Negotiating your silver lining
“If there’s any silver lining to this sluggish economy,” says Money’s Bob Tedeschi in CNNMoney.com, it’s that “you, the consumer, are back in charge.” One study shows that 70 percent of Americans have haggled their way to a better deal in recent months. And while your gas purchase is probably set in stone, consumers are finding “wiggle room now in unexpected places, including health clubs, cell-phone stores, even big-box retailers.” Your homework: find the industry weak spots, the competitors’ prices, and “what value you bring.” It’s best to bargain near the end of the month, when commission goals are due, and don’t be shy about asking for a supervisor or the retentions department.
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