As a consumer, if I feel the perceived value isn't there, I may ask once. If I think the value is fair to me, I'm not going to hassle a man, particularly over $50-100.

Some guys overprice on purpose because they know a lot of people will try to get a discount. Those same guys might get a boat full of rich dudes that pay full price and tip 50%, and therefore can book an outing at a 10-20% discount for another party that asks. Two happy customers that way.

Just about everything is negotiable. Ridiculous to think otherwise. But, the fact that you negotiate, or attempt to do so, does not necessarily mean a change in price. And sometimes it just seem silly to negotiate or attempt to change a price. I don’t negotiate over a loaf of bread. I will negotiate over a truck.

Most services and many goods are negotiable. I have a BS bill from one of many doctors that my son saw for his broken hand a couple months ago. Sometime this week, I'm going to call that office and attempt to get the charge reduced. I live in a nice neighborhood. I am positive that contractors quote higher prices than they would in some other neighborhoods. They almost always will come off of their initial quote or I will get multiple quotes.

I'll query about the price early on just to gauge if any negotiability or not...If not, I may bail / maybe not. I can understand the frustration after several dialogues about booking, pricing, particulars on your part to come back to hard price negotiations or low balling..

It's like drugs. Just say no.

I have a good friend that has a game ranch & sells a few package hunts every year. His main goal is to offload some of his feed bill costs. He has determined that people asking for discounts is just part of the business. He networks with other ranchers in the area & he determined its pretty much the way the hunting business works. I understand your rant, but its a common issue. As others have said, politely state pricing is firm & non-negotiable. Accept that you are still going to have to deal with it & just say no.

The only time I've asked for a price break on hunts is if I take additional animals. Knocking a hundred or two off the published price of additional animals is often enough to make the difference.

I work for the airlines and even the internet is a good haggler. You see a price and nobody says "yep I will pay that." They go looking for a cheaper seat.

Funny, once I was on a flight flying standby when the 2 guys next to me starting asking each other what they paid for their seats. One guy paid $50 bucks more for the aisle.

I didn't have the heart to tell 'em I was flying for free

I’m not a good negotiator or haggler and I know it. I own a couple of nice rent houses. I tell the prospective tenant what the price and damage deposit is and that the deposit cannot be converted or utilized as rent. I discuss late fees and show them a copy of the lease. I discuss their responsibilities and mine. I also tell them that it is a legal document and not subject to negotiation.

If they call back and try to negotiate, I thank them for calling.

What I think something is worth and what you think something is worth may be different. I won’t deal with anyone that won’t negotiate. All you have to do do is say no. If you don’t like it get into another business where you don’t have to deal with customers. Maybe you should have been a forest ranger or game warden?
I think the best thing to do is stop whining.

I was an outfitter for 6 years. I think we took over 1500 people during that time frame. The only time anyone ever asked for a discount was when they brought a lot of people for multiple days and I usually obliged. Bring 15 people and hunt three days sure I will cut you a break. Bring 3 guys and hunt one day? The price is what it is.

I would come up with sort of official policy and publish it with your rates. Something like hunts cost this much. If you have more than x man days then ask about out volume discount. By man days I mean 10 guys for 2 days or 5 guys for 4 days are both 20 man days. We usually started discounts at 20 man days.

Most, not all the tire kickers that are wanting a discount, shouldn't even be hunting. They need a second job and one check away from being behind on a more serious payment.

I don't do business with those folks....well maybe I should . Dumb needs to stay dumb so the smart can keep getting richer

Maybe being a tire kicker and haggling helped me retire at age 49. The dumb ones are still working.

The way I look at it is it never hurts to ask or try to negotiate. I go into it knowing the worst thing a person can say is "no or no thank you". You can't get a better price if you don't ask. Good luck...YMMV.

Went to brunch this morning. Asked for Mil/senior discount. 50% or none. Never heard of that before. Next time, full price for me. And the food was good/ plentiful and reasonable $.

To the OP. Do you negotiate when you purchase goods and services? You pay the sticker on a car? Asking price to an Individual selling a used car? Discount tire's quoted price? Face to face gun purchase? Mechanic? A/C guy? Most people do discuss price.

Wait, can you negotiate at Discount Tire?

Interesting that you would feel this way!!!

I guess you pay the sticker price on all your cars and I bet you offer more than asking on any house you purchased.

Prices are not developed with any science and as you said you are competitive so it's not a science but whatever the other guy charges That's what you charge or near it!!!

Having set prices on many products the only thing that's real is cost however profit is variable and that's what intelligent buyers try to minimize

I think this Thread is more about hunting than negotiating.

Unfortunately, hunting has become "pretty much" a rich man's sport. Package hunts starting around $3000 for a cull hunt. Lease prices keep going up or the landowner sells the ranch to a developer.

The "average" man with a son/daughter or two, lease price, countless trips to the lease trying to figure out where to put up a stand, feeder, couple game cams. corn, Big n J, etc. Processing, taxidermy. GAS, wear and tear on your vehicle, hoping to at least see a deer. I could go on and on.

Buy a shotgun and want to learn how to shoot and actually hit something, lessons are outragedly expensive. Gunsite, Thunder Ranch, these "training" sites are everywhere, everyone who shoots is an instructor. I wish more people would take a lesson or two at least learn the basics of how your gun works.

Crap, now I'm ranting. It takes a lot of money to hunt trophy game, Whitetail, Axis, Mule Deer, Exotics.

oh well.

I have a great long term hunting buddy that I had to part hunting ways with. He spends $1000’s on guided hunts every year. But, he thinks he should never have to pay full price for anything. It is sport to him. Reminded me of this: “Bad, bad says the buyer. But, when he goes his way, then he boasts.” Proverbs 20:14

Honestly, he embarrassed me one time too many with his penny-pinching bargaining. I am a soon to be retired career Blue Collar man. I believe in respecting fellow blue collar men. I could never cheat them.

I guess it could have been .0000009 % of your plan, but I'm betting your major other decisions let you retire at that age. Good for you btw.

A lot of you are bringing up cars, houses and other big buys. I agree with Buzzsaw this is about hunting services. I'm not going to jew a guide down on a $300, $400 or $500 day hunt or whatever his/her price is. I have to much respect for people. If I don't like the dam price I'll go search elsewhere. I get asked for discounts all the time on full metal roof jobs....they are expensive. But small repair or some other type of small job, my price is my price and its not negotiable. Got hire a shingle roofer to do your metal roof repair. (not speaking to you ntxtrapper, just talking general here)

Like she says sometimes....size matters I guess

I finally got around to calling the doctor about that bill today. Took only a few minutes and they reduced the bill from $1280 down to $830. Well worth my time.

Look around everything is bought or sold, negotiate for it. I've been told NO my whole life you have to ask.

Sold hunts for 20 years. Only one time I had anyone ask for a discount. And it was after a family of three had three trophy bucks shot, dressed and loaded in the truck. Turns out they only budgeted for two. Made for an awkward conversation and I had to point out we had a signed contract at a set price per buck due upon request. I got the full payment out of them, but not without a lot of bitching and moaning. They never got an invite to hunt again. Side note…. They should have been thrilled and thankful for what they paid. One of the bucks ended up being the best mule deer ever taken on our ranch.

I've never asked for a discount on a guided hunt. I have sent a request for a price on a package hunt for a list of animals and the outfitters usually discounts the advertised trophy fees that may be for 5-10 animals but I've never asked them for a discount just a price on a package for a specific list of animals. Most US hunts are for 1 or 2 animals and is usually the cost of 5 or 6 animals in Africa. If I feel the price is fair I pay asking price if not I find another outfitter. Getting a discount when you ask to hunt multiple species seems fair when its just 1 the price is posted if I don't want to pay it I don't.

Doctors....thats a whole nother story! If its just primary normal office visit nah just pay the co pay $30. If its something major, ER visit, surgery, etc...oh yeah $400 for a tylenol, I don't think so! Usually wait for the bill to come, call tell them I can pay 50% of the bill to settle the account or I can send them $2 a month. They seem to usually want the 50% to settle the bill. Over half the bill is to pay the bills of those who pay 0%.