I didn't used to like haggling either. It wasn't until I looked back at all the money those guys took me for when I didn't know any better that gave me the incentive to go in there and put my game face on. You see I used to always think those guys were in there to help me make the best decisions for my HT... HA!!!
So no I don't go in there any longer with an open mind and then open my wallet to whatever they tell me I need. "Yeah but those guys down there are just trying to put food on the table for their families"... yeah I know the schpeil. But I don't like it when I'm lied to so that they can feed their families. Making an honest buck is one thing, fraud is another. I feel like I was bilked out of a lot of hard earned cash because I fell for the snake oil pitch. No I didn't go in there years ago wanting to buy a $350 dollar Monster Cable power conditioner/surge protector, the guy at the store told me I'd be a fool to purchase that 65 inch Toshiba rear projection television without having it hooked up to one! Preying on the ignorance of your customers isn't cool. Therefore I've lost my sympathy for those who greet you at the front door at the big box stores. Now that I see through their game, I have no problem throwing my best back at them.
"But what if everybody did that, pretty soon those places would go out of business"... not a chance. I'd estimate a good 85% of the people who purchase from a big box store don't pay a penny less than the sticker on the product told them to pay. It's just not in our culture to haggle, well except for places like a car lot. So I'm not afraid I'm bringing down an entire way of doing business by going in getting a screen at rock bottom prices every ten years or so. If they go out of business, it won't be bacause of me.
My only other option is to buy it off of the internet, which hurts them even more. So at least I'm throwing them a LITTLE something.
