Scenario two: Meet me halfway
S: Okay, let's bargain for the price. Let’s split the difference.
[The “split the difference” approach is akin to a staring contest: whoever blinks first (offered to split the difference), loses!]
T: [Shrugs and looks directly at the seller’s eyes].
S: So, let’s agree on 900, OK?
T: C’mon, not a bit more than 800.
S: Still, let’s split the difference, is 850 OK?
T: No, 800.
[It is assumed that the negotiations go on as follows: two prices are named, say, 1000 and 800, and after that they converge somewhere in the middle by 900, and close the deal. But this is how fools do it. When you come across a smart opponent, he looks at you naively and stands his ground.]
S: Maybe, 825?
T: 800.
S: 812?
T: Well, so be it, 805.
[Note: he seemed to go easy on you at the end. Or maybe not at all. 800, and that’s it. Why? Because he behaves like a reluctant buyer. It is as if going easy on you by agreeing to buy your product. But he is a predator. He is not a good, soft kitten, he is a predator. His task is to take as much as possible from you.]
Scenario three: Funny money
[This is an attempt to deceive the buyer. Of course, only novices and fools are buying it. Experienced and smart ones can count. The essence of deception is as follows: the real amount of money is split into small parts, and then these small parts are “compared” with something insignificant. It turns out that the buyer is arguing about something immaterial. But when he agrees, he pays real money.
Can such a technique be applied to the seller? Yes, it can! as we’ll see in this scenario.]
S: See, 1000 is the most reasonable price for such a product!
T: But I think that its right price is 800.
S: No, it’s too small!
T: Look, the difference is only 0.2 apiece. It’s unreasonable to bargain for such a trifle! This is even less than a bus ticket! Why are we arguing about such nonsense? Agree with me, and I’ll guarantee you huge orders! You no longer need to sell anything to anyone else. I can buy everything that you have, and will have, if the goods go with me. And it will definitely go at such a price! Deal?
S: But this is not serious!
T: You will spend more money on trips and sales than you now cede to me. And then you don’t need to sell anymore! Don’t you dare argue!
S: Well then, we agree ...
[This, of course, is a simplified scenario, just to demonstrate the point. The attempt to bargain turned into a frank, impudent manipulation and a resulted in a huge concession. Concession for what? For an empty promise of buyer, “I will buy all your goods from you.”]
Scenario One | 13 Dialogues on Win-Win Sales | What does “traditional-style bargaining” mean?