We’ve all had to deal with this type of customer. You know the one I’m talking about…the “bargainer”, the one who fancies themselves a professional negotiator. I had one today. Let me share my experience so that we may all learn something from it.

The Setup

Let me set the scene. I’m vending at an artisan marketplace. It’s on the street, it’s outdoors, there is fine art, fine crafts, and a wonderful selection of jewelry up and down the street in all of the booths. There aren’t any rusty things; no tables of knick-knacks, and definitely no signs that say “flea market”, “make me an offer”, or anything else you find at a flea market. There’s nothing wrong with flea markets, I love ’em, but I don’t sell my work at them, and this event, which has been going on for years, has never been one.

The Pitch

The customer in question walks into the booth, looking around. She picks up the big item she likes, asks the price, and then puts it down upon hearing it. That’s not new, that happens at every market. She’s torn, she really wants it, I can tell. She walks away and looks back at it once or twice before she’s two booths away.

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The Game

About twenty minutes later, she returned, happy to see her chosen item is still available. She picks it up, and asks, “are you into negotiating the price of this panel?” I explain that I don’t discount single item purchases–I’m tempted because I’m very close to my sales goal for the day and this would probably get me there, but I resist–but, if she happens to find something else, I offer discounts on multiple-item purchases. She’s not happy. If this were poker, she’d be broke. Not because she’s unhappy and I can tell, but because by now, it’s absolutely clear that she’s playing a game…poorly. She asks how much the total would be if she added two other panels she’s pointing at, to which I reply, “$50 with the discount instead of $60”

Checkmate

“Oh no, she says, I’m not paying that amount for these,” and she puts the panel down, but doesn’t walk away. She’s waiting for me to panic and drop my price further. I know this because she’s no longer looking at the artwork. She’s looking at me. She’s trying to read my facial cues. She’s playing a game…poorly.

“Well, that’s almost a 20% discount. If you want a better one, you should just make it yourself or go to a flea market.” I’m not proud of speaking like that to someone, but it was a very, very hot day today and I just didn’t have the patience for that nonsense. She walked away, not in a huff, but defeated because she was playing a game and lost.

The End

Look, not everyone can afford all the artwork they love. If that were the case, I’d have statues by Bernini and at least one coastal painting by Jack Saylor in my home. I’m not out there selling my work to be brow-beaten about my prices. It’s my job, it’s not a game to me, and it shouldn’t be to anyone else doing this. People who try to play this game with me will always lose because they never seem to realize that I’m not playing that game at all. If you want to drop your prices at the first sign of sticker shock or because someone mistakes the venue for a flea market, that’s totally your call. Just realize that what you’re doing is devaluing your work overall. You’re also making it tougher for everyone trying to earn a living around you, too.

Lesson: Know your worth. Trust what you know about it. Make an informed decision on pricing.