SELLER: Toy Car

Please read the following information and plan your negotiation. Do not read your partner’s information. During the negotiation, you may disclose whatever information you’d like to your partner. Feel free being creative, and please don’t read the information directly to them. Be conversational! Prices are in United States Dollars.

You’re the owner of a local flea market shop selling used, unique, and hard-to-find items. The day is slow and you haven’t made many sales. Luckily, a shopper has shown interest in a toy car you’re selling. It’s a limited-edition Road Racer with custom paint and rotating wheels. You obtained this car as part of a trade gone wrong: 6 months ago, a long-time customer of yours asked you to find this specific Road Racer and would pay $500 for it. After using your professional connections, you were able to buy this toy car for $200 in a last-minute sale. Unfortunately, your long-time customer never showed up again and you can’t contact them.

You really hope today’s shopper buys the car so you can make your money back by selling it for $200 or even sell it for the original expectation of $500. There is no price tag on the car, and because this is a flea market, everything in the store is negotiable.

How will your expectations and budget align with today’s shopper’s expectations and budget?

This scenario is inspired by a case study from Leigh Thompson, an exquisite negotiation researcher