The Polite Money-Saving Ask: A Brief Guide
Welcome to Saving Money with Andrew!
Last week, I briefly discussed the money-saving power of being nice:
[I]f you find the warranty has expired, it’s almost always worth politely contacting the manufacturer. More than once, a manufacturer has replaced an item after the warranty has expired just because I asked politely.
In general, asking nicely for things can be a superpower and has recently saved me $225 on a new J.Crew blazer, $83 in Citi foreign transaction fees, and worked for two readers as well.
A reader followed up, asking how I approach asking for things nicely in money-saving situations. Here are a few tips!
Assess the Opportunity
Before speaking to an employee, decide exactly what you’re trying to accomplish and your chances of success. It might be a discount (at a store), or a courtesy (like same-day standby at the airport). In many places, your chances of success are going to be zero (no discounts at the Apple Store!). In other places, think about the latitude the employee might have, and how often the merchant typically gives discounts.
For example, chain/mass-market clothing stores (e.g., J.Crew or the Gap) are constantly discounting to move inventory before it gets stale, and a store associate is likely to have significant ability to discount.
Similarly, subscription businesses (like the NYTimes) can also aggressively discount because the marginal cost of another subscriber is negligible (that is, whatever they can get from you is profit).
Be Friendly and Genuine
Many people don’t treat store employees as human beings. Remember that they are just like anyone else and appreciate being treated nicely. I regularly see employees berated by customers for things out of their control, or treated like servants. It’s both decent and value-maximizing to be polite and friendly. You want to be one of the more pleasant interactions they’ve had all day.
At the same time, don’t be overly familiar or a phony. You aren’t trying to suck up to the employee, you’re simply trying to come across as a decent person looking for help.
Give Them A Chance To Be Creative
I usually approach an employee with a specific goal (e.g., to save 25% on an item), but I don’t lead by asking for something specific. Instead, I start by asking if there are any currently available discounts.
Sometimes the employee will mention something, sometimes they’ll say nothing is currently available. Usually, regardless of their response (unless they clearly gave me the best discount possible), I’ll follow up by politely asking if there’s anything else they can do, followed by pausing for a few seconds.
This gives them an opportunity to think if there are any better discounts available, and also raises the possibility that I might leave without purchasing anything, without being aggressive or demanding.
This is usually the point where the employee says something like “well…” and then figures out if there’s a promotion or some other way to offer a discount.
Finally, Show Your Appreciation
If they’re able to help you, make sure to thank the employee. If there’s a customer satisfaction survey, fill it out. In certain situations I’ve even sent a quick thank you email to the company.
My success rate using this strategy when I feel the employee has latitude to offer a discount is >50%, yielding hundreds of dollars of savings. You’d be surprised at how often there are everyday savings opportunities to be had by just being nice and asking for help.
And now, Andrew’s pick(s) of the week:
In a Florida Town Ravaged by Storms, Homeowners All Want to Sell
Blow-Dry Bars and Crystal Chandeliers: Sorority Houses Are Getting Multimillion-Dollar Makeovers
I hope this has been helpful. If you liked it, please share it on social media! Also, please send me your feedback, requests, and success stories.