How to Talk Your Way into Deals at Costco, Home Depot & Best Buy

If you’re looking to score a great deal at a major retailer, sometimes all you need do is ask. And if you ask while also being informed about the purchase you’re making, you’re twice as likely to succeed. Let’s take a look at some of Kyle at Lifehacker’s best tips for getting discounts at some of the biggest retail chains:

Costco

Look for Floor Models: if you see a floor model of something you want (especially if it’s the last of that certain item), you can likely negotiate your way to a deal. You could be especially lucky if there’s a small scratch or some “wear” marks on the item (if it’s still in working order, of course). Even if the item is already marked down, you could have luck asking the floor manager if they can offer a better deal.

Crack the “Price Tag Code”: being in the know about secret markdown codes can help you determine which Costco items are on clearance or have otherwise been discounted. If an item has been discounted a lot already, and if you can show evidence on your smartphone of a lower price elsewhere, then you could easily be successful asking for a better deal.

Always Negotiate on Tires: according to Lifehacker, there’s always wiggle room in terms of price on tires at Costco:

If you do your homework and find a better price on a set of four tires from another retailer, approach a sales person at Costco and politely explain the situation and ask for a possible price adjustment. Remember the old adage that “Discounts vary upon customer attitude” as your attitude will directly impact how much money you can save. You don’t want to be an annoyance; you want to be a sales opportunity.

Also, check out 10 Tips for Shopping at Costco.

Home Depot

Look for Imperfect Items: most Home Depot aisles are full of “scratch & dent” items. Look for items like these (from doors to tools to appliances) and ask an associate if they can help you out on the price. You’ll likely be able to save 10-15% on these items.

I always start be asking for a 20% discount and see where the negotiating takes me. As a dude who used to work at the Home Depot, I am here to tell you that we were encouraged by management to slash the price on imperfect items as we knew we would have trouble selling them at full price. The associate may have to seek management approval on more expensive items but it usually only takes a couple minutes. For shoppers, the time spent is well worth the effort.

Try to Bundle Items: if you’re looking to buy a lawn mower and a weed-wacker, for example, ask if there’s a discount available if you buy both items. Just by asking, you could save 10% or up to $50 off.

Become a Price Matching Pro: if you find a competing store in your area that beats Home Depot’s price on something, you’re automatically eligible to get that product for 10% lower than the competitor’s price.

Also check out 6 Ways to Save at The Home Depot.

Best Buy

Bundle Items to Save: here’s what happened Kyle:

I was buying a new Panasonic 42″ HDTV and DVD player and decided (on a whim) to ask the salesman if he could knock off $100 if I bought both right now. He went and asked his manager and within a minute he came back and said they could reduce the overall price by $75. I was like, “Cool, done deal!” A very easy $75 left in my wallet.

Look for Damaged Packaging: if the packaging is damaged but the item inside look unharmed, then you’re probably going to be successful negotiating a deal. Tell the associate you’re talking to that you’d be willing to take the risk of buying that item if they could knock, say, 25% off of the price.

Negotiate at the End of the Month: salespeople at Best Buy aim to meet their quotas by the end of the month, so if you head into the store at the very end of the month (30th or 31st), you’re going to meet salespeople who are more willing to negotiate with you.

Also, don’t miss out on 8 Secrets for Saving Money at Best Buy.