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i know its a larger chain, so i dont know if you can. there is a couch there i really want, but its like $300 above my budget. anyone ever try to negotiate there? i think the guys work on commission, so thats usually a good sign that they may be willing to wheel and deal a little.
if they sell it at RCWilley, watch for the flyers that come in the mail (like furniture liquidators, etc).. they sell the same stuff.... don't buy at RC unless it's on sale.
I negotiate EVERYTHING, there is no store that won't negotiate!
Just tell the sales guy you saw the same couch at MACY's Furniture store for $300 less.
if there not interested.. walk
yes you can nego... I did so when I first moved here on a LG refer washer/dryer purchase. saints alive, they better cut me a deal when spending over 3k
I sold furniture for a living for several years (Not at RCWilley, but they're pretty much all the same). Here are my honest and truthful tips for anyone who's furniture shopping, speaking in my former role:
As a commission-only sales person (which is what most furniture sales people are), I'm losing money in my paycheck with every dollar a customer gets in discount. That said, it's still better than selling nothing at all, so if I think you're really going to walk, I'll try to work with you. Your success, however, in getting a sizable discount is dependent in part on how hard I'm willing to badger management on your behalf (I do NOT make these decisions, my floor manager does).
Realize I only make $50 on a $1,000 sale (and that's my only salary, mind you), so do the math. Time is money -- how much am I going to put into your transaction (ignoring other potential sales from other customers who may be waiting for assistance)? Do I think you'll walk even ifI do spend time getting you a discount? Have you been polite to me while explaining you have a strict budget but this is the sofa you reallyreallyreally want? Or have you treated me like a servant, not considering the limits of what I will do for 50 dollars? Are you willing to compromise and understand that due to economic times many stores are already selling at lower margins than they ever have before (e.g., if you get "free" shipping, that's definitely going to limit how much comes off the price). So please understand why I'm going to work harder for a person who's spending $10,000 than one who's buying a $1,000 sofa.
The bottom line is: Be nice to your salesperson. I'll go to bat for a customer I like, but even then there will be limits -- the store's NEVER going to sell below cost.
More buying tips:
- Come in toward the end of the month when the manager is panicked that s/he didn't book enough business yet.
- Don't buy at the beginning of a holiday sale. Come in on the last day when we're desperate because we still haven't made quota.
- But don't come in an hour before closing and expect this deal to get done. The manager's already home eating his dinner.
- Understand that you'll always get more money off something odd than something that a zillion other people would buy.
- Offer to pay cash. This saves the company 2-5% in credit charges.
- Offer to take the floor model if you're willing (but understand why we rarely can give it to you).
- Pick up the item yourself if at all possible; you'll get more money off.
- Don't expect the store to drop the sales tax. It HAS to be paid. If the store is having a "tax free" event, they're just building that discount into the price they're willing to take. There's no such thing as "tax free."
- Don't tell the salesperson it's $300 cheaper at Macy's if it's not. Believe me, I docall and check.
- Don't demand to see the manager directly, thinking you'll save more by cutting out the salesperson. The manager used to be me. S/he doesn't appreciate customers who think they're going to save money by cutting me out and taking up her/his time.
- Everything's negotiable, but please be realistic.
The bottom line is: Be nice to your salesperson. I'll go to bat for a customer I like, but even then there will be limits -- the store's NEVER going to sell below cost.
More buying tips:
- Come in toward the end of the month when the manager is panicked that s/he didn't book enough business yet.
- Don't buy at the beginning of a holiday sale. Come in on the last day when we're desperate because we still haven't made quota.
- But don't come in an hour before closing and expect this deal to get done. The manager's already home eating his dinner.
- Understand that you'll always get more money off something odd than something that a zillion other people would buy.
- Offer to pay cash. This saves the company 2-5% in credit charges.
- Offer to take the floor model if you're willing (but understand why we rarely can give it to you).
- Pick up the item yourself if at all possible; you'll get more money off.
- Don't expect the store to drop the sales tax. It HAS to be paid. If the store is having a "tax free" event, they're just building that discount into the price they're willing to take. There's no such thing as "tax free."
- Don't tell the salesperson it's $300 cheaper at Macy's if it's not. Believe me, I docall and check.
- Don't demand to see the manager directly, thinking you'll save more by cutting out the salesperson. The manager used to be me. S/he doesn't appreciate customers who think they're going to save money by cutting me out and taking up her/his time.
- Everything's negotiable, but please be realistic.
and remember as a sales person that EVERYTHING you say or do can have an effect on your paycheck...We JUST had occassion to buy some recliners at a Local store...we walked in the door and were greeted quite warmly by a salesperson...it became evident quite soon that she was new in the business [does NOT bother me a bit] We asked a question that she wasnt able to answer immediately...so she aske the "ALLEGED" top sales person who replied [loud enough to make sure we heard] "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THS THINGS" and walked away.
She apologized profusely and found the info as quickly as she could.....we ended up buying 4 leather recliners from her.
I made it a point to FIND the manager, introduce myself, tell him what a great salesperson she was and THEN explained to the manager that had I been talking to the ALLEGED top dog, and the incident occured, he would have lost my business now and forever and that the ONLY way we would be buying the rest of our furniture there was if Jennifer was there to take care of us....
Dont EVER think youre too good....cause ya ain't
ps...I understand that the "Top Dawg" is looking for a job now
and remember as a sales person that EVERYTHING you say or do can have an effect on your paycheck...
I made it a point to FIND the manager, introduce myself, tell him what a great salesperson she was and THEN explained to the manager that had I been talking to the ALLEGED top dog, and the incident occured, he would have lost my business now and forever and that the ONLY way we would be buying the rest of our furniture there was if Jennifer was there to take care of us....
Dont EVER think youre too good....cause ya ain't
ps...I understand that the "Top Dawg" is looking for a job now
Great story. Full commission is very cut-throat. It's a dicey situation being surrounded by co-workers who are ALL trying to steal as much of your paycheck as they can. Not for the faint of heart. I certainly didn't have the stomach for it.
Your Top Dawg's fate is unusual in the business. The owners don't usually care how their employees act, just how much money they're bringing in. Also, the top sales people are rarely interested in post-sale customer service. They only want to book your business. They don't care what happens to you after that. When I was selling the top people used to laugh at me for "babying" my customers. One said to me, "That's not your job, honey. Your job is to write-up the orders, then get back in the up-position as quick as possible. You're crazy to spend a single minute on their delivery or quality problems." And heaven knows, he did make four times the money I did.
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