I'm sure there are exceptions to this but I have this grating irritation with car salesmen. Actually, I have a grating irritation with salesmen in general but, in particular, an irritation with car salesman. Perhaps it's the fact that the tend to treat you like you're an idiot. Perhaps it's the fact that they're trying to rush you into a decision that will likely last you at least five years. Having been in sales, I've been to the puppet show and I've seen the strings. Here are some observations, suggestions, and random rants on sales people (again, a generalization because there are nice ones)....
Do NOT buy on the spot if you can help it. This is something that sales people are inclined to push you to do for a number of reasons. If you don't have time to think about it, you can't rationalize it. They're playing on your emotions and on your inability to rationalize. If it makes you feel better, tell them up front that you aren't planning on buying that day. Give yourself time to think over the decision.
Do NOT buy into their guilt trips. They will give you a million lines about how hard they're "working for you." The fact is that they ARE working for you but that they are also working for their commission and their job is to get you out the door spending as much money as possible for as much profit as possible. In short, they are not out to protect your interests. They are out to make money. You can't blame them for doing their job but you can turn off your emotion and not let them give you a guilt trip. Don't let them tell you what's safer for your family, money savings, or how they've been doing this all day and they're so tired.
Don't let them pressure you with signing things You are under no obligation whatsoever to sign anything, particularly at a dealership. They will pressure you like crazy to sign on the spot because that is their job....profit, profit, profit. With that being said, your job is to protect your interests.
The "assumed sale" If you aren't familiar, this is a method of speaking to a customer as if you've already sold them the product. It is a very common sales method and one that is frequently used on customers that seem naieve enough to buy it. If a sales person starts talking to you like you've already bought the car (or whatever you're buying), feel free to walk away.
Chum in the water. Go to a dealership and watch the sales people rush to you like chum in shark water. They will cut off each other's arms and step on each other to get the sale. Again, you can't blame them on a personal level..it's their job. With that being said, you are NOT chum...you are important and your budget is important too.
Rationalization of the bad stuff This is my favorite...well it's my pet peeve. I loathe when sales people attempt to rationalize the bad points. I am fine with pointing out the positives to outweigh the negatives but don't rationalize the bad stuff when you sell me something. I'm not a moron.
DON'T let them play on your inexperience...research Do NOT feel bad about telling them that you need a minute, or a day....or a week to make a decision. Do your research before and during the process, especially when buying a car. This is a matter of apples and oranges. If you go in looking for an apple and they sell you an orange, it may still be fruit but it's not what you wanted and you WILL regret it.
Call them out on THEIR bull crap I am not huge on sales people pretending to know what they're talking about and talking down to me. Call them out on their crap when they attempt to tell you what you "don't know."
I close simply by saying that the reason that I freelance instead of working at a studio is a combination of all of these above. I can't stand the "buy on the spot" crap or hiding the prices on things. I hate hiking up prices because I need money. While I respect that people have a job to do, I expect the same respect on the fact that I have got a budget. Pushy crap does NOT sell anything to me. I'm a hard sale...but worth it in the end.
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