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W hether you’re shopping fo r clothes o r a
sectional sofa, there’s a sure-fire way to
pay less: negotiate,
by k a r e n c h e n e y
ike many women, Monika Liston Jo always thought
department store prices were chiseled in stone.
When the economy turned sour and her budget
tightened up, however, the San Francisco market-
ing executive started asking for price breaks and was
thrilled by her success. “I’ve had stores honor prices from
past promotions and expired coupons,” she says.
Women are catching on fast to negotiating, but 2.5
times more women than men still feel apprehensive
about it, according to Linda Babcock, an economics
professor at Carnegie Mellon University and author of
Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide.
The good news is that when women give it a try, they
can be skilled negotiators. “Women are good listeners
and know how to create a hospitable climate. Those are
distinct advantages they have and can use,” says Juliet
Nierenbergof the Negotiation Institute, a nonprofit
training organization. Businesses are under just as much
pressure as consumers to survive in this economy, and
you have the green light to haggle over jewelry, clothing,
appliances, electronics, furniture, and even home center
materials for your next do-it-yourself project. Take these
steps to save yourself lots of money.
INFORM YOURSELF
Almost anything you want to buy at a local store can be
researched and comparison-shopped at general-purpose
Web sites such as
pricegrabber.com
and
nextag.com.
For
specialized information on electronics, try
pricespider
.com.
Be clear on what features you must have and what
features you can live without—and never fall in love with
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OCTOBER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
