Lots of good comments on my post Money Saving Tip: Don't Dress Like You're Rich. It's the post where I suggested you can save money by looking like (and acting like) you really can't afford something at the price the retailer's asking -- thus encouraging the retailer to decrease the price to get the sale. This has worked for me in the past, but I also noted that some people say you should do the opposite to get discounts -- you should dress up. I asked for comments, and here's the first one I received:
It's all about attitude. Both methods can work equally well, and one or the other may work better depending upon who you are or where you are shopping.
The biggest thing, though, is your attitude. You have to fill one role or the other in order to make either one work.
This is true in my opinion. You have to ACT the part as well as dress the part.
Here's another commenter who had a similar take on the situation:
I think it is how you approach it.
If you go well dressed then you have to have a very strong personality and be able to negotiate. Where as if you dress down the clothing sets the tone and if you say the comments mentioned then I believe that helps too.
I don't think it is a coincidence that you see all car dealers wearing a very nice suit. They try and make you feel small, and make you buy their deal.
I think both work very well but you have to decide which you can use to your advantage the most. Decide which is best for the certain situation.
The situation probably does make a BIG difference as far as which strategy works best. Good suggestion.
Here's a comment on the above two thoughts:
It is not just the attitude that you exude either. It all depends on who you are dealing with at that car dealership, that airline, or that department store. If that person has attitude, then neither will work for you.
This is true. I always try to deal with the "decision maker", but this isn't always possible. However, whoever I do deal with, I am always courteous and friendly. Generally, I believe that most people like to help others who they like, so if you're friendly, that's a big part of the battle. (It's good for me that my wife makes friends easily too.) That said, if you get someone who just has a bad attitude, there's often not much hope.
Another commenter had this to add:
Well, I have two points to make.
1) If you're traveling, dressing up is definitely the way to go. You can do this without forgoing comfort. You're more likely to get upgrades and better service from the airline staff.
2) I think that being nice and pleasant to sales people is the best way by far to get good deals. Treating salespeople with respect and being friendly works wonders!
I agree! I actually wrote about this in Money Saving Tip: Get to Know the Staff.
Then someone shared a situation where dressing down backfired -- but for the retailer more than anyone else:
I had a horrible experience in a furniture store once due to my outfit. My wife and I had just moved, and we were doing yard work on our new place. We were dressed down, in jeans and t-shirts, but we weren't stinky and reeking. We ran to the store together to get something.
On the way back, we decided to stop in at a furniture place to buy a new dining room table which would fit the new place. The salesmen didn't have the time of day for us. When we eventually went up to one and explicitly asked for help, he brought us to the bargain "chip/dent" area, waved his arm, and left.
Wow. Needless to say, we never shopped there again, and we bought a gorgeous, non-pressboard-and-plastic dining room table at another place.
I won't preach to you retailers out there other than to say, "don't judge a book by its cover."
Finally, here's one last thought:
I also disagree with the advice about dressing down. Slovenly clothes are pretty much the norm, but stepping out the door wearing a collared shirt and a jacket will literally and figuratively open doors. In a negotiation the biggest upper hand you can have is "walk away" power, and people who look like they don't need it (whatever it may be) have an edge. Dressing like a professional is one part of the act, but clothing also affects one's mood. While one can overdo fine clothes, wearing a quality garment can boost self confidence.
First of all, I'm not talking about being slovenly. You can still "dress down" and look decent. And for me, dressing up isn't as comfortable, so it affects my mood in a negative way. That said, I understand what this commenter means. Sometimes clothes can give you a boost of confidence (and an advantage in negotiations) and nicer clothes are more likely to add confidence than "sweats."
In the end, I'm netting out with the following thoughts:
1. It depends on the circumstances. In some cases it's better to dress up and in others it's better to dress down.
2. No matter which way you go, you have to act the part as well as dress the part.
3. Be nice -- and try to deal with the decision-maker if possible.
4. Confidence is the best negotiation tool. When I bought my past two cars, I knew I was paying cash and I knew I had lots of options as far as the types of cars I was interested in as well as the various dealers that sold these cars. I also had done my homework and knew every cost on every car. I let the salespeople know this and thus the confidence tables were extremely tilted in my direction. By the time we were done, the salesmen were begging for mercy. ;-)
Anyone out there have anything else to add?
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