Q & A Table of Contents
We Don't Negotiate
From: Paolo, Mesquite, Texas
Question: How do I deal with CarMax or Rooms to Go when they say "we do not bargain. Our prices are set"?
Response: The businesses you name, and many others, were created to meet a perceived need in the marketplace. There are people who fear that if they negotiate other parties will take advantage of them. This sort of thinking is the result of the belief that negotiation is a competitive process, that one side can only win.
Historically, most retail business involved negotiation. The 19th century development of supermarkets and department stores that had a no-negotiation policy was revolutionary.
Thus, you have a choice. If you are looking for a particular retail product -- and nowadays that includes cars -- you can make a conscious choice whether to do business with an organization that is designed as a no-negotiation approach or to attempt to make a deal with a company with which negotiation is possible. The Internet has created a myriad of auction choices; many other companies always guarantee the lowest price. So price competition is far from dead. It is simply a matter of your choice which approach to take. If you want to attempt to bargain for a better deal, don't do business with no-negotiation companies. If you lack confidence in your bargaining skills or simply must have the product offered by a firm that doesn't negotiate, that is your alternative.
Good luck,
Steve
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