Randy Shuttleworth, former car salesman and real estate agent, used to eat them alive: naïve, polite Canadians who couldn’t haggle if their lives depended on it. Today, as senior partner at Edmonton’s The Training Company, he gives us a fighting chance by teaching strategies the pros have used for years. Here are a few to try next time you buy a house or car.
The greedy start
How it works: If you’re buying, open with a price that’s way lower than you expect to pay. That tends to immediately lower the seller’s opening price.
Counter with: The flinch
The flinch
How it works: Show visible shock or disbelief at the opening offer. Clutching your heart works.
Counter with: A somewhat dry, “You had something else in mind?”
Split the split
How it works: If the other party offers to split the difference between her last offer and your last offer, take that midpoint as actually being her last offer ? and split the difference between your offer and that.
Source: The Training Company
