When you got together with your girlfriends last month, you were riveted by one of their descriptions of how she was able to score brand-name merchandise for a fraction of the marked price.  You might be wondering just how to go about making these great buys for yourself, but you might be a bit hesitant.  After all, your friend might be a bit savvier at sniffing out bargains than you are – or is she? 

As a matter of fact, everyone can get great deals at the local stores. Here are some wise ways to bargain even in your local retail or department store.

A price tag does not a gospel message make.  Take a look at the tag, and more often than not you will see the notation “suggested retail price.”  This little note is the entire license you need to get in bargaining mood.  For example, let’s say you see a great scarf at a department store.  You might remember that you saw a similar scarf at another store for a bit less.  Go ahead and find a sales floor manager or assistant manager and bring this fact to their attention, and let them know that you would like to purchase this scarf, if they will bring down the price to the same level as you saw it at the other store.

Find a manager or other supervisor to bargain with.  Keep in mind that salesclerks behind the register do not usually have the authority to mark down any items.  If no manager or supervisor is visible, you might want to ask, but if the answer is negative, then ask for a manager to be called with whom you can discuss the issue.  The trick is to be respectful and non-confrontational.  Remember that just like you have every right to ask for a lower price, the store personnel have every right to deny your request.

Before going shopping, go online and look for coupons.  You will be surprised to find out how many department stores offer coupons on their websites.  These coupons are not available inside the store, and even if you hold a department store credit card, there is no guarantee that you will receive them in the mail with your statement. Rather than leaving these possible bargains to chance, be proactive and go look for them.  While you are online, go ahead and also check out the websites of manufacturers that you might run across. For example, if you are in the market for a good pair of tennis shoes for your son, go visit Adidas’ website and see if there are some online coupons you can print out.  Your department store will honor them, and they might translate into some pretty big savings!

Use layaway to your advantage.  If you find something, such as a brand name toy, that you know will be a desired item over the Christmas, go ahead and put it on layaway.  When you get home, check on the Internet to see if you could get it elsewhere for less. Similarly, do check for online manufacturer and retail store coupons.  If you can find either deal, go back and reclaim your item and bargain with the information you found.

As you can see, there are plenty of wise ways to bargain even at a retail or department store.  All it takes is a bit of know how, the ability to ferret out some deals on the Internet, and the willingness to discuss this matter with a person in charge at the store.  This little bit of knowledge can literally save you hundreds of dollars every year!

 

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