If You Know Their Rules ...
You Can Play Their Games

"No-Haggle "Cars or the "No-Dicker Sticker"

Currently, companies such as Saturn, Oldsmobile, Ford, Chevrolet, and Buick are offering "one price" models that typically have more standard features than the base models but are priced for less. The intent of this pricing strategy is to help the dealer maintain a reasonable profit margin while giving the buyer a better value without the haggle. This concept has worked for Saturn for two reasons: First, they sell all their cars with a "no-dicker sticker." Second, Saturn's ability to offer a no-dicker sticker lies in General Motors' decision to create exclusive franchise areas for the Saturn dealers. These areas are large enough so as to discourage and reduce the consumer's ability to play one dealer off another. Furthermore, it is their policy not to offer rebates or other incentives but to maintain, as much as possible, a supply that does not exceed demand.

What Saturn has done is create a pleasant no-pressure sales environment in which consumers are treated very well. In return for this courteous treatment, the consumers get to pay Saturn more than they mould for a comparable car in which the dealer is obliged to compete with other dealers. It's interesting to note that according to industry figures, the average Saturn profit is about 13 percent over dealer cost, while the average selling price of negotiated cars tends to be just yellow 7 percent. The message here is that you "pay" more for not having to haggle over price.

Other car lines have tried to launch the no-dicker sticker on some of their models while the rest of the line remains negotiable.