Anne Nelson has no qualms about haggling with a salesman over the price of a car.
A ready check, some prior research and a take-it-or-leave-it attitude helped the first-grade teacher get 15 percent knocked off the price of a used convertible BMW she bought two months ago.
But ask for a break on a dress at the mall? Request a discount on prime rib at the grocery store? Or negotiate a better rate for a hotel room? The very thought is mortifying.
"That's just not really done over here," the Timonium resident says. "It's just not part of our culture to haggle."
Pshaw.
There's actually never been a better time to wrestle yourself a better deal on virtually anything from clothing to doctor bills.
Once thought of as a dying art that was largely confined to Old World bazaars and the stray yard sale in the United States, haggling is an ancient phenomenon that is spreading rapidly in modern day America, experts say.
Thanks to a weakened economy, a dip in consumer spending, rising costs and most of all, the smorgasbord of products, sellers and information available online, experts say that a growing number of consumers are starting to realize once again that a price tag is merely just a starting point for negotiations.
Today, almost 60 percent of consumers ask for a discount on purchases, compared with 40 percent 10 years ago, according to America's Research Group (ARG), a consumer behavior marketing firm.
Today's consumer mantra isn't Spend 'Til It Hurts, but rather: It Never Hurts to Ask.
"Haggling is definitely on the increase," says Britt Beemer, chairman of the Charleston, S.C.,-based ARG. "American consumers are not confrontational and haggling can be a confrontational experience. But people want better deals. As economic times have gotten more difficult, they're no longer afraid to ask for one.
"And retailers are much more likely to give us discounts today because every sale is so much more precious than before," Beemer says. "There's more competition and more places for people to spend money. All those things play a role. But the key is, you have to ask."
Experts say that spend-thrift sensibility shouldn't be limited to big ticket items such as homes and cars. The results can be surprising.
Rick Doble, who is editor and publisher of savvy- discounts.com, based in North Carolina, says he wrangles over everything: hotel rooms, electronics, mattresses and even food.
