Advice to Pawn Stars
By Bernie on 10 Nov 2011
I don't often watch the reality television series Pawn Stars, but I have seen the following situation often enough that I feel I can help Rick Harrison solve the following problem:
A woman comes in with an old Westinghouse TV. Rick asks, "How much are you looking to get?"
She scrunches her face and answers, "300 bucks," To which Rick replies, "I can't give you 300 dollars." After a very short pause he then says, "I can give you 450 dollars."
Almost immediately the woman shoots back with "Can you make that 800 dollars?"
This is very exasperating for Rick. Here he tries to do the right thing, giving the person more than they're asking and they have the chutzpah to ask for more when a moment ago they were willing to take much less.
Here's my advice: when someone says they are willing to take x dollars for their stuff, agree to the price and buy it from them. Once the deal is concluded, simply say, "You know what, I like you as a customer, let me give you 150 dollars extra - all I ask is that you say nice things about my business to your friends."
So four things happen here:
- You avoid the awkward situation where you have to tell them that they are greedy sons of bitches and they have some nerve asking for more money
- You close the deal without having to negotiate down back to your original offer.
- The extra money is now seen as a gift rather than simply a higher offer.
- The gift earns you the right to ask her to recommend you to her friends,
Now isn't that better?
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