Negotiations
By Donald Lee, Mon Dec 5th

Negotiations can seem as complex as physics, and in fact, peoplego to college to study the science of negotiating just as theywould the laws of nature. At the same time, negotiation is likean ancient art form, some sort of Zen mental jujitsu. Whenneither the Zen nor the science works, though, no one wins.

Just ask any hockey fan out there. The recent lockout andcancellation of the 2004-2005 NHL season is a perfect example ofpoor negotiating. Both the players’ union and the league ownersbroke all of the rules when it came to brokering an agreement onplayer contracts. The result are hockey rinks across NorthAmerica that are so quiet that you can hear a pindrop—unfortunately, not a puck. In dollar terms, professionalhockey is missing out on television contracts, advertising fees,and tons of ticket sales.

Of course, you won’t lose billions in revenue if you fail at thelatest negotiation at your favorite online classified or auctionsite. But you could let a treasure slip through your fingers.Success in deal making, on the other hand, could land you thatrookie Bobby Orr card, signed Stanley Cup puck, or whateverother fantastic item you’re bidding on.

Plus, proper negotiations and compromise can ensure that you getthe item for its fair value, including a good price on shippingand taxes. This increases the profitability of the trade forboth you and the seller. The deal gets closed without nastydisputes, blow-ups, or hip checks. And both of you are left todo business again in the future.

To score all of these benefits, and avoid your own mini lockout,follow these simple tips on negotiating that will net results atonline classified sites. As you’ll see, victory isn’t so much anexact science or a mystic sixth sense. It’s more about simpleknow-how and common sense.

Warm up. Don’t jump into a negotiation cold. Before you evenface off with your opponent, figure out for yourself what wouldcount as a victory. What do you exactly want out of thetrade—and at what price?

Consider a truce. It may not even be worth dropping the puck atall. In other words, negotiations, like hockey games, can end ina loss for the home team, you. So weigh this risk before youstart. If the item at hand is a dream buy, you may not want toendanger your purchase with a drawn-out negotiation.

Know when to pass. On the other hand, if the item is far fromdreamy—and you’re pretty sure something better may come alonglater—you could pass on negotiations. Or go for the score. Offera lowball price. If you win, you won’t be out too much, and ifyou lose, it won’t leave a mark either. But be certain if youplay this game. You could miss this opportunity without aguarantee of future prospects.

Know your enemy. Coaches and players spend hours before gameswatching films of their impending competition to study theirtendencies. You need to take the same approach when it comes tomaking a deal. Try to read your opponent’s mind. What is his orher goals in the negotiation?
Does he or she have any strengthsthat they can use against you? Are there any weaknesses that youcan use against them?

Spot all of your passing lanes. During your research, you mayfind that this particular vendor isn’t the only one in the gamewith what you’re looking for. Using these other vendors, andtheir prices, to your advantage can help you skate circlesaround your competitor.

Practice before you play. Also, research the item before youmake a play on it. This knowledge, such as the going price andquality markers, can work as leverage during the negotiating,too.

Translate thought into action. Your strategy can become morecomplicated and unpredictable—and effective—once you’re in theheat of battle. Just remember to think on your feet and rememberall that you learned in your “training.” For instance, if youknow that the vendor has other items for sale besides yourtarget, agree easily to one of these other purchases. Go for theeasy one first. That will lure them into trusting you and givingyou an easy pass on future, and more important, deals.

When it comes down to it, negotiation is all about this kind ofgive and take. It works out best when both parties get what theywant out of the deal, without feeling ripped off as if they gavetoo much for too little.

That brings you to the one “don’t” of negotiating. Don’t fear astandoff. They are part of the art and science of trading, sodon’t be tempted to cave in just to break the deadlock. Instead,let your opponent make the first move. They will. They want toclose the deal, too, don’t forget. You both will be better offfor this in the long run. And you won’t end up like the NHL, theNo Hockey League.

About the author:Donald Lee is the public relations manager forBuysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classifiedlisting services for individuals and businesses to market theirproducts and services online. For global and localizedclassifieds, please visit http://www.buysellcommunity.com - Free Buy & Sell Classifieds

Basic Hockey Product Shopping
By Daniel Smith
If you are new to the game of hockey you need to organize a basic hockey product shopping list. This list will let you know what you will need to protect your body on the hockey rink surface, which is an oval of frozen ice, the skates you will need to wear when on the ice, and the instruction tools that will help you improve your game techniques and increase your speed over time.

On the basic hockey product shopping list you jot down that you think some audio clips would be a good way for you to learn about the basic passing drills, and the crossover power drill. Through these audio clips, you could spend as little as 5 minutes to 45 minutes of your day learning how to skate with speed and take your tips from a world renowned power skating coach.

These basic hockey product shopping lists could contain audio tapes that specifically train hockey players through the help of interviews with world class hockey trainers. Core training tapes could help you develop your techniques and start with a good fundamental background.

You could also make a list of power plays, and study each one very carefully. When a coach sees that you have done your homework, he may be willing to devote more off-ice time to you. These power plays will help you train, and you will be able to pick up some tips from some of the greatest minds in hockey today.

Another basic hockey product shopping item you can add to your list that will not cost you any money, is the information you need to receive regular email updates on new drills, new training techniques an all of the new video clips that are out on the Internet today. You can select each one over and over when you have the time to give it your full attention. Otherwise, if you are on a tight schedule, they are stored in your email in-box waiting to help you.

There is some basic shopping of hockey product that you can do for off-ice training. Shop for a puck server, and it will be your shooting assistant when you can not get down to the rink for practice. There are many conditioning programs that you can find that will help train you on your personal strength and conditioning, your speed, and all of these can be done off-ice.

There is some other basic hockey product shopping that you can do for on-ice training too. It would be a good idea to find a power chute to help you build strength and endurance levels up. There are stick weights and skate weights that you can add to make your legs stronger, and your arms more powerful. By reviewing skills development and condition DVD’s you will be able to focus on all areas of your training program at any time.

All of the basic hockey product shopping items will help you reach your full potential, whether it is on the ice, or in your personal life. Many of these items can be found on hockey based websites on the internet and offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied for any reason.

Daniel Smith writes about HockeyDeals Online, HockeyGiant Bargains and NHL Online Coupons