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I’ve bought so many of my electronics at Best Buy. I’ve bought computers, printers, phones, MP3 players, televisions—but until recently, I just paid the sticker price, not even thinking to try to negotiate.
Next time I go in, all that will change with these six tips!
1. Go in with a "bundling plan."
If you plan to buy more than one complementary item (called "bundling"), don't be shy to mention this. Best Buy tends to look favorably on negotiating down an overall price for bundled items.
- Tips from the pros: Here, it can be a good strategy to propose the price reduction you want—as in, "If I buy X AND Y today, how about taking $100 off the overall price?"
2. Shop at month end.
Month end is when the department quotas kick in. For the best deals (AKA—the most stressed-out department managers) head in right on the last day of the month.
- Tips from the pros: Heading in on the last day of the month, near closing time, and—if luck works your way—on a slow week day/night or weekend night—may be your best chance of getting a great discount.
3. Take advantage of price matching.
In retail circles, many analysts now say Best Buy practically invited their customers to haggle when they announced their new price matching policy. So go ahead—take them up on their offer to save!
- Tips from the pros: Best Buy will pretty much price match any competing price as long as the item itself is identical. Amazon.com, Target, a local electronics shop—it doesn’t matter—if they have a lower price, bring it to Best Buy (while you're at it, ask if you can get that "10% below" deal Home Depot and Lowe's have become so famous for!).
4. Always haggle on floor models, open box items, damaged box items, and clearance items.
If the packaging itself is damaged, that’s like finding an item with "please ask for a discount on me" written all over it. If the box has been opened previously, the item is a floor model, or the item is on clearance, you can translate it in the same way.
5. Go in during a slow sales time.
Week days, week nights (Mon-Thurs), and weekend nights are the three best times to shop—in this order. As well, the later you can shop, and ideally about an hour before the store closes, the better. There are several advantages—staff has fewer distractions and more time to talk and negotiate, managers are more antsy to make sales and meet quotas, and the closer it gets to closing time, the more everyone wants to lock up and leave!
- Tips from the pros: If you opt for this strategy, go in ORGANIZED. Otherwise you may back yourself into a shopping corner as the store nears closing time and it becomes "buy it or leave it."
Related article: 7 Tips to Negotiating Your Way to Extra Savings at Home Depot
