The Art of Negotiation

I'm not sure if the Art of Negotiation has any tips it could share, but I sure would appreciate some, because I have found the 3 ft x 7 ft mirror of my dreams, and I really don't want to pay $395.00 for it.  I am slightly uncomfortable wheeling and dealing, but I am even more uncomfortable paying full sticker price. 

So, I gave myself a pep talk and made the call to the store that is located 60 miles from my home.  I got a lady by the name of Dena on the phone, and presented my most pleasant negotiating tactic.  Of course, I wasn't pushy.  I simply asked if there was room for negotiation on the mirror.  She said she would check with the vendor and get back with me.  She soon called me back and told me the best discount the vendor would offer is 10%.  I told her I would think about it and get back with her. 

Well, in my mind, 10% wasn't much of a discount, and I was going to have a difficult time getting the mirror home if I did buy it, because I don't have a trailer or a truck.  So, I wondered if I could negotiate delivery of the mirror, if I couldn't get a better discount.

I called Dena back and asked her if I did buy the mirror, would it be possible that they deliver it to me on their next trip through my town, if they in fact ever travel through my town, as I have no easy way to get the mirror from there to here.  She said yes, and that she would be through my town in two days time on her way elsewhere.  I thanked her, and told her I would call her back tomorrow, and let her know for certain if I want to purchase the mirror.

I am proud that I at least negotiated a better solution to my transportation problem.  But, I still squirm a bit at the price.  I think the mirror is worth decent money, but I have no way of knowing its "real value," because I have no other means of comparison.  So, I guess I have to figure out if the mirror is worth the money to me.

Do you have any negotiating tips or a story that you would be willing to share?

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While we are on the subject of mirrors, and it is the Halloween month, I am reminded of how I sometimes oh so slightly freak myself out in the middle of the night when I wake up and go to the bathroom.  My house is mostly dark at that time of night, with the only light coming from the moon and a slight glow from the porch light that makes its way into the hallway which I have to navigate on the way to the bathroom.  Just before I turn the corner to the bathroom, a recurring thought sometimes pops in my head .... "don't look in the mirror, don't look in the mirror, don't look in the mirror."  I have no reason to think such a thing, but when I have this thought, I steadfastly avoid looking in the bathroom mirror while I am in the bathroom.  Better safe than sorry!  Right?

The 7 foot tall, 3 foot wide mirror that I want to buy is for the very spot in the hallway which I have to pass in order to reach the bathroom.  Geez ... that means I will have two mirrors to avoid looking into when it's dark, and the new (old) one is going to be bigger than ME. 

After trying to think of some small spook to put into this non spooky post, I remembered my creepy aversion to looking into mirrors at night, and wondered WHY?   I thought that perhaps my aversion goes back to one of those childhood nursery rhymes or a Grimms Fairy Tale, that were used to "entertain" children.  I finally became curious enough to do a little research and found the story of "Bloody Mary."  Do you remember her?  If not, watch this short video.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=33155787

Soooooo, ole scary Mary is the reason I have this lingering aversion to looking in mirrors in the dark.  My inner child is worried that we may conjure up some vision which she would rather we not see!  If my inner child had had me as an inner adult, I would have insisted that she stay away from all those spooky stories, which she loved to fear.

Did your inner child leave you freaking your adult self out in the middle of the night?

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