'The haggle' may be dying, but it's not dead yet

摘要

Should the first deal be the real deal? It's a question that sprang to mind recently after a piece of research by Auto Trader found that of 5,000 car buyers, 56% had paid the asking price. Furthermore, Ford's latest marketing campaign urges consumers to 'unlearn' what they already know or perceive about car ownership, including the need to bargain hard over the screen price. One key driver for the decrease in haggling must be the rise of personal contract purchase (PCP) and personal contract hire (PCH). These can both turn a £12,000 purchase into a headline monthly payment that is much easier to accept at face value. Trying to knock £12 off the monthly payment surely isn't as exciting as negotiating an extra £400 off that screen price. As certain car manufacturers are keen to point out, a new car can now be as easy on the pay packet as a mobile phone contract.