Comparison Shopping 101
by Tim Cartwright
Everyone talks about comparing bargains when it comes to buying a new car. For one thing, car salesmen hate comparison shoppers. It’s all the reason you need to do it. The big question about comparison shopping, however, is that most people do not know how to do it all that well.
How exactly do you get your hands on the right information, reliable price quotes you can compare to other dealer’s bids?
The process of buying a car is entirely different from most other forms of buying. It is very different from buying a dishwashing machine or a refrigerator. When you’re buying something like this, you walk into a store, identify what you like, and ask how much it is. There’s a set price, listed very clearly on the product.
If you ask “how much is this one?” on a car lot, you are going to get strange looks from the salesmen within ear-shot. Buying a car is about negotiating. There is no sticker-price, per se. You definitely don’t want to pay the price that the dealer gives to you during the first exchange.
To be a savvy car buyer, you have to have the whole process down. You need to know the games that the dealerships are going to play and what you are going to do to stay in control. To talk prices, you need to know what you are doing.
Set out in your negotiations confidently. Don’t be afraid to cut to the chase and tell your dealer or dealers that you are receiving quotes from other sellers for exactly the car you want. Ideally, you should walk into a dealership with the best price. Most salesmen should be ready and waiting to beat your best price.
Unfortunately, the process of getting prices from dealers can be a little complicated if you don’t go about it the right way. In fact, talking money is a waste of time unless you have a definitive strategy.
Fortunately, there are several strategies you can pick up on quickly. The first actually allows you to do most of your work online. Most dealerships have their own Websites and email so you can reach out to them online to request a quote. By contacting multiple dealerships, you can see how the figures stack up.
If you want to conduct all of your research via AutoBidsOnline, you can determine a price you are willing to pay and submit a “Buy Bid” online. Dealers can then accept or counter the bid. On the other hand, if you contact the dealers directly to conduct your research, you may find that most dealers have automated systems allowing you to inquire about a specific car and receive an automated response explaining the price.
Once you have a few responses from dealers establishing a price for the car you want, you can start to prepare your bid for posting on AutoBidsOnline. The key is to establish that you have done your research and there are dealers out there ready to sell you your car for the price you quote. Politely, you can set about establishing your position. You are ready to give business to the first person who offers you a competitive price given the parameters established by your research.
If you have all of your finances in place, your position is even stronger. There is nothing like comparison shopping when you have your house of cards in order and money ready to spend. It opens the possibility of enticing the very best deals.
Particularly in this strained credit market, the customer with money available represents a much higher return on investment than the customer waiting on approval for their financing. After all, the dealer doesn’t have to spend ages persuading the consumer to take out a loan, to agree to an interest rate, to even commit to buying a car.
With AutoBidsOnline, comparison shopping to find your next new car not only becomes considerably easier, the process itself becomes more effective at keeping dealers in check.
When you’re ready to find your next car, don’t waste any time sitting around at your local showroom. Get online and study the market, post your bid, and shop for your best deal from a position of strength.
Tim Cartwright writes for AutoBidsOnline.com , a place to research car prices, new car comparisons, reviews, and much more. Build your own car specifications and get competitive quotes from car dealers in your area.
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