my favorite haggle techinicque consists of taking the stack up.. asking dude to price it up... knowing full well how much it is (running tally) and then pull out what you have in the wallet.. "oh i only have this much" ... most of the time the owner will pull a title or two out and you end up getting a deal without actually asking.
This technique relies on pretending that you can't add, which isn't such a great look for those of us with a modicum of self-respect.
nah man... my example in point related to a store with no prices on the records.. i know the range of the pricing but not the exact amounts for each peace.
this has worked for me almost everytime, namely because the owner knows what you want... how much cash you have... and then the ball is in his court as to whether and what he lets you take for that amount.
simple and effective.
the only thing that you can do to look like a total tool would be to haggle like a mo fo, get the stack rpiced and then go "oh i have to run to the bank machine"
my favorite haggle techinicque consists of taking the stack up.. asking dude to price it up... knowing full well how much it is (running tally) and then pull out what you have in the wallet.. "oh i only have this much" ... most of the time the owner will pull a title or two out and you end up getting a deal without actually asking.
This technique relies on pretending that you can't add, which isn't such a great look for those of us with a modicum of self-respect.
my favorite haggle techinicque consists of taking the stack up.. asking dude to price it up... knowing full well how much it is (running tally) and then pull out what you have in the wallet.. "oh i only have this much" ... most of the time the owner will pull a title or two out and you end up getting a deal without actually asking.
This technique relies on pretending that you can't add, which isn't such a great look for those of us with a modicum of self-respect.
nah man... my example in point related to a store with no prices on the records.. i know the range of the pricing but not the exact amounts for each peace.
this has worked for me almost everytime, namely because the owner knows what you want... how much cash you have... and then the ball is in his court as to whether and what he lets you take for that amount.
simple and effective.
the only thing that you can do to look like a total tool would be to haggle like a mo fo, get the stack rpiced and then go "oh i have to run to the bank machine"
you dont think it would be less insulting to the both of you to just say, "I tell you what, I'll give $___ in cash, how's that"
OK... Hammertime.... what is pricing "correctly" to you? I price things at what I think they're worth and what I think I can get for it.
well i guess that's "correct" then, I just meant if a seller assumes people will haggle they'll often bump the sticker price up a bit assuming they'll be talked down to the "real" price. I think that shit's lame.
And yeah, the place in Michigan we're talking about is out of control. I still find some good stuff there (and at good prices when ponytail isn't around) but yeah, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it.
A couple of the "punk rock kids" post on another message board and make it seem like he doesn't like dealing with customers and just wants to use the store as a way to get in records to send to ebay.
You know, people gripe a lot about record store pricing but very few people try to negotiate (at least, with me). Or they have very poor tactics. I had a guy come in, pull out a $200 record, and say "would you take $100 for this?" hahahahaha! jokes! But seriously, when I price something, I assume that someone may wish to pay $5, $10 less or whatever. I get people in who are not happy with a price - but instead of trying to bargain they just put it back! So weird... like, if you want to pay $30, and it's $40, why not ask? Maybe it's been there for two months and I really want to move it. But I can't help ya if you don't ask.
this is pretty interesting, I'm of the mentality where going into a store front with set prices and negotiating would just be in bad taste.
I've often thought about asking dude behind the counter if he can go a little lower but just seemed to be the wrong move. I would jokingly ask a dealer to give me a sexy green eye discount on a $200 LP though, maybe I shouldn't joke about it and instead be about it next time
oh and since we are on the topic of record store rants I got to hollar loud about one of my former favorite spots in P******a. This is the place I've raved about before because thier racism is exceptionally delicious, just about any record with a black person on it is $1.99 or less. God bless them record sotres that specialize in classical and dixieland jazz.
I've walked out of that store with so much heat its unbeleivable, however lately the game has changed. I used to be able to go in, check through the records that werent priced yet and put them on hold for the lady behind the conter to get around to and stick the $1.99 tags on, now however as soon as I put it on hold they dissapear and are no longer for sale. I've had friends that have worked at this store and they've told me about how the lady who prices stockpiles LP's for her retirement nest egg. She's not to savvy on soul and jazz but she knows her classical so we never had issues, but now I'm thinking she's expanded her retirement options and diversified into funk & soul. So when I go in I'm essentially making her money instead of helping the store and walking out with raers.
I'm thinking of just holding nothing but Leo Sayers now and taking my chances by letting the records I want enter the general population, although at that point I'll still not be catching all the stuff I want. I guess there ain't nothing I can do, but dammit hire me on as an assistant if you want me to help you make money
OK... Hammertime.... what is pricing "correctly" to you? I price things at what I think they're worth and what I think I can get for it.
well i guess that's "correct" then, I just meant if a seller assumes people will haggle they'll often bump the sticker price up a bit assuming they'll be talked down to the "real" price. I think that shit's lame.
What he's saying is that the "real" price could change, depending upon the circumstances.
When he marks the record, that's the "real" price... but if it doesn't move at that price over time, or if you are a customer that he has a relationship with and knows to be a repeat spender, then he might could work with you.
When I was working at the record store, I would negotiate with customers all the time. Since I was the one buying (or watching other buys), I knew what we had into most product. If it sat on the shelf, we weren't making money! Just got to ask! Know your margins and move product, it's not brain surgery.
Don't always assume you can't ask for a lower price. I knocked $250 off my brand new Sony TV a few years back and made them throw in the stand too. Video Only is my spot.
I think certain local shops in my area have caught that fever too, but I still try to support them. I just wish they would holler at the regulars first when they get what they think is a hot/expensive commodity in their store. I see these "buy-it-nows" on the 'bay and wonder why they didn't offer it to me first. I'd pay the $25 that I don't normally spend in the store for say a James Brown's Hell LP or something like that. I never see that in the store though.
I know shops need to pay the bills, but they don't realize they're not going to get the deep cheese out of their local customers if they don't offer up some deeper records. I'm not going to pay $20 for Dennis Coffey's Evolution, sorry. That Cleopatra Jones OST on ebay looks really nice though. *sigh*
I think I know the shop of which you speak - as much as I have love for them, I wish they would just price some records period. Having everything unpriced is very discouraging for the average customer.
there was a place here in PDX that never had any records priced. You would go in, find something you liked and he would say he would look into. The first time this happened I came back several days later and he told me he hadn't decided yet. Never went back after a couple of those runarounds. This was pre internet too so I am sure I was saved unbelievable madness, like $150 for Kool and The Gang records. Laserwolf told me that that the guy claimed he sold some B Dylan jernt for $10000 and was trying to squeeze every last penny out of his burl ives' ever since. Needless to day he finally went out of biz.
Bob is Portlands biggest record dealer; weighing in at over 300 pounds.
The guy sold mostly reissue oldies 45s. Years ago he uncovered the first known Stereo copy of Freewheelin' with John Birch Blues, a song that Columbia took off before the record was distributed.
He loved showing me funk 45s asking me what they were worth but refusing to sell them. One time I showed intrest in a Blossom Dearie record he had our in the racks. As soon as he knew I was interested he said it was not for sale. A week later he called trying to get me to buy it for way more than it was worth. Needless to say he has gone out of business.
I always liked Record Exchange. They were consistently underpriced for the longest time, probably from the time they really stopped selling records seriously (like they do w/CDs) and went more for bulk up until about 2 years ago when they seem to be moving away from bulk back to specifically priced items.
The funniest part about shopowners like this, is the fact that it's right there in the title: "Price Guide". Meaning its a rough starting point for you to then use your own brain and come up with a price yourself. They treat those damn books like the word of God or some shit.
the unexpected happened to me the other day at Jerry's River Records...dude couldnt figure out what to price a certain 45 (he uses price guides to price) and he asked me what I thought I should pay for it(if you have ever been to Jerry's, you know this is UNHEARD of) I said "5 bucks" and he went for it.... maybe ol Jerry is mellowing with age.
Comments
nah man... my example in point related to a store with no prices on the records.. i know the range of the pricing but not the exact amounts for each peace.
this has worked for me almost everytime, namely because the owner knows what you want... how much cash you have... and then the ball is in his court as to whether and what he lets you take for that amount.
simple and effective.
the only thing that you can do to look like a total tool would be to haggle like a mo fo, get the stack rpiced and then go "oh i have to run to the bank machine"
dyn't knoch teh hussell, Bwitch!
you dont think it would be less insulting to the both of you to just say, "I tell you what, I'll give $___ in cash, how's that"
I mean chances are that the guy isnt an idiot.
well i guess that's "correct" then, I just meant if a seller assumes people will haggle they'll often bump the sticker price up a bit assuming they'll be talked down to the "real" price. I think that shit's lame.
And yeah, the place in Michigan we're talking about is out of control. I still find some good stuff there (and at good prices when ponytail isn't around) but yeah, I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it.
A couple of the "punk rock kids" post on another message board and make it seem like he doesn't like dealing with customers and just wants to use the store as a way to get in records to send to ebay.
this is pretty interesting, I'm of the mentality where going into a store front with set prices and negotiating would just be in bad taste.
I've often thought about asking dude behind the counter if he can go a little lower but just seemed to be the wrong move. I would jokingly ask a dealer to give me a sexy green eye discount on a $200 LP though, maybe I shouldn't joke about it and instead be about it next time
I've walked out of that store with so much heat its unbeleivable, however lately the game has changed. I used to be able to go in, check through the records that werent priced yet and put them on hold for the lady behind the conter to get around to and stick the $1.99 tags on, now however as soon as I put it on hold they dissapear and are no longer for sale. I've had friends that have worked at this store and they've told me about how the lady who prices stockpiles LP's for her retirement nest egg. She's not to savvy on soul and jazz but she knows her classical so we never had issues, but now I'm thinking she's expanded her retirement options and diversified into funk & soul. So when I go in I'm essentially making her money instead of helping the store and walking out with raers.
I'm thinking of just holding nothing but Leo Sayers now and taking my chances by letting the records I want enter the general population, although at that point I'll still not be catching all the stuff I want. I guess there ain't nothing I can do, but dammit hire me on as an assistant if you want me to help you make money
and I wouldn't mind doing that so much, but damn can I buy them after I overprice them?
note the italics on help
doh its time for a return to the classics
[color:white] I'm stoned [/color]
What he's saying is that the "real" price could change, depending upon the circumstances.
When he marks the record, that's the "real" price... but if it doesn't move at that price over time, or if you are a customer that he has a relationship with and knows to be a repeat spender, then he might could work with you.
It's not a novel concept.
Don't always assume you can't ask for a lower price. I knocked $250 off my brand new Sony TV a few years back and made them throw in the stand too. Video Only is my spot.
Peace,
Cortez
Bob is Portlands biggest record dealer; weighing in at over 300 pounds.
The guy sold mostly reissue oldies 45s. Years ago he uncovered the first known Stereo copy of Freewheelin' with John Birch Blues, a song that Columbia took off before the record was distributed.
He loved showing me funk 45s asking me what they were worth but refusing to sell them. One time I showed intrest in a Blossom Dearie record he had our in the racks. As soon as he knew I was interested he said it was not for sale. A week later he called trying to get me to buy it for way more than it was worth. Needless to say he has gone out of business.
Dan
I always liked Record Exchange. They were consistently underpriced for the longest time, probably from the time they really stopped selling records seriously (like they do w/CDs) and went more for bulk up until about 2 years ago when they seem to be moving away from bulk back to specifically priced items.