Make no mistake about it, negotiation is an art. Luckily, it’s an art that needs practice rather than talent, and Texan writer Dr. Fred Lybrand promises that by one simple sentence at the conclusion of a tough negotiation session, you too can master the art.
We’ve all seen multiple instances of salespeople doing everything they can to get the best deal during a particular sale, but the question has always remained: how can you as a buyer ensure that you also get the best deal. For Lybrand, this became clear when he found himself in a position of helping his wife get the best deal on a brand new pair of tires.
First of all, tires have always been a hot topic when it comes to car maintenance. So much so that car mechanics are now taking to Tiktok to ensure they educate buyers on the need to always ensure the tires they get are suitable for the car they drive. Even if that means going out of your way to research or ask for documentation if you just so happen to be buying a performance vehicle in the used car market.
Dr. Lybrand explained, “Today, my wife calls. We need three new tires on her car. And she tells me the thing, and what they’re doing — all of it. And I hear him talking on the phone, and so I ask her, after all that: say ask him, ‘Is that the best you can do?’”
According to Dr. Lybrand, he ended up getting his wife a $40 discount. While any discount is always welcome when making a new purchase, the author also warned of not confusing the illusion of discount with an actual discount. We’ve all seen those alleged Black Friday discount deals that aren’t actual discounts but rather just elaborate tricks.
He informed his listeners that the best way to counter this is patience. The sentence still remains the same, but you have to wait right up until you’ve gotten to the very end of a negotiation before you can pull it. But he also added that this isn’t a guarantee, sometimes you get lucky with the salesperson and the final price is actually their best price. Sometimes, it really is the best that they can do — and in those rare instances, Dr. Lybrand said he would take the deal.
Motor1 was able to reach the author via email, and he told the publication about his problem solving theories and how they’re tied to the philosopher Descartes. He said, “Descartes said he had figured it out (but he never explained it)! It seems to me that this is THE SKILL people need for all of life, but they usually just go with their gut, buy a ready-made solution, or compromise on what they want.”
When it comes to haggling, compromise is always the name of the game. Research first. Then go in with whatever you want to spend already in your head — then try to go as south from it as humanly possible. And after that and only after that, ask them if that’s the best they can do. That’s the secret for always getting the best price.
