fronobulax said:
I gave them my best and final offer in good faith and that is what it was, but they interpreted it as an invitation to continue to negotiate.
That's where the "commitment" question ("If I do that will you buy it?") becomes so valuable if you're not just in it for "sport". :wink:
I have to admit that's part of what gves car dealers the bad rep though, that so many sales negotiations are commenced with just that question. Most people will say "H-l yes I'd buy that brand new car for $5,000.00" knowing full well it's impossible. But the main job was accomplished right there, discerning the level of commitment.
The problem was that an unrealistic offer was tendered to obtain commitment.
It's hard not to feel like it's not made in bad faith, as Alpep points out.
A real pro knows he doesn't really need to toss out an unrealistic number to obtain commitment, it's much better to ask the customer what they think the car is worth, and WHY, or what they can afford, and WHY, and THEN ask if they would buy it if their conditions could be met. That's why Guildman and his customer came to a mutually satisfuying agreement.
It should be noted that terms, like price, are negotiable, but conditions are not.
Classic example is offering a cash discount, or Alpep's mention that he won't forgive sales tax on an interstate shipment or treat a credit card as "same as cash" because of the service overhead. Or that price is based on pickup, not delivery.
True, many conditions are "assumed" in small dollar value sales, but it's often forgotten that a price tag in retail store is still technically an "offer to treat" and you
could attempt to find a manager who could ACCEPT a counter-offer, and make it.
But most people will elect to simply get through the register as quickly as possible.
AS well, many people perceive the art of negotiating as simply throwing prices at each other until they meet in the middle, when in fact all that is is simply arguing
price on the
ASSUMPTION that a SALE is in fact being negotiated, see what I mean?
Another golden rule is defining these critical elements of actually being able to enter into a contract:
1: Who (buyer/seller)
2: What (good or Service)
3: How many
4: When
5: Where (delievry location of good or service to buyer)
6: Price ("consideration" in legalese)
Again, many of these conditions are assumed in the typical retail sale, but if one considers, every one of them is an element affecting price, as in Christopher's example that if you need a plumber in an emergency on a Sunday morning (Delivering SERVICE, when and where) you're not as likely to shop his price around around as if you're just shopping for some new fixtures...and if he can't deliver, price is irrelevant.
Frono, not to imply you aren't aware of most if not all of these ideas, but your comment simply happened to be a good peg to hang them on.
:wink: