Negotiating a lower price at the Rack or Last Call?

[NH_Clark]

Any of you "professional" shoppers or B&S gurus have luck negotiating a price lower on a clearance item at the Nordstrom Rack or Neiman Last Call? I've got my eye on a very nice pin-stripe HF but the price is a tad too much for what i want to spend.

IF you've had luck or good at that sort of thing.. any advice?

 

[intent]

Try and spot a defect, and ask for a discount?

Buy it now, and ask for a price adjustment when there's a new coupon or a price drop?

Suck it up, and acknowledge that you're already saving money and unlike some of us, you found something that you like and fits well in a discount store?

 

[ThinkDerm]

The rack HATES doing discounts on their stuff on the floor. Their policy I've found is - if it's defective, we wont sell it. PERIOD.

 

[Mr T]

A couple of suggestions:

- If the store is at an outlet mall you can sometimes get discount coupons if you sign up for their frequent shopper club at the mall's central office. Might be able to get an additional 10-20%

- If your state has sales tax we are getting very close to back to school season and many states will have a sales tax holiday - not to mention sales

- Ask to speak to a manager. I had success once at Last Call getting them to increase the amount of markdown (those colored dot tags) but I had been watching the item (John Lobb Briefcase) for months and I think the manager knew that if he didn't sell it to me it would be in the store for a long time (or until another SF'r noticed it...)

 

[ThinkDerm]

Originally Posted by Mr T

A couple of suggestions:

- If the store is at an outlet mall you can sometimes get discount coupons if you sign up for their frequent shopper club at the mall's central office. Might be able to get an additional 10-20%

- If your state has sales tax we are getting very close to back to school season and many states will have a sales tax holiday - not to mention sales

- Ask to speak to a manager. I had success once at Last Call getting them to increase the amount of markdown (those colored dot tags) but I had been watching the item (John Lobb Briefcase) for months and I think the manager knew that if he didn't sell it to me it would be in the store for a long time (or until another SF'r noticed it...)

show the lobb briefcase. is it the chapel style bc?

how much did you get it for?

 

[Mr T]

http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...ight=briefcase The case was originally at NMLC for $1543. I got it for 50% off of that plus another 20% during a store wide sale. So, $617 + tax.

 

[furo]

The Texas sales tax holiday is August 21-23 for 2009

 

[stylesmurf]

Some stores will give a small discount (5-10%) on an imperfection.
Some stores won't and will claim to take the item and send it back to the company (where it will probably end up at some factory store)

 

[ppllzz]

never had any luck at nmlc even with imperfections, nor at the polo outlet

 

[stylesmurf]

Originally Posted by andyliu52

never had any luck at nmlc even with imperfections, nor at the polo outlet

I got a discount on a pair of RLBL pants once at the Polo outlet. Forgot how much it was... I think like 10-20% because of a slight imperfection. Guess it depends on the particular outlet (?)

 

[CYstyle]

Nordstrom/Nordstrom Rack doesn't give discounts for imperfections etc, company policy.

 

[harburn]

Regret to inform you, there is little chance you will be able to negotiate a lower price. If it does not sell, they will discount again over time.

 

[NH_Clark]

so, sounds like if I want the suit cheaper (at the Rack) I'm just going to have to keep an eye on it and hope that it 1. doesn't sell, and 2. doesn't get sent back, so at some point it "might" get discounted more.

 

[ppllzz]

was it the linen ones that were black with stripes? those were selling for like $2-3 at my outlet lol.

Originally Posted by stylesmurf

I got a discount on a pair of RLBL pants once at the Polo outlet. Forgot how much it was... I think like 10-20% because of a slight imperfection. Guess it depends on the particular outlet (?)

 

[dsgNYC]

Years ago, a friend of mine used to get her clothing discounted at NMLC by pointing out imperfections and showing them to the manager, but I'm not sure if they have a strict policy now. I tried to get a discount on a peacoat at Century 21 that was missing every single button (on the front of the jacket and the sleeves) and the manager told me they don't discount for missing buttons, and I'd assume this applies to any imperfection. Doesn't hurt to try, though.