To begin with, don’t define yourself too narrowly. Don’t regard yourself as someone who wants to buy a refrigerator. Regard yourself as someone who wants to sell money. Money is the product that’s up for sale. The more people there are who want your money, the more your money will buy. How do you get people to did for that money? You generate competition for it.
Staying with the Sears situation, a foolproof way to generate competition for your money is to inform the salesman that rival outlets have a comparable model at a lower price. The fact that rival outlets are eager to accept your money gives you instant leverage … as does the fact that Sears is often in competition with itself. You find it astonishing that Sears can compete with itself? Just examine the catalogue displayed in the same store. There, right in the middle of a large-appliances page, is the same refrigerator for $440.00 plus a $26.00 delivery charge. Show that page to the salesman, then start negotiating.