Number one on my list and the most important............... JUST ASK IF THATS THE BEST PRICE YOU CAN GET............. no matter what store I have worked at, this question almost always worked. From the cheapest item to the most expensive, every item has a mark up. A mark up is a percentage added to the item, after what the store pays for it. FOR EXAMPLE the hammer in the picture above cost my store $1.66 to buy but the price you see on the shelf is $15.99. That allows me to have $14.33 to play with to make a sale. (By the way these are real figures from my store I manage.) Don’t be afraid to ask the question, it will work if you are persistent. If told no ask if the store has a sales desk. (Every store has an area completely devoted to sales FIND IT.) The people in these areas sole purpose are to make a sale. The store does not want you to take your business anywhere else, so they will make you the best deal possible on your item to keep your business. So if Jane Doe walks up to a sales desk and asks for a better price on her hammer, the sales man will look up the cost. The usual multiplier is a 1.35% mark up. So our cost on the hammer is $1.66 x 1.35= $2.24. So just by asking the magic question Jane Doe saved $13.75.
2. Numer two applies if you are buying in bulk and is one of the closely guarded secrets in home improvement. The larger Home Improvement stores have areas called contract sales and the contractors DO NOT get the best prices YOU the consumer has that privilege. Do not let the name fool you; contract sales will help you if you are buying in bulk. You the consumer can get a better price than a contractor because contractors most of the time use one store and one sales man all the time. You the consumer have a choice of all the stores and any sales man. Yet again to keep your business with that store the sales man will give you the best price possible. The secret to this is when you are talking to your sales man tell him you are comparing prices between store a,b, and his store and want to see who can give you the best price. This guarantees you the best price possible.
3. Once a year stores will have a sale getting rid of their entire close out items. Find out when this is! Ask a manager when this event will be happening. (Trust me they know) This is important because companies take old or discontinued items out of inventory and sale them at a discount price. APPLY RULE # 1. Since the items are no longer in inventory the sales man can sell you that item at whatever price he wishes. For example (this is a true story) had a $5,000 walk in tub on a show floor and needed to make room for the newer model of that tub. The tub was sold at a close out sale for $75. The stores can do this because the item is no longer in inventory and the store isn't losing any money on the sale.
4. Ask about items in the store with rebates. At any given time a store can have hundreds of items with rebates. The types of rebates are endless. You can find this information at any sales area including the front end. (Cashiers) Fill out the rebates on items you need and save tons of money.
5. Shop around! Each store has what is called draw items. Ok, this is how draw items work. Say a store is running a sale on PVC fitting at 30% off (the draw item) the store is betting when you buy the fittings you will also buy the PVC glue, which will be marked up in price. So the money you save when you buy the PVC fittings will be made up for by the store when you buy the glue. Again shop around store a may have 30% off on the fittings but store b may be running as sale on their glue. Shop around to get the best prices. Watch for draw items and price changes
You the reader dictates this blog I know everything Home Improvement just leave a comment and I will answer you question a.s.a.p. If I like the question enough I will make a post about it and dedicate it to you. ALL QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED!!!!!!!
