What is Your Favorite Negotiation Story?

Dan C. Rinnert · 07-07-2009, 03:56 PM

People sometimes look with jealous eyes at people who always seem to "run into" good deals. While luck may sometimes play a role, at other times, people get deals because they asked for one!

With that in mind, what's your favorite negotiation story?

Mine is this...

When digital cameras were just coming out, our salesperson at the local computer store let us borrow a new digital camera for a week to try it out. We wanted to make sure if would actually be good enough to do what we wanted to do.

After the time was up, we decided it would work out and wanted to buy it.

However, I told the salesperson that we should get a discount on it because the camera was used.

He gave us $10 off.

mikemcmillan · 07-07-2009, 10:06 PM

In face-to-face negotiations (like your example above Dan) my favorite technique is what many sales people refer to as a "California Split" although I don't know how it got its name. The idea is simple.

Suppose you have a car in your driveway with a for sale sign on it with the price of $2,000. In your mind however, you have decided you would let it go for $1,700.

A person comes by and asks if they can test drive it. They return and seem interested. You do some small talk for a bit and he offers you $1,400 cash. You think for a minute and say, "Your offer is too low--it's below market value." (Here's where the "split" comes in.) You say, "How about we split the difference and you give me $1,800 and I sign the title over to you right here?"

Of course he says, "Hey, that's not an even split!"

You reply by saying, "So you're telling me if we split the difference at $1,700 you would be willing to shake hands on it right now?" Then you look him in the eye and say nothing.

Nine out of ten times he will comply.

I love that technique.

07-07-2009, 03:56 PM	#1
Dan C. Rinnert I have a lame list. War Room Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: One Second into the Future Posts: 4,256 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 811 Thanked 2,177 Times in 1,003 Posts Social Networking	What is Your Favorite Negotiation Story? People sometimes look with jealous eyes at people who always seem to "run into" good deals. While luck may sometimes play a role, at other times, people get deals because they asked for one! With that in mind, what's your favorite negotiation story? Mine is this... When digital cameras were just coming out, our salesperson at the local computer store let us borrow a new digital camera for a week to try it out. We wanted to make sure if would actually be good enough to do what we wanted to do. After the time was up, we decided it would work out and wanted to buy it. However, I told the salesperson that we should get a discount on it because the camera was used. He gave us $10 off.
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07-07-2009, 10:06 PM	#2
mikemcmillan Mike McMillan War Room Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: MI Posts: 1,302 Blog Entries: 5 Thanks: 861 Thanked 1,019 Times in 389 Posts Social Networking	Re: What is Your Favorite Negotiation Story? In face-to-face negotiations (like your example above Dan) my favorite technique is what many sales people refer to as a "California Split" although I don't know how it got its name. The idea is simple. Suppose you have a car in your driveway with a for sale sign on it with the price of $2,000. In your mind however, you have decided you would let it go for $1,700. A person comes by and asks if they can test drive it. They return and seem interested. You do some small talk for a bit and he offers you $1,400 cash. You think for a minute and say, "Your offer is too low--it's below market value." (Here's where the "split" comes in.) You say, "How about we split the difference and you give me $1,800 and I sign the title over to you right here?" Of course he says, "Hey, that's not an even split!" You reply by saying, "So you're telling me if we split the difference at $1,700 you would be willing to shake hands on it right now?" Then you look him in the eye and say nothing. Nine out of ten times he will comply. I love that technique.