1. Don’t be ashamed.
You can haggle anywhere, anytime—even at the doctor’s office.

2. Stay cool.
Haggling is about bluffing; if you show weakness or nerves, the salesperson will know you’re going to fold.

3. Be prepared to leave empty-handed.
If you must have an item, you’ll accept a higher price. Often, walking away will get the absolute lowest offer.

4. Use charm.
Haggling is a personal interaction. If you make the sales clerk complicit in the game, he’ll be more willing to play.

5. Pay cash.
The seller will usually knock off the sales tax, or more. But carry small bills.

6. Do market research.
Almost everyone price-matches these days.

7. Read the sales tags.
Brazen hagglers will rifle through a rack in search of the one item that’s mispriced low, then demand the store honor the tag.

8. Ask when it goes on sale.
The clerk might offer to put it aside for you. Or, if you ask to be called come sale time, it could be marked down then and there, just for you.

Related:

• Archive: “Features”
• Table of Contents: Jan 23, 2006 issue of New York | Subscribe!