Would you haggle over a price? Nearly everyone, if asked, says, “No way!” Most research confirms that shoppers hate haggling and actually look for the “best lowest price.”  But experience taught me that consumers often say one thing and do it another way.
     So when I saw this headline: “Letting your customers haggle over price online can lift your revenue. Does a 685% boost get your attention?” I said, “Yes!”
     West Coast Golf Online faced a disadvantage when competing with golf equipment brick-and-mortar stores. Like other golf online retailers, they had to comply with the industry's minimum advertised price (MAP).  Any type real-time haggling was OK. In-store sales people could negotiate with customers within the MAP guidelines. So they sold at prices lower than generally available online.
     Advertisements or formal listings had to show the higher MAP prices. This reality put Ron Masters, Internet Manager at West Coast Golf Online at a constant price-point disadvantage.  “Our viewers were reluctant to call on the phone or email us to discuss pricing,” says Masters. “And we were looking for a way to convert more of those viewers into sales before they left the site.”
     As a result, Masters and his team created a “haggling” feature, one that works within their existing site. A “Make an Offer” button appeared on the product details pages, one click before the shopping cart. Try it yourself: westcoastgolfonline.com
    Masters confirmed, “Our customers really get into using the “Make an Offer” feature. It’s almost like it’s an interactive game. They enjoy seeing how low the price will go and sometimes haggle down to the penny. During the first three months, “haggling” instantly doubled our online sales. Overall, annual sales soared by 685% when compared to the year before implementing it.” For the whole story visit marketingsherpa.com – search for Case Study #CS1069.
     Tell me: Would you like to have the know-how to haggle over car repairs?
     Actually, it’s simple: Know what needs to be done, select the right shop, evaluate their estimate and steer clear of all the “extras.”
Sure, if you’re mechanically inclined! But many of us guys go along with the mechanic shop’s “expert” recommendations. While most women shudder at the thought of understanding car repairs!
     As bona fide Frugality Disciples we all want to save money on our car repairs. All we need is easy-to-understand help to guide us in our haggling! A recent Wall Street Journal podcast pointed me towards RepairPal.com.
     RepairPal.com is an independent, unbiased resource designed to deliver repair price transparency and the expert information car owners need. Their team of expert technicians combed through mountains of parts prices and labor time data. As a result you have all the information needed when it's time for a service or repair.
     If you’ve got a price estimate for a specific job, compare it to their Repair Price Estimate. You’ll make sure you're getting a fair deal. You’ll also find what to expect and what to look out for when you have the service or repair performed. Best part is that it’s free! And very easy to understand!
     What’s my take! Frugality involves much more than just managing expenses. Bona fide Frugality Disciples keep their eyes wide open for new business building opportunities. Ron Masters defied market research by turning “haggling” into an important new source of sales revenue. RepairPal attracts members by resolving our need for easy-to-understand help in managing and negotiating our car repairs.

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Jack G Hardy