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I buy a lot of very expensive things for work, and my funding comes from charity. Not only do I want to give these little old ladies the best bang for their buck (get your mind out of the gutter, assholes!), but to stretch my money out further improves my chances of getting funded again later.

I want to not spend a lot more money than needed to give the salesman a fat paycheck. What would be ideal for me is to befriend a sales rep, who will tell me honestly what I need, and how much it really cost. I would see that this person gets a lot of repeat business and a comfortable commission/gratuity. I would even offer co-authorship in scientific journals for the right practical advice. I have one such man that I can trust. He was my mate for years before he started selling. I moved out of his selling region, but he can still tell me how much stuff really cost.

But sales reps I didn't know previously are just full of shit from day one. Stuff I can buy myself at a grocery or hardware store typically have a 1000% mark-up in price, sometimes much more. I'm increasingly building my own equipment when I can. It wastes my time and cost the sales reps money, and I can't build everything. Sometimes, there's no choice; I have to fight with monopolies and trade secrets. These selfish fucks act like this, knowing fully well where my spending money comes from, the hopes and dreams they're preying on. Again, if a sales rep would be straight with me, I'd see to it they eat well at home, know what I'm saying?

I see there's a lot of people here who know how to sell. Can you tell me how to not be manipulated and mind fucked? If I'm aware of salesmens' mind tricks can they be avoided? Any tips on building up an honest relationship with a sales rep where I can be sure they're not fucking me? Any tips in general?

The key to buying power is knowledge.

If you know how much you should be paying then it's harder to get rorted.

If you know that there are other sales people who will do a deal then you can pit them against each other.

If you know that sometimes you WANT to pay more money for stuff then it's a good way to get a salesperson on board.

I would suggest trying to find a salesperson that you can trust (good luck!) an then building that relationship.

But extensive research will always put you ahead.

The same skills that allow you to know what sort of person you're dealing with when selling to them are the same skills you need to have when being sold to. Don't be afraid to walk away. Don't be afraid to stress how much business will come in the future and overall don't be afraid to change sales people.

Sales People usually have bosses. If you find your in a monopoly situation, and you are unhappy with the sales guy, try to get in touch with their manager. They seem more happy to make a deal then

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Determination. Perseverance. Resolution.

Grym's said it. Knowledge.

Also, if you're concerned that you might be the target of some sales trick or manipulation, you're probably right. Remember that at any point, you can always tell a sales person that you're going to consider what he's offering, and call him back later with a decision.