Does This Happen to You?

[Jim Koepke]

Someone asked about spokeshaves the other day from a particular vendor. So went to their site and checked them out. Looked again later to compare to one that costs a little more.

Now today there is an email, > Still Looking? Come back for free shipping < After a while wouldn't patient people catch on to this and do a lot of looking and wait for the free shipping email before buying?

jtk

[Charles Taylor]

Yes it does, and yes, I do.

[Luke Dupont]

I think that's what they want, no?

The issue isn't losing money on shipping, it's getting people to buy.

Build a habit of checking consistently and drooling over tools and then offer incentives to finally make this or that purchase.

[Russell Nugent]

Yep. Some vendors will even email you discount codes if you leave things in your cart for a day or two.

[Jim Koepke]

I think that's what they want, no?

The issue isn't losing money on shipping, it's getting people to buy.

Build a habit of checking consistently and drooling over tools and then offer incentives to finally make this or that purchase.

That is sad news for them. Maybe years ago there would be some of their wares that would seduce me into opening my wallet. My current bench came from them some 20 years ago when living in California.

Now, there are very few tools that would tempt me into opening my wallet. Those tend to emanate from the inventory of Lee Valley, Lie-Nielsen or the local yard sale, barn sale or antique mall.

jtk

[Edward Weber]

I call it Digital Haggling
It can be a pain in the but sometimes it works in your favor.
I prefer to just have a set price, period. Haggling is just a way of seeing how much you can take the other guy for.

[Anuj Prateek]

Someone asked about spokeshaves the other day from a particular vendor. So went to their site and checked them out. Looked again later to compare to one that costs a little more.

Now today there is an email, > Still Looking? Come back for free shipping < After a while wouldn't patient people catch on to this and do a lot of looking and wait for the free shipping email before buying?

jtk

I do that sometimes on purpose. Some websites send a discount or free shipping coupons after a day or two.

[Bob Jones 5443]

Yes, I did this years ago at Woodcraft with a very heavy granite surface plate. There was an extra-weight freight charge tacked on, so I left it in my cart and closed the page. A few days later I got the email. I jumped on it.

[Lee Schierer]

I call it Digital Haggling
It can be a pain in the but sometimes it works in your favor.
I prefer to just have a set price, period. Haggling is just a way of seeing how much you can take the other guy for.

Haggling is a normal activity in other countries I've been to. When we visited Spain, we were approached by people selling various things. My wife was concerned that I didn't buy an item when the seller told me a price, because she really wanted the item. After a bit of haggling we walked away with the item for a better price than the original one. My wife was concerned that we had cheated the seller. My response was that it was an expected process in that country and that the seller wouldn't have sold it at a loss. I had lived in Spain for several years and had learned from some Spanish friends that haggling was expected and "only tourists or fools would pay the original given price". The same was true in my travels to Portugal, Egypt, Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. You can even do it in many place right here in the USA at antique malls, yard sales, car dealers and retail stores.

[Jim Koepke]

You can even do it in many place right here in the USA at antique malls, yard sales, car dealers and retail stores.

It is my practice to always ask for any available discounts; senior citizen, cash, green teeth, no teeth etc.

Recently at an antique mall where we often stop all of my items were from one space occupied by a person who sells tools. When the total was $45 my usual request was met with the cashier removing a sheet from under the counter. He said that dealer allows a 10% discount at $50. So a quick trip back to the booth, found a $5 item and settled up my bill. We have been to that shop about twice a year for the last dozen years or so.

Saying, "that is a bit more than I was hoping to pay," often brings an offer at a lower price.

Many retailers will match prices if you can show someone is offering it at a lower price. They may have to see it on their own computer screen so they can save the page.

jtk

[Edward Weber]

At least online there is usually a starting price. Many times an in person transaction starts with, "how much is it", followed quickly by "how much will you give me for it?"

I guess I never thought too much about haggling merging into online purchasers to the extent it has, outside of auction sites like Ebay.