Save money by haggling on the high street

Updated
Save money by haggling on the high street
Save money by haggling on the high street



Would you haggle for something in a British high street store? It may seem unusual but it could be the best way of saving yourself some money.

A new report has shown that debating over a price tag can be surprisingly effective in the UK.

Consumer website MoneySavingExpert asked people to give it a go in 44 stores on the high street and see how they got on, the Telegraph reports.

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, said: "We know many people are throwing cash away by not haggling. It's a 'don't ask, don't get' situation. After all, if a store yesterday offered a 20% off voucher, it can still afford to sell to you at that discounted price today – and may well do so if you have the charm and chutzpah to ask."

Results showed that those who tried their luck in Carphone Warehouse had a 61% success rate while others cheeky enough to ask for a discount at Currys/PC World were close behind with a 59% success rate.

Homebase, John Lewis and B&Q all saw 54% haggling success rates, while popular supermarkets Tesco, M&S and Asda came in at 41%, 40% and 32% respectively.

Department store Debenhams and shoe shop Clarks were also put to the test.

So effective is the daring move that the Express has even released a 'guide to haggling'.

Top tips include choosing your time carefully, you're likely to have more luck on a quiet afternoon than you will on busy weekends. Similarly, you should also aim to get further reductions on items that have already taken a price cut.

Matt Sanders from GoCompare.com says that asking for a price match from another store or even asking them to beat the price is a good technique.

He adds: "There is a good chance you might get something cheaper than advertised or with extras thrown in that you would not have got without haggling."


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Discount retailers making advances​

Tesco wine glitch knocks two thirds off bottle price​

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Let's Make a Deal: Amazon Introduces Haggling for 150,000 Items

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