Bartering is a skill more and more of you seem to be experimenting with. In our haggling debate, the discussion turned to John Lewis. Can you barter in John Lewis, and should you want to?
Gordy bit the bullet and gave haggling a go:
‘Having heard a young mum and her advice on haggling, I gave it a go in a shoe shop – my wife and daughter retreated in embarrassment. “I really like these and they’re just what I’m looking for, they feel great, don’t suppose you could do something about the price, could you?”
‘The salesman returned a few seconds later – “I could knock a tenner off the price”. I screwed my face a little – “oh, £15 then how’s that?” I left in new shoes with a smile on my face… my wife and daughter left (still embarrassed) but in shock!
‘If they say no, leave, but you may only make it to the door when you are approached with a better offer.’
Figgerty brought the debate round to John Lewis:
‘Has anybody haggled and succeeded in getting a significant discount in John Lewis. I tried in a John Lewis store and was told they had no authority to reduce the price. I asked to speak to the salesperson’s manager and was told they were at lunch and that they also could not reduce the price. I made no excuses, just left. Does haggling succeed in a John Lewis store?’
John had some luck in John Lewis, living up to its ‘Never knowingly undersold’ policy:
‘I recently bought a new dishwasher from John Lewis. The salesman totted up the price including disposal of the old machine and delivery to give a total of £410. When I pointed out that their website offered this for £349, they went into a huddle and waved bits of paper around and finally (one hour later!) agreed that they would supply at the lower price. As I am retired, the time taken was not important to me, but I reckon that £60 saving is worth the time spent.’
John shows that it’s good to keep retailers on their toes, even in John Lewis. However, commenter ‘Lower de cost’ didn’t have such luck:
‘I tried haggling in Sheffield’s branch of John Lewis with no joy. I wanted to purchase two Samsung smart TVs, total value over £2.4k at the time. I even spoke to the floor manager, with no success. They lost my trade for the sake of 1 or 2% discount, or an extended warranty.
‘Walking out of the store is the best method of telling them the customer is always right.’
Robert, who gets our Comment of the Week, argues that haggling is ‘OK up to a point’:
‘You also have to consider value for money too. I buy electronics from a hi-fi shop and white goods from John Lewis, and on the odd occasion I have needed after-sales to fix something they have, without a problem.
‘I have no confidence in certain other retailers; they’d probably decline after a few weeks use, unless you had their three-year extended warranty. I do not haggle with the shops I value, as they do not haggle about service.’
Are you a haggler? Or do you stick to the brands you value and pay them in full price?
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