Retail customers revive the art of haggling (2/3ページ)

People are getting more savvy about comparison shopping on the Internet and asking for deals, but that strategy also carries a risk, he says: Shipping costs may eat up the difference in price and if there's something wrong with the product or delivery is required, the buyer is stuck dealing with the problem.

Even at national retail chains, a good haggler can sometimes make a deal, says David Keller of Cape Coral, Fla., who practices what he preaches.

"It kind of depends on what it is you're getting," says Keller. "For example, where there's a lot of wiggle room is the open box item, where it's opened because somebody returned it. A lot of time I've found the item is highly negotiable, especially when it's been there some time."

The idea of a more flexible approach to price is nothing new, says Dan Borgia, associate professor of finance at Florida Gulf Coast University. "It's a throwback to when I was a kid. I grew up in Erie, Pa., and I remember my Italian grandmother who'd haggle buying fruits and vegetables in the market. I'd watch in amazement."