cash discount???

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I was asked yet again why I didn't flash cash and get a discount for the stuff I bought this weekend. I blew around $4600 tax free this weekend on a gas fireplace, new couch, new bedroom set (IKEA), shop vac (home depot). I tried at the furniture store and gas fireplace store, but neither place would offer a cash deal like 5% off for cash.

So I put it on the CC and got 1% back. But it just pisses me off that I'm told about all these deals that people get by flashing cash. I flash cash and NADA. I'm told they don't negotiate, and there isn't an incentive to giveing them cash.

IKEA, HD, and even the furniture store (large NE chain), I understand because well they are chains. Please let me know if you've ever flashed cash at IKEA or HD to get a discount. I'd like to know how.

So I'm here going to ask, if you pay cash for big ticket items do you get a discount? How do you do it? Just say do I get a discount for paying cash? I did and nothing....sorry for my vent but it upsets me when people tell me to save more by paying cash and when I try to it doesn't happen.

[DebbieL]

I think you would have to be talking to somebody with more authority such as the manager, etc. You can usually get discounts from the owner in smaller businesses when you are buying a large ticket item with cash (why not - it costs them less that way). You need to be dealing with someone other than just a run of the mill employee for those kind of deals I think. Try the store manager next time. Also, probably best to be discreet (not in front of several customers). Good luck in the future!

[simpleyme]

I know I cannot get any cash discount anywhere! I went to buy a couch it was 1,420 dollars I wanted to wheel and deal i asked for 20 bucks off, they said no ,I asked again still no,I walked away I was ticked

my DH and I go to home depot he looks at a freezer for 398 so DH says will you knock 50 bucks off the guy says sure , he can get 50 bucks of a 400 dollar item and i cannot get 20 bucks off of a couch

so i just always bring him to negotiate any large purchases as in the end i would rather just have the discount

[LuckyRobin]

I have always heard that it is the mom and pop type places that will offer the cash discounts, but in this day and age it may not happen anymore.

[safari]

I know a local furniture store that puts two prices on every tag, one for paying with a credit card and one for paying cash. They sell rather expensive designer furniture. I haven't seen any other stores do that.

It definitely can't hurt to ask, but I think the people who condone this approach greatly exaggerate its effectiveness.

[MonkeyMama]

I wouldn't shop somewhere that didn't negotiate - wrong places is all.

It certainly still happens at the mom and pop places. They have way more leeway to negotiate, if you find the right person.

Plus, did you try walking out of the store without buying anything? That's how we usually get our best discounts, because frankly we know we can get a better deal elsewhere, a lot of the times they change their mind once you look like you are walking out the door.

It's a game. Negotiation is a bit of an art. If they said no and you just put it on your card, they probably already had you pegged as not a strong negotiator.

At the big stores seems like we have always been able to at least get them to waive the sales tax (they pay), or stuff like that. Usually if you make it clear you won't buy without a discount they figure something out. We usually get more negotiating room at smaller places but generally we have been able to negotiate at bigger stores.

My dh is a good negotiator so he usually takes charge but you don't know how many deals I gotten by just walking away (not intending to play hardball but just intending to walk away). Sometimes there is not much to it but being a discriminating shopper...

As far as cash - I have never tried that angle. I did an article a bit ago how car dealers do not like cash customers at all. I wonder if it is the same here. They want you to put it on their credit and rack up interest. Cash discounts may be somewhat a thing of the past in that regard. If the mom and pop stores are smart they make money on the financing end too, but I don't know if they really get in the financing business, so they may prefer cash.

[DayByDay]

Originally Posted by MonkeyMama

Plus, did you try walking out of the store without buying anything? That's how we usually get our best discounts, because frankly we know we can get a better deal elsewhere, a lot of the times they change their mind once you look like you are walking out the door.

That happened to us too. We once found a kitchen table and chairs we liked. We named a price we were willing to pay, and it was refused. We walked out of the store, across the parking lot, and made it to the car. At that point we heard the salesman yelling at us across the parking lot to come back in the store and saying they'd accept our price.

[katwoman]

Used to be more common to get discounts from local chains but if you're shopping at the national stores - good luck.

[KellyJef]

DD and her fiancee just bought a dining room set with 6 chairs and 4 matching barstools for their island.

I got them to "throw in" an additional two chairs for free at Rosa's

When we bought a new bedroom set at a local furniture store, they wouldn't take any money off, but I did get them to "throw in" an expensive lamp and take off the sales tax

I have found Sears to be great about giving discounts for major appliance purchases. At the very least, I've always been able to get them to take off the $50 delivery charge.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I did it. I walked out of the store 3x beforehand. I bought it tax free on tax free day. Second, I walked out of the fireplace store 3x as well and called 4 different places. But I wanted both items. Guess the big stores are hard to negotiate.

And the fireplace was a small store but unless I want to keep having pipes burst and having my neighbor flooded.

[boefixepa]

I have to admit, that I usually just can't see the benifit for the hassel...or so I thought. I was breifly dating this guy a few year back and I was amazed to see him do this.....at WAL-MART!!! We did have to wait around for the manager and he was able to get a nice discount on a small flat screen tiv and VERY nice discount on a futon!!! The manager was more then willing to do it and he did have to accompany us to the check out and override the system and all that, but I was amazed that Wal-mart would do something like that. So it really depends on the person, your personality, and how long you are willing to wait around.

[willowstudios]

Hey, I think I'm your ex-boyfriend.

[mekish]

i haven't heard of anywhere offering discounts for paying with cash, these incentives are usually for credit cards...

[richinspirits]

At our IKEA, if you pay with a debit card, you get a voucher for 1% off a future purchase....

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'd rather get 1% back on my CC because it's the first furniture in over 4+ years from IKEA. So a future voucher is just encouragement to spend more money I wouldn't spend. And I wouldn't use it because I don't need more stuff.

[safari]

Originally Posted by richinspirits

At our IKEA, if you pay with a debit card, you get a voucher for 1% off a future purchase....

Can you use multiple vouchers for one purchase? For example, if you have two 1% off vouchers, can you use them together to get 2% off? Also, is there a minimum amount you have to spend to get that 1% off voucher? If not, then you could buy a pack of batteries with a debit card to get 1% off your next purchase, and then use it to buy furniture and pay with a credit card to get an additional 1% cash back.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Safari that is too funny.

[richinspirits]

wow, you are clever, trying to think of ways to maximize the savings!

i apologize because i just re-read this and i think i was posting way too quickly!

the voucher is for the dollar value of 1% of your current purchase off a future purchase. not 1% of the future purchase....

so if you spend $100, you get a voucher for $1.00 off the future purchase. unfortunately you can't lump them that way!!