An artful and delicate combination of charm, wit, subtle guile, cunning, and candor, the ability to expertly wheel-and-deal is often thought to be an innate attribute reserved for closers with no need for the Glengarry leads.
While there certainly is truth to the notion that the art of negotiation is congenital, the advent of eCommerce and the online shopping market has helped to level the playing field. Now, more than ever, consumers are empowered by the nearly endless amount of tools and resources they have at their disposal.
Think of it this way: That cute bartender at your local watering hole may give you a free drink every now and then because you’ve developed a good rapport together, they know that they can count on a solid tip when it comes time to settle your tab, and the bartender wants to give you a reason to come back the next time you need a place to wet your whistle and gripe about your 9:00 to 5:00. Conversely, that same bartender is far less likely to dish out a free drink to a first-time patron with whom they have no prior relationship or experience.
So, the more you’re able to establish yourself as a valued customer, the better and more rewarding your experience will be when it comes time to put these tactics into practice.
What can you, the consumer, do to bolster and utilize such leverage? Let’s find out.
1. Abandon Your Shopping Cart
Have you ever gone so far as to load up an online shopping cart, gone through almost the entire checkout process, only to decided you either didn’t want to or couldn’t afford to finalize your purchase? Have you ever received an email the next day or two saying something to the effect of, “Oops! You forgot to finish your checkout with us! Here’s a coupon code for free shipping on your order!”?
If so, you’ve experienced a shopping cart abandonment program - the modern retailer’s digital answer to the age-old walk-out negotiation tactic - in action.
According to the Baymard Institute, an average of 67.75% of all online shopping carts are abandoned before the customer completes their purchase. This means that retailers are missing out on a ton of potential sales and are now making more of an effort to entice you into following through on a purchase.
Candace Massari, one of our editors at Brad’s Deals and someone who regularly wheels and deals in this realm, had this to say about her experience with shopping cart abandonment programs:
The majority of [retailers] didn’t give me a special coupon, but had a humorous image (Starbucks was the most entertaining, showing a guy leaving his coffee mug on the top of his car) and showed my cart, along with other items I might be interested in. Also, I thought [readers] might be interested to know that some merchants send “Oops!” or “We’re sorry!” emails with special discount codes. I think, in most cases, they’re not apologizing for anything that has actually happened. I feel that there’s some data or a belief floating around that if you apologize to someone and give them [an incentive to return], they respond to it. So, “Oops, sorry! Here’s 25% off!” does better than just, “Here’s 25% off.”
So, while abandoning your shopping cart never guarantees that you’ll receive an offer for free shipping, an item-specific discount, or a percent-off coupon code, it can be a very effective way to get a retailer’s attention and see how willing they are to get you back.
2. Negotiate In 140 Characters Or Less
For almost any brand, the consumer’s ability to become an advocate for them is far more valuable than nearly any dollar amount you can run up in a shopping cart. If retailers can give you a positive experience that you can then relay to family, friends, followers, or even random internet users and readers, they’re able to build a better, stronger, and more constructive brand image.
Social media, while still a relatively new and ever-evolving customer service platform, is a great way for consumers to interact with and get the most out of a business’ customer service. According to a study from social media analytics firm Simply Measured, 32% of top brands now have Twitter accounts dedicated solely to customer service.
Brands are listening to their customers. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by simply expressing an opinion, asking questions, detailing a positive or poor experience, or even giving a brand a goofy shout-out via Twitter or Facebook.
@NikeSupport, @Zappos_Service, @XboxSupport, @UPSHelp, @WarbyParkerHelp, @comcastcares, @SamsungSupport, @AskAmex, @AskeBay, and @MicrosoftHelps are all Twitter accounts that do an excellent job of regularly interacting with and aiding customers that reach out to them. Taco Bell even has a separate Twitter account, @TacoBellTruck, that’ll tell you when and where they’ll be handing out free Taco Bell tacos!
Tip: When communicating with any brand on Twitter, be sure to place a period (.) before the at sign (@). That way it becomes a public @ mention visible to all of your followers, placing a greater impetus upon the brand’s social media coordinator to acknowledge and answer you. Example tweet: .@bradsdeals You guys are the best!! Keep up the awesome work!
3. Use Online Review Sites To Gain A Merchant’s Attention
Much in the same way that abandoning a shopping cart or Tweeting at a retailer are ways to engage and interact with a brand, contributing to online review sites is another means of demanding a response from a merchant.
Unhappy with the quality of the food you ordered at a restaurant? Have an excellent experience with a customer service rep? Let them, and anyone else who might be looking for information about a business, know. You can use sites like Yelp, Merchant Circle, Angie’s List, Insider Pages, and Citysearch to disseminate your opinion and feedback to the masses through the magic of the Internet.
Again, the consumer’s perception of a brand is very important to any business but this – and any other negotiation tactics – should never be used by consumers as a means of extorting a business, as has been the case in the past with some Yelp users have threatened to post poor reviews of businesses unless they were otherwise compensated. It’s simply poor form and gives brands little incentive to want to do business with you in the future.
Know something we don’t? Have an experience with or opinion about online shopping negotiation you’d like to share?
If you come across any other retailers that utilize shopping cart abandonment programs – or any other marketing methods used to retain customers – let us know in the comments section below. We always love to hear about and learn from your experiences!
About the Author: Connor J. Laughlin
Connor is an amateur food critic (read: he eats and has opinions), self-proclaimed film-buff, & expects to be starting in the NBA or selected to the USMNT's starting XI by the time he's 45 years old. He enjoys fine wine (when told it's fine), international travel, & is passionate about reading, writing, & the Oxford comma. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorlaughlin.