Is there anything worse than hearing “make me an offer”? Yes, there are definitely worse things but that can be pretty scary too. Having a Fear of Negotiating basically means you are willing to take the ticket price every time without questioning whether it’s overpriced because you don’t want to have to endure a conversation about price. Or someone tries to offer you a great deal and you crumble to the ground in a panic.
The Great Debate: Fear of Negotiating
Whether you are purchasing a new car, fridge, pack of gum, or a house, there is always someone involved who either wants you to pay more or is willing to have you pay less. Alternatively, you might be in the market for any of these items but already have the mentality that you disagree with the MSRP (a fancy way of saying it’s overpriced, deal with it) and would ideally pay less for it given the chance. The only thing that is getting in your way of saving money is a Fear of Negotiating. Good luck trying to negotiate if you are shopping online.
So you walk into the establishment of your choice, point to the item behind the counter you want, reach into your wallet and say “I will give you this much for that” and the shop owner says “no, you will give me what I want instead” and you say “okay, or and hear me out on this, I don’t give you what you want and instead pay the price I want”. This endless circle is treading dangerously close to a confrontation but is a completely normal part of life. Contrary to popular belief, a failed negotiation is the reason why the tectonic plates of the Earth separated from each other and form the individual land masses we know today.
Winning (or losing) at Your Fear of Negotiating
Some people are skilled negotiators who dedicate their lives to the craft. General Managers of pro sports require the fine art of negotiating to steal quality players from other teams for pennies on the dollar. Real estate agents can conjure up bidding wars with one subtle reference to the proximity of a park bench with good lumbar support. And that’s it. There are no other professions that require negotiating as the core responsibility.