Another extremely effective option at your disposal is the use of the words “What if?” “What if?” is a magic phrase in negotiations. For example: What if I buy four refrigerators? Will that affect the price? What if I take it home in a pick-up truck, instead of having you deliver it? Will that affect the price? What if I buy a washer-dryer and a waffle iron at the same time? Will that affect the price? What if over the next six months, our neighborhood syndicate buys one refrigerator a month? Will that affect the price?
You may not always get precisely what you want when asking “What if … ?” but nine out of ten times, the person you’re dealing with will make a counter-offer in your favor.
Don’t forget that although the posted $489.95 price was arbitrarily arrived at, many things are buried in that figure, including installation, delivery charges, service contract, and warranty, all of which cost Sears money. If you can save Sears any or all these expenses, the store should kick the savings back to you. For example, if you ask the salesman, “Does that price include an installation charge?” and he replies, “Yes, it does,” you then comment, “Good … I have a set of tools at home. I can make any necessary connections and adjustments myself.”