negotiating skills-is outstanding. The inescapable conclusion: It makes sense to ask.

The standard markup from wholesale to retail is 100 percent! That means a $1,000 sofa might have cost the store $500; and a $50 shirt cost $25. Luxury items are marked up even more. As a very general rule, the more the markup, the more flexible the price will be. On the other hand, high-volume retailers (grocery stores and discounters like Wal-Mart) thrive by moving huge quantities of goods at very low markup. These are less likely-but by no means impossible-venues for bargaining. Retailers of every stripe agree on one thing: All markup is good markup.

While there are no special tricks for negotiating retail purchases, here are some suggestions that may help.

Do the homework. Try to learn what other local retailers are charging. Check the Internet or newspaper, call or drop by a few stores. Study the price guides for antiques, other collectibles, and cars. The single most persuasive-and, for the consumer, most comfortable-argument for a price cut is that the same item is being sold elsewhere for less. Merchants never want to admit they're uncompetitive. Many will match or beat the competition's price-some even guarantee it-if that's what it takes to make the sale. Be knowledgeable and truthful-but not unnecessarily specific-about the other

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