Have you ever been shopping online and thought to yourself how cool it would be to get those shoes, jeans, blender, (or whatever it might be) sent to your home for free so you could try them on and check them out in person? Then if they didn’t fit, or you didn’t like it for whatever reason, you could return them for free? How cool would that be.

Well, today I’m here to tell you that this already is the reality with a bunch of popular online retailers. Shop ’til you drop then mail back the stuff you don’t want for FREE. 100% risk free shopping. Here are 28 popular online stores that’ll currently let you do it.

Apple Store

The Apple Store offers free shipping on $49 or more + FREE returns.

You have 14 days to return an item from the date you received it. Instructions are here.

Items ineligible for return include opened software, electronic software downloads, software upgrades, Apple Store gift cards, Apple Developer Connection products, and Apple print products.

See Also: 45+ Retailers Offering FREE Shipping on Christmas Shopping

Ashford Jewelry

Ashford offers free shipping along with a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all online orders.

In order to get free return shipping you need to select “Free Ground” shipping.

Items being returned must be in new, unused, condition with original packaging.

Steps to make a free return happen are found on their website.

Barneys New York

From the Barneys website, “Barneys.com offers complimentary returns on all U.S. orders. No fee will be deducted from your return.”

They actually include a pre-paid United States Postal Service (USPS) return label with every online order.

Shop at Barneys, order a couple sizes, try them on at home, and mail back the stuff that doesn’t fit for free. Smart.

Bonobos.com

Bonobos sells fashionable men’s clothing and is proud to offer free shipping both ways.

If you buy anything you don’t like, for whatever reason, you can use the prepaid shipping label that comes with every order to expedite the return process.

From their site, “Return your items (for free) within 90 days for a full refund, and within 365 for store credit for an exchange”

CHEFS.com

Free shipping on your $25+ order and FREE returns on all orders via FedEx. Details here.

Stock your kitchen and check out a bunch of new products risk free.

Costco

While Costco does offer free shipping on many items (not everything) it is worth noting their awesome return policy.

If you order from Costco.com and need to return for any reason you have 2 solid options.

First, you can simply return the item to your local warehouse and they will refund you in full (including any delivery charges).

Second, if you can’t make it to a warehouse, you can call them at 1-800-955-2292 and hear other pick-up options.

Diapers.com

Diapers.com offers free shipping on $49 or more BUT free returns on EVERYTHING.

You have 365 days to make your return happen.

Item obviously can’t be used or expired. Eww…I just envisioned a pile of used diapers.

eBags.com

eBags will happily pay return shipping costs for the first 30 days after your purchase.

From their site, “All items must be in the condition you received them, with all hang tags attached and in the original box.”

Lacoste.com

From the Lacoste website, “Free Returns will be granted to customers who utilize their pre-paid return label included in their box or accessible at the online return center.”

You have 30 days from date of delivery to return your items.

LL Bean

LL Bean offers free shipping on ALL orders and free returns on orders for LL Bean card members.

If you are not a card holder you will have to pay a $6.50 fee.

You can also return all online orders to a physical LL Bean location for no extra charge.

See Also: Talk Your Way to a Deal: How to Negotiate at These Big Box Stores

Nordstrom

Free shipping and free returns on all orders at Nordstrom.com. Pretty awesome actually.

Do some shopping risk free and just return items that don’t fit or you don’t like.

If you need to return something over-sized all you have to do is call them at 888-282-6060 for assistance.

Online Shoes.com

Free shipping, free returns, and free exchanges at Online Shoes.com.

You have 365 days to return stuff.

Must be in unworn, new condition, with boxes and tags.

Sephora.com

When shopping at Sephora.com you’ll get free shipping on $50+ and free returns on all orders.

To get free return shipping you need to use the “Merchandise Return label” included with your purchase.

You have 60 days from date of order to return your purchase for free.

ShoeMall.com

Update: Apparently Shoe Mall now charges $6.95 for a return.

Free shipping and free returns on ALL orders at ShoeMall.com.

You have 120 days to send back all unused items for free.

Just complete and enclose the RETURN FORM located on the back of your packing slip.

See Also: All 37 Stores That Offer Extended Holiday Returns

Shoes.com

Shoes.com is another online shoe seller that offers free shipping and free returns on ALL orders.

Not sure what size you wear for specific brands? Just order a couple different sizes and mail back the ones that don’t fit.

Note: They reserve the right to reject orders from individuals who make excessive returns. Use their policy wisely because if you abuse it, it will surely go away.

Shoebuy.com

Yet another online shoe retailer who offers free shipping and returns is Shoebuy.com.

You have 60 days from date of delivery to return items to them.

Tip: If you are exchanging shoes and in a hurry, return your item and place a brand new order for your replacement shoes.

Shopbop.com

The shipping and return policy at Shopbop.com is down right awesome and completely FREE both ways.

You’ll get free 3-day shipping and free returns within 30 days of delivery.

Also, were you aware that all Amazon Prime members can get the same free 2-day shipping benefits when shopping on Shopbop? Very cool (and clever) add on service.

Sunglass Hut

Sunglass Hut.com ships for free (no minimum) and lets you return items for free as well.

Have you ever broken a pair of expensive sunglasses? If so, listen up. From their website, “Occasionally sunglasses break. It’s sad, but true. But when it happens to sunglasses bought at Sunglass Hut, we replace them with the same pair (or equivalent, if unavailable) at 50% off the original price.”

I just completely fell in love with this company.

UGG Australia

UGG will happily ship your next pair of UGGs for free and offer free returns for any reason.

Feel free to shop at the UGG Australia website and order a couple pairs to try on at home knowing that you can return the ones you don’t like at no cost.

Urban Outfitters

The hip folks at Urban Outfitters want you to be completely satisfied so they are offering free returns and exchanges within the first 30 days of purchase.

They also offer free shipping on $50 or more.

They also let you use USPS pick-up service so you don’t even have to leave home to get your stuff sent back. Details here.

Wag.com

Stock up on pet food, medication, and supplies at Wag.com and do it completely risk free as they offer free shipping $49+ with completely free returns.

Items must still be brand new and in original packaging and they’ll let you return it for FREE for 365 days after you received it.

World of Watches

Buy your next killer time piece and if you don’t like how it looks on your wrist, just return it for free. Oh, and I forgot to mention that they’ll mail it to you for free to begin with. Win-win.

Make sure to return items within 30 days of receiving them or you’ll get stuck paying a 20% re-stocking fee.

Apparently they sell a lot more than watches as fragrances, swimwear, intimate apparel, and hosiery are all non-refundable.

Zappos

The Zappos shipping and return policy is the current gold standard in my opinion.

Free shipping and free returns for 365 days after you receive your purchase.

24/7 customer service to help you if you have any trouble with your purchase or return.

Not sure your size? Just order a few pairs of shoes and return the ones that don’t fit or you don’t like.

Order your shoes on 2/29 of a leap year….you’ll have exactly 4 years to return them! Seriously.

Ask the Reader: Do you know of any more online stores that offer free shipping and free returns? Let me know, thanks!

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Larry Tomlinson.

Are you looking for work? Maybe a part-time job while you go to school, or perhaps something seasonal for the holiday shopping season. Part of your decision on where to apply could very well hinge on what kind of employee discount the retailer hands out. I was pretty darn impressed with many of these employee discounts that I discovered and makes me wish I had time for a part-time job so I could take advantage. Here is what I found (in alphabetical order):

Employee Discounts That Are Worth Knowing:

Abercrombie & Fitch: 40% discount for full time A&F employees and 30% off for part time workers.

Aeropostale: Directly from the Aeropostale website, “We offer a 30% discount on all of our clothing at all times of the year. Periodically, we offer a 50% accelerated discount on new clothing lines.”

American Apparel: 50% discount plus a sweet free $200 to buy clothing when first hired. You’re going to need it as they require you to dress from head to show in American Apparel clothing.

American Eagle Outfitters: Get a job at American Eagle and score a 40% discount and 50% off during the week when new seasonal styles come in to the store.

Ann Taylor & AT LOFT: According to their website, they offer “a generous Associate discount of 50% off all full-priced products and 20% off non-full priced products.” Turns out kids and spouses are also eligible to get the discount. I’m guessing my wife would love it if I got a job at Ann Taylor.

Anthropologie 40% on apparel, 25% on home, but NO discount on sale items.

Apple Store: On your first day of employment you’ll be eligible for a 25% discount on the iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Smart move as a worker who owns the product will have a much greater understanding of how it actually works. Full Details Here

Banana Republic: Get a job at GAP Inc. and get 50% off full-priced items at Gap and Banana Republic. You’ll also get 25% off at your local Old Navy.

Barnes & Noble: Good news if you love Starbucks as you get 50% off all cafe items, 30% off book floor and miscellaneous merchandise, and 20% off anything in the music department.

Barney’s: Get a job at Barney’s and score a 30% employee discount.

Bass Pro Shops: They offer a 40% discount on Bass Pro Shop branded stuff and up to 20% off everything else.

Bed Bath & Beyond: 20% discount from the BB&B that you are employed at.

Best Buy: After a 3 month waiting period, Best Buy employees are able to buy merchandise at wholesale cost + a 10% markup. This is a pretty sweet deal, especially on HDTV’s that have a notoriously high markup. They recently capped the employee discount at nothing more than 50% of the MSRP.

Big 5 Sporting Goods: They offer a 10-20% discount depending on the product.

Bloomingdales: Get a paying gig at Bloomingdales and build your wardrobe for 20% off.

Cabela’s: They offer a tiered employee discount based on seniority. Varies from 10% off to 40% off Cabela’s branded merchandise.

Club Monaco: 50% off regular priced items once your employment starts.

Cost Plus World Market: Cost Plus gives a generous 20% employee discount for part and full time workers.

Dick’s Sporting Goods: Dick’s Sports will give you a 25% discount on full-priced items.

Eddie Bauer: Score a 30% employee discount while working at Eddie Bauer.

Express: Get hired part-time by Express and you’ll have access to a 30% off discount while full-time employees get 40% off. Also, on occasion they’ll offer an additional 15% off.

Finishline: Get a job at Finishline and get 30% off all shoes and apparel.

See Also: The 15 Best Employee Discounts at Fast Food Restaurants

Footlocker: 30% off except for monthly Friends & Family weekends, where you get 50% off at Footlocker.

GAP: Get 50% off full-priced items at both Gap and Banana Republic. Also, you’ll get 25% off at Old Navy.

Gamestop: Employees at Gamestop get a 15% discount, excluding all gaming systems.

H&M: H&M will happily give employees a 25% discount on all items.

Hilton Hotels: Employees get large discounts on hotel bookings at all Hilton owned properties.

Hobby Lobby: Get a job at Hobby Lobby and immediately take advantage of a 15% employee discount on everything.

Hollister: Hollister gives a 20% employee discount that is not valid on clearance items.

J.Crew: J.Crew has one of the best employee discount programs going right now. You’ll be able to save 50% off 5 full-priced items each month. You can also get 30% off full-priced merchandise, 50% off sale merchandise and 60% off select items that are very slow-selling.

JCPenney: 20% off merchandise and 10% off small appliances and furniture at JCPenney. They also are known to have “Special employee days” where everything is 30% off

J.Jill: J.Jill offers a very liberal 40% discount to full-time and part-time employees.

Jo-Ann Fabrics: Corporate gives employees a 20% discount along with a couple times a year where it’s higher.

Kmart: Save 20% off apparel, 25% off food at Kmart restaurants and 10% off Two Hearts Maternity.

Kohl’s: Get hired at Kohl’s and you’ll have instant access to a very nice 15% employee discount.

Kroger: Get 10% off all groceries, 15% off the Kroger in-house brand, and 10% off at Starbucks. Details here

Lands’ End: Work for Lands’ End and you’ll score a sweet 20% employee discount.

L.L. Bean: Save 33.3-40% off at regular LL Bean stores. 25% off at outlet locations.

Levi Store: 30% off all apparel with the Levi brand on it somewhere.

Limited, The: By working at The Limited you’ll get 40% off regular-priced merchandise.

Lowe’s: 10% off discount to employees at Lowe’s which is cool as Home Depot has no employee discount.

Lululemon: Depending on the number of hours you work, you can expect a 40% or 60% discount.

Macy’s: 20% off, plus special days at Macy’s where they’ll give you a bonus 20% off your already low 20% off employee price.

Mens Wearhouse: 50% discount which is smart as you want employees wearing suits and looking sharp.

Michaels: You’ll get a 25% off discount by working at Michaels. They also have a few days a year where you can get a 40% or 50% discount.

Modell’s Sporting Goods: Modell’s has a terrific 30% employee discount available to all workers.

Nordstrom: All Nordstrom employees get an impressive 20% off while all managers get 33% off. Plus, they have even higher employee discount on specific days throughout the year.

Old Navy: Get hired at Old Navy and you’ll be eligible for 25% off everything and 50% off at Gap and Banana Republic (full-priced items).

PacSun: 50% off full-priced items and 10% off all sale items when you work at PacSun.

PetSmart: PetSmart gives employees a fairly generous 15% off discount.

Pier 1 Imports: Get a job at Pier 1 Imports and you’ll get a 25% employee discount from day 1.

Pottery Barn: Score a gig at PB and you’ll get a nice 40% discount. Great way to furnish your home for cheap.

Radio Shack: Score 30% off their own “branded” stuff and 10% off everything else.

REI: I love this employee discount! From the REI site, “50% discounts on REI Gear and Apparel, free gear rentals for personal use from any REI store and 30% off our vendor merchandise and ProDeal Discounts.”

Rite-Aid: Rite-Aid offer a 10% employee discount on purchases.

Ross Dress for Less: By getting a job at Ross you’ll get a sweet 20% employee discount.

Sears: The powers that be at Sears offer employees a slick 20% off discount.

Sephora: Get 20% off regular brand-name stuff and a cool 40% off Sephora branded products.

Starbucks: Get a job as a barista and score a 30% discount on all Starbucks food and drinks. Details here

Target: 10% off plus you can use your Target credit card, build up points, and get another 10% off coupon which you can stack with your employee discount. Full Details Here

TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods: Work at any of these 3 stores and you’ll get a 10% discount at all 3.

Trader’s Joe: 20% employee discount on ALL products, including alcohol. Pretty good for a grocery store as most offer ZERO discount to employees.

Uniqlo: 30% off employee discount only good at the store you work at.

Urban Outfitters: Save 40% off Urban Outfitters apparel and 25% off all housewares. Pretty sweet deal.

Victoria’s Secret: 20% off the first two months and 30% off after that.

Walmart: 10% off merchandise. The Walmart employee discount excludes food, cigarettes, and sale items.

Whole Foods: A very generous 20% discount from day one of your employment. You also have the ability to get an even higher discount by living a healthy lifestyle and whether you smoke or not. No joke, check this out

Zara: Once you work for them for 1 month, you’ll be eligible for a 15% off employee discount.

Ask the Reader: Have you ever worked at any of these stores and have different information from what I posted on the specific employee discount? Let me know so I can correct the article. Thanks.

By Kyle James

A couple years ago I was quoted in an article in The New York Times talking about how consumers can negotiate the price at major retailers. No longer is this a practice left for garage sales, car lots, and local “Ma and Pa” shops. If you are a bit nervous about being turned down or looking like a cheap fool, don’t be, as the act of negotiating a better price is becoming much more mainstream as retailers enact price match policies and low price guarantees to turn show-rooming consumers into paying customers. Below are six popular retailers where you should become a price negotiating ninja today.

Home Depot

I use to work in the paint department at the Home Depot. For a little over 1 year I mixed paint and wiped excess paint on my orange apron until it looked like something straight from the Jimi Hendrix Experience. While I worked there I became quite aware of the best ways for shoppers to negotiate a deal at the Home Depot.

Here is the skinny…

Look for imperfect items.

The Home Depot is chock full of “scratch & dent” items. From appliances, to doors, to tools, to outdoor garden décor.

If you seek out these imperfect items in many cases you can successfully get a 10-15% discount.

Simply point out the flaws to an associate who works in that particular department and ask if they can help on the price.

I always start be asking for a 20% discount and see where the negotiating takes me.

As a dude who use 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.

See Also: 7 Clever Ways to Save Money at Home Depot

Personal Example: I needed two low flow toilets to help with the water conservation effort going on in California. I found the toilets I wanted at Home Depot on sale at $149 each.

The sticker price said they would each be eligible for a $100 rebate from the city. While inspecting one, I noticed the box it was in had been torn near the slot where you place your hand to pick it up.

I asked the employee helping me if he could give me a $50 discount because of the torn box. Much to my surprise, he told me to tell the person when I checkout to “REDUCE THE COST BY $50.”

I asked if he would write me a note and he said “not necessary,” just tell them a supervisor is allowing the discount.

The check out process went just as he said it would. This meant that after the rebate, the two toilets cost me $50 plus tax. After getting outside I hurried to the car and got out of there before they changed their mind.

See Also: 45+ Retailers that Offer FREE Shipping with NO Minimum

Look for items incorrectly stocked.

Now this one may be a little unethical but I had several customers pull it on me when I worked in the paint department.

I once had a guy approach me and say, “Hey, this paint brush over here says it is only $3.99 and that’s the price I want.” I walk over and sure enough a $25 Purdy paint brush had been incorrectly stocked on the shelf.

The dude was adamant that $3.99 was the price he should pay. I got the assistant manger involved and we ended up giving him the expensive brush for the really cheap price.

This technique is not for everyone, but if you have the brass nuts to pull it off I wish you the best.

Try to bundle items.

The technique of buying a riding lawn mower along with a weed eater, and asking a sales associate if there is the possibility of a discount if you buy both today, is one that you should definitely add to your Home Depot negotiating repertoire.

Chance of saving 10% or maybe $50 has a high probability of success.

Look for floor models, returns, and overstocks.

Tile, doors, appliances, mismatched paint, and power tools are just a few of the items that often get returned or special ordered by a customer and never picked up.

Store managers typically want them sold immediately so they don’t take up valuable real estate.

Use this knowledge to your advantage and negotiate an even better deal on them.

These items will typically be marked with a special tag that tells you they are floor models, returned items, or overstocks. Start the negotiating at 20% off the asking price and be prepared to meet in the middle.

Become a price match pro.

 By knowing the price match policy at Home Depot it gives you a very easy way to negotiate the price.

If you find a competing store in your area which beats the Home Depot price, you are eligible to get the product for 10% lower than the competitor’s price.

It is also worth noting that Home Depot does not currently price match online pricing.

Costco Wholesale

Despite what many retail “experts” say, your local Costco can also be a darn good place to negotiate the price. Here is what you need to know to make it happen.

Look for floor models.

Have you ever seen the last of a particular item at Costco? Nothing left but the display floor model, which still works great, comes with the same warranty, but might have a scratch or a couple wear marks on it.

Often you’ll find these in the electronics and computers section, as well as the seasonal section, which is typically in the middle of the store towards the front.

They want to get rid of these things, and while they might already be marked down, there is still room to negotiate an even better deal.

I recently received an email from a faithful reader who was successful negotiating an even lower price on a Blu-ray player at Costco which was the floor model.

The Samsung Blu-ray player was already marked down from $89.99 to $74.99 but she asked an associate if they “would take $60 as it had a few scratches on it?”

The associate quickly went and asked a floor manager and within a few minutes she was walking out of the store with a really sweet deal. Sometimes all you have to do is ask.

See Also: Does Costco Take EBT or Snap? Here’s Exactly How It Works

Always negotiate the price on tires.

Tires are usually marked way up and have plenty of wiggle room in terms of price.

If you do your homework and find a better price on a set of 4 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.

Best Buy

Before buying any electronics from Best Buy, you need to know how to negotiate in their store. Here are some insider tips to make it happen and help you save some money…

Listen to the salesperson.

Best Buy is notorious for carrying certain brands that offer bigger margins, especially on TV’s.

If the salesperson is pushing you toward a specific brand once you have tried to negotiate a better price, it is probably because that brand has larger margins giving them more room to negotiate a deal with you.

Bundle items and start negotiating.

I discovered this trick awhile back. I was buying a new Panasonic 55″ HDTV and Blu-ray 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.

See Also: Looking for Work? Know the Best Buy Employee Discount

The more expensive the item, the better your chance to negotiate.

A 32″ or 42″ TV at Best Buy typically has a much smaller profit margin than a 65″ or 75″ TV, regardless of the brand.

So you have a much better chance of negotiating a deal on a larger, more expensive, TV or laptop computer.

Look for damaged packaging.

I recently needed a new DSL router and headed to my local Best Buy.

he NetGear router that I wanted was indeed in-stock, but they only had one left on the shelf. I picked up the box with the router in it and one corner was completely smashed in. I immediately knew I had some great price negotiating ammunition.

I walked up to a nearby sales associate and explained the situation.

I told him, “I realize the router inside is probably OK, but I am taking a bit of a risk taking this thing home. Any chance you can knock off 25% and I’ll take this trashed box off your hands?”

He says he has to get a manager’s approval and within a minute he comes back and says he can give me 15% off. Easiest $20 I ever made.

Try to negotiate at the end of the month.

Sales floor managers are trying to hit sales goals at the end of the month and are much more willing to wheel and deal with you.

I’m talking about the last 2 days of the month, like the 30th or 31st.

Open box products offer great opportunity to negotiate.

This is especially true with floor model TV’s and laptops.

Every time I step into a Best Buy I can find several floor model that are marked down for a quick sale.

But guess what? They don’t always sell quickly.

So whenever you see a floor model for sale, consider it an opportunity to negotiate an even lower price. As a general rule of thumb start at 25% and let them meet you somewhere in the middle.

Price match like crazy!

The price match policy at Best Buy gets an A rating from Rather-Be-Shopping.com.

Best Buy will match the lower price of both a local competitor or a major online retailer like Amazon.com.

Doesn’t matter how small the local competitor is, they will match the price.

Always pull out your smartphone when shopping at Best Buy and see if you can find the price lower in your town or online.

If you do, use the lower price as a negotiating tool, the employee may even beat the competitor’s price if you sweet talk them and are polite.

Lowe’s Home Improvement

Another major retailer where you can become a price negotiating ninja is Lowe’s Home Improvement.

Here are some tips to make it happen.

Do not ONLY negotiate the price.

Let’s say you are buying a new lawnmower.

Instead of asking for a discount on the price, consider negotiating for complimentary products like a gasoline can, engine oil, or a new lawnmower blade.

Lowe’s is notorious for negotiating add-ons rather than a lower price.

Always negotiate major appliances.

Lowe’s has an amazing selection of appliances and are often open to negotiating the price.

Your best bet is to always do your homework before you shop and print out any instances you find of a lower price.

Bring your paperwork with you and use it as ammo to negotiate a better price.

Depending on the online retailer, Lowe’s may not always price match every online price, but you have a much better chance of negotiating a lower price than if you showed up empty handed.

See Also: Lowe’s Price Match Policy: 11 Things You Gotta Know

Look for “Scratch & Dents” and floor models.

Because of the large selection of floor models that adorn every Lowe’s warehouse, they are naturally going to have a lot of scratch and dent and floor models they need to clear out.

These are perfect fodder to work on your negotiating skills as they are very likely to lower the price to clear out the “imperfect” or not “brand new” inventory.

They often hide these in the back of the appliance section behind all of the new models.

Start by pointing out any imperfections and ask if they would take 15% off or $50, whichever is higher.

In my experience, that is a great starting point when negotiating at Lowe’s and likely to yield excellent results.

Remember, they really want to get rid of these and are quite aware many shoppers don’t want “scratch & dent” items, no matter the discount.

Do NOT forget the 10% veterans discount.

Are you an active or retired member of the U.S. armed services?

If so, Lowe’s has an awesome veteran’s discount that many shoppers are not aware of.

They will give a flat military discount of 10% to all active and retired military personnel.

For all other vets they give a discount on Veteran’s Day, 4th of July, and Memorial Day.

It is also worth noting, from the Lowe’s website, that “immediate family member(s) of someone with a valid military ID card” are also eligible for the 10% discount. Use it!

Sears

Thanks to their appliances and Craftsman tools, Sears continues to stay in business.

While many consumers think that you can’t negotiate the price in Sears I’m here to tell you that you’re completely wrong.

Here is what you need to know…

Always negotiate the price on appliances.

Start by asking if they can do anything with the price.

Sometimes they have a coupon behind the desk just waiting to hand out if a customer asks.

If they don’t have a coupon they will often direct you to appliances that are a great deal or have more wiggle room in terms of price.

Negotiate BIG on Out-of-Stock Items.

This great tip came from loyal reader Robin.

She explains it this way, “When they didn’t have a weedwhacker we wanted in stock, hubby asked the guy if there was something he could do about another one the next price up.

They wouldn’t give it to us as cheap as that, but did knock $25 off it and threw in some trimmer line.” Love it, way to go Sears!

Look for floor models.

Sears is notorious for having a section of the store that has nothing but returned appliances, tools, lawn equipment, or stuff that is on clearance for whatever reason.

These offer a great chance to negotiate a deal.

A few years ago, I was able to negotiate the price of a Craftsman lawnmower that had been returned by a lady who said it was just to heavy for her to push.

They were asking $179 and I got them down to $150 as it had a couple scratches on it and clearly had been used a few times.

Email and ask for specs on an appliance.

When you email Sears and ask them for the specs of a particular appliance they will often email you back and include a $100 off coupon.

This has happened twice to me and it’s the easiest $100 you’ll ever earn.

Guitar Center

Shopping for a new or used acoustic or electronic guitar? Or perhaps some accessories or gear?

Be sure to negotiate the price at your local Guitar Center location and save some cash in the process.

Talk to the right person.

Figure out quickly who the sales manager is and try to approach them directly.

They are the one with the most authority to lower the price so you’ll want to try and win them over.

Be polite and courteous.

This one helps at any store, but it is worth repeating here as Guitar Center has a track record of knocking money off the price if you’re courteous and friendly.

Bottom line, don’t be a jerk.

Real life example.

I have a friend who recently bought a brand new guitar from Guitar Center and just by being friendly and asking if they had any upcoming promotions in the works, the sales lady knocked $75 off the price right on the spot. Just ask!

Ask the Reader: Have you negotiated the price at any of these retailers? Or maybe you have another store where you have made it happen? Let me know, thanks.

By Kyle James

Photo credit to frankleleon.