Why do people try to haggle with sign shops?

[Billct2]

Despite what Joe says, there has always been haggling in this business, and there have always been hacks, just a lot more of both now. And we get to b*tch about it more, back then I would run into on or two other sign guys and we could have a gripefest, now we get to hear everyones right here. And I ain't saying that the sign business hasn't gone into the toilet, in a lot of ways it has, I sure wouldn't suggest it as a way to make a living to anyone I liked.

 

[bikecomedy]

Glad this topic came up.

A google search of "handling hagglers" produced some great advice. I liked this article http://biznik.com/articles/polite-comebacks-to-price-hagglers and this one http://pricingsolutions.com/blog/?p=43

Also searching "haggling" it appears that this is being encouraged now in our society. Some reasons given are recent economy and something as simple as it works. Harvard even has a newsletter you can sign up for to learn how to do this for $147 a year. Plus a Harvard offers a training program. Harvard yikes!!!

Reading everyone's posts and the two articles above I think I will make some adjustments to how I handle this and am thankful the subject came up here. Thanks to you all.

 

[dale911]

My girlfriend is a real estate investor and one of the seminars she attended had a speaker that told them to always ask for a discount. Some places, like Lowes, will always give you at least 5% just for asking for it. Why not do it anytime you are making a purchase? I'm not going to do it when I'm spending a few dollars, but if I'm spending $500, why not ask for free shipping for a discount. I'm going to have to eat that money later when someone asks me for a discount anyway. That's the way things used to be before money came along anyway. Looks like we are headed back to the stone ages. Pretty soon I won't be able to make change without a hammer.

 

[coyote]

If a customer wants a cheaper price, we offer cheaper options. When they hear what is available, they can choose the price point they want and that's the end of the problem. When we agree on a price, they sign the estimate. The haggling goes before the signature, and the signature binds the customer.

You don't want to pay for a sandblasted HDU sign with 23K gold leaf? Well, here is the price in MDO, 040 aluminum or a banner. What do you want?

 

[MikePro]

stand by your product and service. monkeys just shaking a tree is all...

"no haggling here. price is in the contract."
"no $$$, no sign. we even have repo rights if not paid in 90days. short me $5? sure! I can get at least $25 in scrap metal from your sign ...i mean, our sign!"

 

[ProWraps]

cheaper price... cheaper product.

you take something off your side of the table, im going to take something off mine.

its common sense. and if your too stupid to understand it, then you are my competitions customer. hes an idiot too, you will get along great.

 

[AceSignsOnline]

Haggling has always been and always will be a part of doing business. I do it all the time and I don't feel the least bit bad about it. I mean, there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. You can't be obnoxious or a nuisance about it, but if you don't ask, you'll never get a better deal. Nothing at all wrong with aiming for a win/win situation.

 

[omgsideburns]

My dad has picked up this habit of asking everyone for a discount as he gets older. And yeah, 9 outta 10 times it works. Even at retail stores. It's kinda weird but go him.

 

[Gino]

Old Paint...... I learned doing this myself while hand painting for a living, back in the 70's. I believe it was worse back then, because people had a different attitude and naivety about most things.... or at least I did.

I remember lettering a front window and door for a guy one time and there was a locksmith there changing the locks for the new tenant. When the locksmith was finished, the tenant said, do I get any extra discount if I pay cash ?? The locksmith said, yeah, I'll knock off the sales tax. The tenant handed him a check for the whole amount and told me later, when I ask for a discount, I expect a discount.... not some d!ck pocketing the money and screwing Uncle Sam. I'd rather report it then him make out. Later that afternoon when I was finished.... the guy asked me the same thing..... do I get a discount for cash and I replied, sure. That'll be $340.00, please.

Now, had I not seen the first guy's situation, this guy's bill was gonna be $325. plus tax, but he gave me the $340 with a smile without ever realizing I had already calculated in my head how I was gonna handle him.

I was originally just asked to keep this thing under $400. So I took the 400 and subtracted 15%. I only had about 3 or so hours in it and had figured $325 was fair...... $340 was better...... and cash !!


This one has nothing to do with puters and vinyl jockeys. This is a way of doing business that is almost natural to some people in all areas. I don't make a deal unless I try and most of the time, I get my way.

Whether you are on the receiving end or the giving end... you must be ready to walk away from a deal if you suggest one. I've gotten nice big discounts at Lowes, Home Depot, some of my vendors, and even with other professional people in business. Like I think Pat said, you ain't gonna get a deal, if you don't ask for one. Kinda like... you can't win the lottery if ya don't play.

 

[threeputt]

Here's something that hasn't been mentioned. (unless I missed it) I have a theory. I'm not sure how other's do things, but having your prices printed out in a three ring binder, right there in front of the client seems to help. It seems to "legitimize" your pricing. Rather than looking up at the ceiling and picking a price out of the air. Those clients see that and wonder, "hmmm, I wonder if I can negotiate this price?" After all he's just pulling prices out of his *ss.

 

[Gino]

On everyday run of the mill kinda signs like 18" x 24" real estate or site signs, 4' x 8's, truck lettering and so many others, that's possible and for the most part we do, but I've had people come back after bidding out a $2,800.00 to $35,000 or $65,000 jobs. Always, can you sharpen your pencil a little more or how can we make this work for all of us ??

Asking for discounts, just seems part of the equation these days, regardless if you have it written down or not.




Today, when someone asks me about dropping the price or can I do better, I always say, sure... but it's gonna cost ya in the long run. I try to get a feel for if it's gonna be a waste of time explaining or not, but it only takes a few minutes and if it's gonna save a nice job, what the heck ??

Age might be a by-product for me, but I always tell them......
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I've been doing this for over 40 years and I know what it takes to make this job and make it right. I can cut corners and give you lesser quality products, just like the other quotes you might've gotten, but will they be here in a year or two because of cutting all those corners ?? Probably not. That kinda stuff eventually catches up to you and will bite you and me both in the butt. I'd rather not build a sign knowing it isn't the way I want to do it, but if you find someone you can spec your sign out to and they do it cutting corners, at least you now know how they can do it. For us, we'll do it, so long as you know, you're getting second rate substrates or thinner then normal materials, but we won't cut any corners on any electrical signs. That ain't worth it.... no way, no how. There, I draw the line.