SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) - Times are tough and everyone wants to save a buck, whether it's at the grocery store, the gas station or the mall. But did you know the age old art of haggling is back?
ABC4 found if you push your luck, you can actually save money at places beyond the traditional flea markets and car lots. In this economy, you can now bargain a better deal almost anywhere.
So what are the tricks of the trade? First, it's all in the timing. Don't go into a store on a busy Saturday and expect to get a bargain. If there are a lot of people, it's hard for a store to give good customer service.
Number two, talk to the right person. Talk to a friendly sales associate, and if they can't help, try to talk to a manager.
Step three, play nice. "You have to be responsible and don't be obnoxious and don't tear the product down like it's dirty or it's got a chip in it. Don't do that you make the owner mad," said one sales associate.
Step four, do your research. Before you even put your foot inside a store, go online or make calls and have a price comparison handy. If you know your prices, you're more likely to get a better deal.
And finally, step five: just play dumb.
There are a lot of things you can do, but the main thing is it never hurts to ask. Store owners we talked to say a lot of the time they actually want to give you a deal.
