Everything Is Negotiable: How I Got a Free Banana
An observation: we negotiate the prices for the two most expensive purchases that many of us will encounter - a house and a car, but why not other things? Surely this principle can be scaled down to everyday purchases. Especially now, as many of us grapple with the negative effects of inflation, why not try a new strategy to maximize our purchasing power?
This leads me to a personal anecdote that inspired my realization about becoming more confident in negotiation. A couple days ago I was hanging out with my photography friends at this high end coffee shop - Japanese jazz humming in the background while people type on their MacBooks. So as you might expect the prices will reflect the elevated atmosphere. As my friends came and went ordering coffee one of them returned with a banana while waiting for their order. Feeling a bit peckish I asked about the price: $ 1.75 per banana. Another friend jokingly mentioned that the price was relatively expensive. To prove their point, they did a quick web search and showed that a bunch of bananas was only about $ 1 more expensive at a local retail store. The feeling of injustice snagged me into arguing that I wouldn’t spend more than $1 for a banana, no matter the vendor. My stomach grumbled. This left me no choice but to approach the counter with the intent to bargain for my snack. Noticing that there was no one behind me, I took my time chatting with the cute cashier. After exchanging pleasantries, I kindly asked how much one banana cost, and of course, they confirmed the price my friend had paid. I paused for a bit and observed the bananas—taunting me as my stomach grumbled. Then, I noticed that one of the bananas already showed a mild browning. This inspired my initial argument: one of the bananas was already browning by mid-day, making it difficult to sell today, so I proposed making a deal. The cashier wasn't expecting anyone bartering for something trivial like a banana. She patiently replied that the browning banana was very special because it was sweeter than others. While that was true, I persisted, pointing out that if they didn’t sell the banana today, it would be impossible to sell tomorrow—who wants a fully brown banana (except for banana bread, yum)? From her perspective it was clear that I wasn't swayed into buying into a subpar, mildly brown, and expensive product. She then nervously joked that their browning was also a part of their new coffee infusion process! I stayed calm and refused to engage with such nonsense. My silence spoke volumes, and she quickly conceded, saying I could have the banana for free. From the corner of the room a security camera peered around reminding me to ask for confirmation that free was indeed free. With her nod of approval I grasped my trophy banana and strutted away. With no receipt in my hands my friends were in amazement that I secured a free banana. Each bite tasted of victory. That's when it hit me: what if everything in life was negotiable?
Looking back days later I recognized some of the strategies that worked in my favor. 1) the price was relatively expensive 2) I knew that brown bananas are hard to sell 3) I never gave an asking price. Less information on my part gives me more leverage. 4) be persistent but not unreasonable. With this fun experiment I learned a lot and hope to continue hunting for free bananas.
