1.) The “Bargain Hunter” Type:
This is the person that waits until the last day of ComicCon to make his purchases so that he can get everything he wants at deep discounts.
The Issue:
A vendor really does have it rough. They buy a booth, show up at ungodly hours to set up, hope they sell enough to make the event worthwhile, and then pack up and drag what’s left home. So, on the last day many vendors will deeply discount prices so that they can make a little money and not have to pack so much for their trip home. So, bargain minded fans wait until that moment to buy.
The Bigger Issue:
In order for a vendor to come to a ComicCon it has to be worth their while. The fact is, like any business they are there to make a profit. Deeply discounting things may lighten the load on the way home, but it also reduces profits. In order to maximize their income vendors will skip certain events if they have no history of making money there. This can hurt the buyer in the long run.
2.) The “Haggler” Type:
This is the person who feels that the price tags are just for decoration and have absolutely NOTHING to do with what they have to pay. So, instead of offering to pay full price they start every sentence with “Will you take______ for these?”.
The Issue:
Although I have seen this rise to ridiculous levels, this is how our current system of exchange started many moons ago. Nothing had a price tag and everything was negotiable. The fact is, however, we have evolved since then. We now have a system of currency for the exchange of goods.
The Bigger Issue:
Haggling has caused an issue on both sides of the table. As much as a buyer will offer a lower price, I hear many vendors, when seeing someone looking at the price tags, say, “I can do better than that.” There are also those vendors who prepare for negotiation by raising prices so they can “haggle down” to a reasonable price. The fact remains that people are there to make money and they won’t come back if they don’t. So, although haggling can be good, it can also cause a landslide effect that is bad for everyone.
3.) The “Thinker” Type:
This is the person who says that they will “think about it” and never do. They are either too uncomfortable telling the vendor that they don’t feel good about the deal OR they just forget about it while walking around.
The Issue:
I haven’t seen any studies on it, but I would venture to say that 9 out of 10 people who say they are going to “think about it” don’t actually think about it. There aren’t enough pages to speculate why a person can't just say, “I think I’ll pass” so I won’t even guess. Needless to say, the words, “I’ll think about it” translate into “a lost sale” to most vendors.
The Bigger Issue:
It’s only polite to let someone know that you’re not interested or won’t do something. For instance, how would it be if you took your car to a garage, and asked what it would take to fix your car and how much it would cost, and the mechanic said, “I’ll think about it”. How about if you proposed and your significant other said, “I’ll think about it”. You may argue that it isn’t the same because the car being fixed and proposal are more serious matters that require answers. Hogwash. The vendor’s livelihood is in what you are looking to buy. If they offer you a deal they are trying to put food in their mouths without losing their shirts. It’s a serious matter to them. If enough people turn a deal down it may even force a vendor to change the price on a book and everyone wins. They make a sale and the buyer gets a good deal. Isn’t that worth the occasional, “I think I’ll pass?"
It’s actually funny. After the first of these two blogs I got feedback that there were Vendor “Types” that I missed. I also fully expect that there are Buyer “Types” that I missed...alas, those are for another day.
Suffice it to say that for every “I’ll think about it” or “Haggler” or “Bargain Hunter” there are those who will just be thrilled they found what they were looking for and pay the asking price.
I’d still like to see a study on all of this...
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