Let's Make A Deal

摘要

The Baccarat chandeliers and gleaming marble floors of New York's Plaza Hotel would appear to have little in common with the cramped stalls of a Yemeni market. But in both, bargaining can lead to a better deal. The bad economy has made the Plaza more flexible, and if the price of a room sounds steep, would-be guests can negotiate it down. The hotel may even throw in free cocktails to sweeten the deal.rnThe hotel business is reeling as firms and families cut their travel budgets. But it is not the only industry that has become more willing to grant discounts to confident hagglers. Clothes and electronics shops have become particularly eager to move their merchandise, and consumers, aware of their desperation, have grown bolder. According to America's Research Group, a market-research firm, 72% of American consumers have haggled in the past four months, compared with 56% a year earlier. Britt Beemer, the firm's chief executive, estimates that they are successful 80% of the time.