What I find most interesting is that you're describing in positive terms the same thing I was when I wrote (earlier in the thread) "Changing the terms at the last moment, or saying for any reason "I'll bring it to my manager and see if he ok's it," are standard sleazy sales techniques. So are mysterious last-minute added charges that were never mentioned before, or dragging out the process until you're too hypoglycemic and addled to think clearly and will sign anything just to get it done."

In other words, it sounds like you're quite enamored of the sales techniques I find so abhorrent. I'm grasping for explanations, because you're framing this in terms of satisfying the customer, while my direct experience has involved walking out--with or without a completed sale--feeling like I've been had. Perhaps it involves something about the attitude which accompanies those trips to the sales manager's office and the attempts to assemble a "persuasive package."

I've been much happier on the one occasion when I searched by internet for the best available deal, committed, then traveled by train to a city 250 miles away to pick up my new car. I was in and out of the dealership in short order, there were no surprises, and I saved a fair bit of money. I'd have walked right out the door if presented with any surprises, especially if described in terms of my self-interest.

I'm genuinely intrigued by these discrepancies. In the US, car salespeople are generally considered rather low on the ethical ladder. This being the age of multiple, overlapping truths, I assume there is validity in all sorts of perspectives. On the other hand, I doubt most customers leave vehicle dealerships thinking "I love the way they used my arguments to set up a deal which benefited me!"

Mark

Mark,
I am not enamored in these sales technics. I am a salesman for more than 3 decades and my job since ever is to increase sales.

That is my way of thinking and what I tried to describe in my analysis of what happened to you and which mistakes were made in the sales process. As I wasn`t eyewitnessing, I could only say what I understand by your lines. I could have easily burst the limit of marks from this forum software with a detailed answer and analysis of your case. Saying this to make you understand that I tried keep it simple.

Sales isn`t always fun, It´s a tough business with a lot of competition. A lot of salesman and companies sell like hell to earn their living and profit. That is how capitalism in free-market economy functions. And this is also the reason why many buyers aren`t satisfied and did get frustrated when they do the recap after their shopping.

I always try be in balance in making my deals, at earning the margin while I have to satisfy and to create (!) needs or wishes of customers. In the same time I have to keep my sales staff in a good mood with a suitable income . But in the end of all my activities my CEO and all shareholders will only look to numbers. Eat or to be eaten we call this situation in german.

How does my profession influence my shopping?
Honestly, I am the worst and unpleasant customer you can think of. Because I hate shopping in any kind. I know how to play the game as a seller but I hate to be in the shoes of a customer. What has to do with my knowledge about some branches of trade, their products and sales techniques. Because of this I inform myself as much as possible about a product and I think carefully about my real needs before I buy.

So my advise to you for fighting the sales situation is:
Be prepared and have knowlege about the product, competitive products and the market. Dont`show this to the sales guy and have a list in your mind or phone to ask him a lot of questions about everything, don`t worry about to be seen as a stupid one by this! Be smart and show yourself as ignorant!

A salesman who has to answer a lot of questions will give you much more information as he wants to reveal usually in a sales situation. Remember always that a salesman will never give more information to you as he will find necessary in the situation. It´s not his job to make you clever, it´s his job to be competent and to sell you something. Which is much easier for him as lower your level of knowledge is. And it´s your job to hide (individual) informations that the sales guy can turn into a sales techniques to get your money! He must take the challenge to get his commission; if he doesn`t, leave and buy elsewhere, there are no monopols for anything!

Never buy during your first visit, leave the showroom and go for a coffee to overthink what you really want and to make you a room for a balanced decision.

That is how I do it if I want to buy or I did with the mororcycle sales guys before C19 shut down the showrooms.

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