Due to my buy-and-sell business, I have spent almost half of my age skirting through malls, shops, flea markets, thrift stores, and garage sales to find hidden gems I can resell at a better price. And throughout the years, I have learned the art of negotiating, whether with salespeople, assertive customers, or unknowing preloved resellers. So if you are looking forward to buying the balcony furniture you are eyeing in Singapore at your desired deal, you have come to the right place!
I will not only teach you how to negotiate prices but also when is the right time to haggle. Here are my tips on how to get that expensive solid wood dining table in Singapore at a much lower price:
Do you assignment
First things first, you should not go to war without a weapon or ammo, and in furniture shopping, your firearm is your research.
But how do you exactly research furniture? It is helpful to have an ideal fitting in mind. Are you looking for a sofa? A coffee table? Balcony furniture in Singapore? Next is to determine what materials the perfect furniture you should have. Should it be made of leather? Glass? Metals? Wicker?
You can narrow your list down by having these criteria. Now that you have pictured your ideal furniture, it is time to browse the internet for fittings that match all of your criteria. Throughout your research, you will find the average price for a four-seater leather sofa you are looking for online and offline in Singapore.
You can also visit shops and showrooms or call your online and offline furniture shop for their best price for the particular furniture.
Now that you know the average price for the furniture, you can use this information to your advantage.
I, for example, challenge a salesperson's best price offering, knowing that it is too high than the average price.
Look for imperfections or defects.
I am not telling you to buy a solid wood dining table with missing legs in Singapore. When I say imperfections and defects, it means tiny and almost unnoticeable dents and scratches, stuck or jammed drawers, or unscrewed door hinges.
These defects and imperfections put your salesperson at a disadvantage in proving the furniture is worth its price. Generally, the salesperson's loss is my gain. It gives me the leverage to negotiate the price politely. Remember, make sure to negotiate politely.
Be assertive but not disrespectful.
One of the mistakes customers make that a salesperson takes into their advantage is being besotted to the furniture piece. Of course, there would always be an item that is the apple of the eye.
Firstly, don't go into a furniture shop without being prepared to walk out empty-handed. But should you just let go of the balcony furniture you are eyeing in Singapore without a try?
If the salesperson would not budge, try being more assertive. What I do is I tell the salesperson I am ready to pay for furniture right there and right now at my desired price. It puts pressure on them to agree to your offer and sell the item. If they stood their ground and would not give in, I would prepare myself to leave the store empty-handed without looking back. Remember, respect your salesperson's decision when negotiating.
Clearance sales!
You should also know when to haggle prices. You are highly likely to score huge discounts during seasonal and clearance sales. Your favourite offline and online furniture shop in Singapore may give 20% to 80% discounts for each piece of furniture.
What is the purpose of clearance sales? Apart from selling more items, furniture shops have to clear their inventories and remove all remaining fittings to make room for the new furniture pieces.
Watch out for Black Friday sales, Boxing Day sales, and other seasonal sales. Maybe you can get a sofa online in Singapore for only half of its original price.
Ask for concessions or freebies.
Now, if you have tried the first four tips that I have told you, and your salesperson still won't give in, the last trick on my sleeve is asking for freebies.
Freebies can be anything, from a bar stool, coffee table, mirror to a wall clock. Freebies can also be services, such as free delivery, free installation, or warranty service maintenance.
You may not have gotten a discount on a solid wood dining table in Singapore, but you have won yourself a free vase or furniture accessory that costs perhaps a hundred bucks.
Takeaway
Being frugal is not a bad thing. You could dole out the money you have saved from negotiating the price of your balcony furniture in Singapore to the more essential expenses.
But always remember that when haggling, always be polite and respectful to your salesperson.
If you want high quality yet affordable furniture, I recommend Soul & Tables. Soul & Tables has a wide range of furniture collections to choose from. Visit Soul & Tables today.
