Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The art of the haggle

I stopped in a local pawn shop the other day. I just listened in as a customer worked the pawn broker on a 1911. Got him to come down $40.00 on it. It was a Rock Island. I wonder how many folks never make an effort to save themselves a little money on these deals? It always seems like reasonable brokers are willing to budge a little bit.

Jeff, ever see a bidder jump the bid at an auction? We did on a farm.

They probably gave the previous owner $125 for it.


I never pay a Gypsy their asking price. I will walk out. I didn’t need when I walked in.

From the other side of the counter, I expected people to come in and haggle on the price so I always left myself room to bargain. Usually made more money on the sale that way and customers would come back because they got a "good" deal. Sell people what they want, not what they need. Just like slumlord said.

Art of the haggle ???
Wtf is that????

Jenna Jamison videos for 2 dinars

Mr Douglas, what I have here is:
A genuine, fur lined bong, for your marijuana smoking pleasure.

I think most people try to get a better deal.

The Art of the Hag.

I always ask, “what’s the best you can do on that price?”

The most solid way to get a deal is to have ten times too many of whatever is for sale and have the seller come begging to you to sell it. Oh, that's a pawn shop, never mind.

25 years ago I went to the pawn shops every week while on lunch break, shopping for used guns.


I made a lot of offers.
After a while I had their policy mapped out.
If they ask the boss, the answer is no.
There is an offer they will accept.

A pawn shop in Bothell would take 10% off any gun not on consignment.

A pawn shop in Lynnwood would take 25% off any gun that I could point out something wrong with it.

A gun store in Lynnwood, where I was making offers to the owner, there was no predicting what he would take. Sometimes 0%, sometimes up to 25%.

The key is that employees have been told what offer to take as a percentage.

Did you ever just pay what they were asking or are you that guy? The one that never pays whatever they're asking, no matter how fair?

I made an offer just a little under the asking price on a scoped rifle once, like $20 less than asking price, and the guy was so insulted he grabbed it off the shelf and was headed to the back room with it. Whoa whoa whoa, that's fine, I'll pay that!

On the other side, did a job for a German woman once. $4750 was what we verbally agreed on. No contract. When I got done, she said, "I never pay full price for anything", and handed me a check for $4600. I've dealt with German women before and I padded the bill in case. Good thing. When she called to have me back I ignored her calls.

Don't be that guy, it is not to your advantage in the long run.

I used to get some real good deals at the privately owned shops.
Since most are now nationwide chains---not many deals at all.

I'm too Norwegian to be a decent haggler.

LoL!!! He's in the wrong business if he gets triggered like a small child over somebody making an offer less than the hang-tag price.

A lot depends on how many times its been pawned. If they've made money off the gun several times already...they may cut you a heck of a deal. Never hurts to ask. I go in knowing I don't have to have it. I picked up a like new s&w 36 snub for 200otd the other day...but this same place will ask 149 for a used marlin 22 you can get from academy for 129...and they'll let it sit for 2 years.

I was dickering at pawn shops.
I was dickering at gun shows.
I was dickering at car buys. "If you will come down on your commission, I will buy it right now."
I was dickering at real estate. "I got the seller down as far as he will go. If both you salesmen come down on your commissions, this deal will go through right now."

Then I got so old, I don't dicker any more.

I hate haggling, but I'll do it. Better yet, I send my wife in...

Dick-er-ing, on the other hand.....

Wait that came out wrong...


I'm going to quit digging now!