Haggling at Best Buy?

[claytonj]

has anyone ever haggled with Best buy? I am taking my mom to go buy 4 new Flat Screen TVs this weekend (they are moving into a new house and want all flat screens). So I figured this would be the best time to haggle.

If you have haggled with Best Buy please let me know any tips/tricks and what to expect out of the ordeal - lower price? something else added in for "free"?

thanks,

[square_one]

Best Buy is great about this...sure, i paid a little more for my tv plus extended warranty, but they threw in an hdmi cable for free! those things are like $80!

I <3 Best Buy!

[claytonj]

i already have the hdmi cables, my cousin works at a cabling company and we can get them for under 4.00.

[square_one]

i already have the hdmi cables, my cousin works at a cabling company and we can get them for under 4.00.

i was kidding. my advice, if your mom wants a deal on a tv...stay away from best buy.

[heavylee]

I was successful at haggling on an open box TV at BB. I went in during the second half of an Eagles Playoff game, and I made it clear to the salesperson that he was going to miss the rest of the game unless I get the price I wanted.

[dhc014]

Use the 10% off coupon (http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=1349357) (exp 6/30) on a TV that is already priced well.

Buy them one at a time to use the coupon on each.

[kyzen]

It's hit and miss for me, a lot easier when I have a competitors ad in my hand, or am willing to spend more overall to get a discount on something.

This week for example I bought 2 DSi's. Toys R Us was offering 30% off an accessory with purchase of a DSi, so I brought that ad in, and mentioned I might be willing to pick up a protection plan. In the end I got 25% off any game I purchased with the DSi's (picked up a few :)), and didn't end up purchasing the protection plan.

When purchasing 4 TV's you might have some flexibility. Grab a competitors ad, or printouts from their websites (local competitors only; they won't even try to match websites like Amazon's prices). Flat out ask for 15% off, and see what they'll counter with. Make it clear that if they can give you enough incentive, you'll purchase 4 TV's today, otherwise you'll go elsewhere.

[claytonj]

i was kidding. my advice, if your mom wants a deal on a tv...stay away from best buy.



i would, i hate buying from best buy, but my mom told me on wednesday she wanted all 4 by sunday afternoon so no real time to order anything and have them at the house for when they move in.

she has to have them by Monday morning she said because she is having the cable company come.

[heavylee]

What about Target, or any local electronic retailer? Actually, you'd probably have more luck haggling at a 'mom & pop' place.

[Kelter]

the more you buy the bigger discounts you get

if you're getting 4 tvs and all of them delivered and possibly some protection plans... it's just good business to give you a deal because of the profit they make on the delivery and warranty

if you help them out they'll help you out


at least i used to work at circuit city and that was what we regularly did

also make sure you look up the specific model you want onlin first... go to the store with the lowest possible price and make them match it, worst comes to worst you can leave the store and buy it where you saw it cheaper

[heavylee]

worst comes to worst you can leave the store and buy it where you saw it cheaper

No, he can't. Mom wants them by Sunday.

[smidge1]

what i like about bb is that when i buy the extended warranty after the 3rd time for the sam reason you take it in you can get exchange it for another one, good luck.

[Pistol_Piet]

My tip would be to take cash, and make sure they know you're looking to PAY in cash.

Also, when the sales rep says there's "nothing he can do about a discount," then tell him to get you a manager or someone authorized to work out a discount.

[musicdj]

Having previously known employees and managers of best buys, it really depends on the day--- I say that because they have sales numbers printed every hour detailing their profit, margin, sales, gift card sales, and much more details than that for each department, and depending on if their margin is high enough that day, then they will be quite happy taking a bit of a hit to get their total sale # up.

Having said that- go in, like previous posters say, with some knowledge of price ranges, and its possible you could bully them around a bit with internet prices (or slightly fictitious, but realistic/believable numbers) and get somewhere along want you want.

If you are more demanding in the beginning, its my experience w. bb people will be very aggressive (and unethical) in changing prices to make things good on their side. I.E. a $5k TV they will sell on your receipt for $4.5k, if you buy maybe $600 worth of addons (accessories, service plans, etc), so the total sale is maybe $100 more than you would've paid anywhere, but they can mark up $600 of total accessory money on those previous charts I mentioned.

Also, if you didn't know already, from being on SD, accessories and plans are where the "real" money is, that is where the margin is 300+% usually. I.E. BB employees can get $100 of monster cable for maybe $20... So with that in mind, if you hint towards buying accessories, or buy even one, (wall mounts for the TVs, Installation for those "wall mounts," DirectTV subscription, TV cables, a All-in-One remote, etc, etc) you may find yourself in a slick deal.

Hope that helps, good like OP!