"What's your best price"

There are a few statements that customers can say that get me riled up, and a commenter reminded me of one of them.

Allow me to set the scene.

I've been at work for, say, six hours. My job consists of running around a parking lot talking to people. You drive up in your car, and you're looking at my shiny new sedan. After the pleasantries, we have this inevitable conversation:

"So, you like the vehicle, right?" I ask.

"Yes, we like it fine. It's what we've been looking for." you reply.

"Well, how about I grab a plate and we take it for a drive?"

You look at your spouse and say what all of the car-buying guides have told you to say: "Well, give me your best price and then we'll drive it."

This is when I run you through with my new machete. Just kidding, folks.

Why would you ask me for my best price? What does "best price" even mean? What you are essentially asking me to do is give up any hopes of making money on this deal. If you remember from one of my earlier posts, dealerships run on profit. If you skin us alive on your car deal, we won't have enough money in the pot left over to placate all of your various complaints. When we can't take care of your complaints, however frivolous, you get upset. See the vicious cycle?

The best price is the price that we arrive to, together, in negotiation. If you can't negotiate a car deal, read my tips. Best price is also code for "I'm going to shop your price at every dealer from here to Syracuse, NY."

You asking for my "best" price is asking me, up front, to take a pay cut. It's funny how in this situation, "best" for you means "worst" for me.