Comet ‘best for haggling’

A survey of more than 2,500 people by the consumer website, MoneySavingExpert, has revealed that people are most likely to have successfully haggled in Comet above other stores. Some 78.4 per cent of people said that they had successfully managed to haggle for a better deal there.

Next on the list was B&Q, where 77.8 per cent said they had successfully haggled, folllowed by Currys/PC world, with a rating of 77.7 per cent.

The shop which came tenth in the list of best places to haggle was Debenhams, where just 53.4 per cent of people said they had been able to haggle. Sainsbury’s was in ninth place, and Wickes was eighth.

The survey only included stores in which at least 100 people tried to get some sort of discount.

Big ticket

Martin Lewis, the founder of the MoneySavingExpert website, said that haggling could be on the rise in the UK.

“The closer it feels to a trade environment, the more likely it is that people will haggle,” he said.

Adding that supermarkets Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s among the top 10 reflects large supermarket sales of big ticket items such as electrical goods and furniture, Mr Lewis added: “Usually, big ticket items are the easiest things to haggle on: furniture, electricals, cars and digital equipment.

“People need to adopt a ‘don’t ask, don’t get’ attitude. There are real rewards for charm and chutzpah on UK high streets. There’s nothing wrong with asking for a discount.”

But he added that people looking to haggle should seek out mid-level supervisers who have the authority to give discounts, rather than more junior staff or bosses too high up the chain.

The best tactic is often to charm staff, while customers should not get angry with store workers if they are refused money off, he said.

“You have no automatic right to a discount. But you do have a right not to buy,” said Mr Lewis.

Top ten stores for haggling

1. Comet, 78.4 per cent
2. B&Q, 77.8 per cent
3. Currys/PC World, 77.7 per cent
4. Homebase, 69.2 per cent
5. John Lewis, 63.4 per cent
6. Asda, 59.9 per cent
7. Tesco, 58.1 per cent
8. Wickes, 56.3 per cent
9. Sainsbury’s, 53.7 per cent
10. Debenhams, 53.4 per cent