(Another Taobao scoop online) Taobao ID: Wushi Girl, Online Store Name: LADYBOBO, Time of opening the store: More than 3 months, Current level: 2 diamonds. After browsing forums a lot, I have found that all of us sellers face a common phenomenon: when dealing with buyers' haggling, we have mixed feelings about it. We are glad that someone is interested and there is a chance to make a deal, but we worry that in the end the buyer will reject our price and "fall for another seller", making our efforts wasted. Not only do we lose the sale, but we also end up exhausted, truly losing both money and reputation, resulting in a lose-lose situation.
The bargaining between buyers and sellers is something that can never be avoided. Buyers want to bargain when purchasing goods, and this is a normal thing. Some shopkeepers might say that our profit margins are already very thin, and we aren't making much money. If buyers still bargain, we won't make any profit at all. Sometimes, the prices they offer are even lower than our cost price, making it impossible to conduct business. Of course, I understand the sellers' feelings because I am also a seller, and I have encountered such situations frequently, which often lead to lost sales. Therefore, as sellers, we should try every means to avoid such situations. Here are some ways to approach the problem:
1. Take the initiative. When customers enter your store, let them know beforehand that you don’t negotiate prices. There are many ways to achieve this. You can post notices on the bulletin board or leave messages in the comment section, but remember one important point: the tone must not be too rigid. Especially for new sellers, credibility is usually not high. We cannot act like some powerful diamond-level sellers who simply write "No Bargaining" or "Those who want to bargain please walk away." This kind of message makes people uncomfortable and may cause resistance. Instead, we should use a more gentle tone. For example: "Warm Reminder: The store has just opened, all products are sold at cost price, with very low profit margins. Please do not bargain. Thank you for your understanding, and wish you a pleasant shopping experience!" A prerequisite for using this method is that your product quality must be solid, and the price must indeed be reasonable. Otherwise, it might drive customers away.
2. Promotions in the store are actually an excellent way to avoid haggling. Many shops conduct various promotional activities. When a buyer decides to purchase your product but hesitates over the price, you can bring out your discount promotions to satisfy their desire to get a good deal. For example, my jewelry offers "buy two, get one free." Would the buyer still bargain? Any reasonable person would see that I'm not making a profit, but I've avoided a verbal battle with the customer. The customer is happy with the purchase, and everyone benefits.
3. Highlight product advantages, offering value beyond what's expected to win the buyer’s approval. This method is particularly effective for sellers of niche products. Because these products are unique and not widely available, as long as the price isn't excessively high, it's relatively easy to secure a deal. For other more common products where competition is fierce, we can win over customers by emphasizing other aspects. For instance, my jewelry—there are so many sellers on Taobao offering similar items, especially silver jewelry. How do I stand out? It's through the fine craftsmanship and superior quality of my products that I gain the trust of buyers.
4. Cleverly answer buyers' questions during the haggling process. Generally, buyers who bargain are serious about making a purchase. Their inquiries aim to understand how far off their acceptable price is from yours. Of course, there are cases where the buyer is indifferent and merely uses the inquiry to gauge market pricing, known as "probing". So, during the negotiation, you need to determine if the person is genuinely interested or just casually asking, preparing accordingly for further negotiations. For example:
A represents the buyer, B represents the seller
A: xxxxxxx, Is this bracelet still available? What's the lowest price?
(Usually, people directly send a link and ask about the price)
B: Let me check which one...
B: Yes, we have stock. Your eye is really good; this bracelet is very popular among ladies. (Here, you immediately shift the conversation away from price to probe whether the buyer is serious and what price they might accept.) We also have similar ones that are quite trendy. Compare them and see which one you prefer?
A: No need to compare, I like this one. What's the lowest price?
(Now you can conclude that the lady is serious about buying, and it's time to discuss the price.)
B: Oh, you’ve compared, right? As you can see, the price of all bracelets is pretty similar. I haven't set an excessively high price, with only a few dollars in profit. Since you like this one so much, why don't you make an offer?
In summary, when facing buyers' haggling, we can flexibly handle it under the principle of "not losing capital, not losing the market, not losing customers." Just ensure that the buyer doesn't haggle down to a "blood price" or "fire sale price," causing harm to ourselves. Additionally, once the price is agreed upon after intense negotiations, it is crucial to have the buyer place the order and pay immediately, giving no room for second thoughts or changes.
In the past few days, as I've been training customer service representatives, I have summarized some techniques and would like to share them with everyone. If you need a document version, feel free to reply in the comments.
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