Being approached by a salesperson when making a big purchase, such as a car or an appliance, is an experience most people find to be at least a little uncomfortable. Heck, even much smaller stakes shopping like walking through the mall or browsing jewelry can be wracked with anxiety over potentially running into a pushy salesman. Salespeople can provide help and expertise, of course, but they can also be pushy and add unnecessary pressure especially for people who aren't quite ready to buy.
Car salesmen, in particular, have the worst reputation. Surveys show a large chunk of consumers have felt pressured by salesmen to buy add-ons they don't need, felt like they were being tricked, or otherwise felt the salesperson was being dishonest.
Even if you say, “I’m just looking.” The words will not deter them, as they're trained to push past those objections by pestering with you questions and "encouraging" you to move the sale forward.
A car salesman on TikTok recently went viral with a video explaining why “I’m just looking” doesn’t work on a car lot and, crucially, providing more effective phrases you can use instead.
Russell of RussFlipsWhips normally gives advice to car dealers and salespeople on how to generate leads and close more sales, but he occasionally helps out the average consumer with behind-the-scenes information that helps them make better decisions.
Car salesmen have the worst reputation of all. Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash
"There's two main reasons, and here's what you should say instead of 'I'm just looking,'" he said in a video with nearly 2 million views. “One is, we hear it every single day. So when somebody tells me, ‘I’m just looking,’ I’m so used to hearing that, I almost like brush it off and ignore it because I’m like, ‘That’s what the customer’s supposed to say.’ “
'Secondly," he goes on, "every car salesman has had a customer say, ‘I’m just looking,’ and we ended up selling them a car."
It's a harsh and slightly grimy truth of the business, but there's no arguing with the realities.
Instead, Russell suggests you say: "Hey, I’d really like to look alone. Can I please have your business card?"
The second phrase, which is even more clear that you want the salesman to go away, is: “I’m really not in the market for a car.”
These responses are firm and direct, leaving little to no room for interpretation or push back. As much as salespeople want to make a deal, they really don't want to waste their own time. So being firm and clear in the fact that you're not ready is a great way to make them go away.
Watch Russ explain the process and why it works here:
@russflipswhips Replying to @SoyPablo This is what I would say #carsales #carsalesman #cardealership #carbuyingtips
The post received funny responses from folks who had a few effective ideas of their own:
“The ‘I have 2 repos and no money down' line works wonders,’” one TikToker joked.
“I just tell them my credit score and they run,” another added.
"If 'I’m just looking' doesn’t work, I usually wait until they go home, follow them home, stare into their bedroom window at night, and repeat the line when he comes out to ask what I’m doing," someone commented.
Others chimed in with their own stories, or support of Russ' advice:
"My first week in the business, one of the older guys told me to say 'I’ll look with ya' the first time I used that line, sold a car to the customer’s daughter and upgraded his lease"
"I just say ‘Ill come get you when Im ready’ and if they dont immediately go away, and I do find a car that I want, they will not be the one catching the sale."
"I once told a salesman I was just looking and ended up leaving with a new car"
Some very strong-willed people have been talked into buying a new car they weren't ready for. Photo by Swansway Motor Group on Unsplash
Plenty of viewers chimed in that the really good salespeople know when to respect someone's wishes and back off. If a salesman is too pushy, it can be a huge turnoff for customers — even if they really are almost ready to buy. Russell's audience is made up primarily of dealers and salesmen, so they know all too well that pushing too hard can backfire.
In the end, Russell’s suggestions show that sometimes, the best way to get our point across is to be direct and honest. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to shop alone and if the salesperson can respect that request, they deserve the sale if you decide to buy something.
Russ has developed a following of over 750,000 followers giving advice to people in the auto industry and helping customers be prepared for one of the biggest purchases of their lifetime.
@russflipswhips Asking the right questions when buying a car can save you a lot #carsales #carsalesman #carbuyingtips #cardealership
With so much info at our fingertips, we've come a long way from the days of car salesmen holding all the power and tricking customers with elaborate games and negotiating tricks. But... that doesn't change the fact that, sometimes, we just want to look around without being pressured.
This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.