Study proves, once and for all, women can use flirting to get deals

A recent study by University of California, Berkley professor Laura Kray is making its rounds on the Internet, and should, frankly, be stirring things up more than it is.

Kray researched flirting, and more specifically how women can use it for their fiscal advantage.

*Bing: Why do men earn more than women?

The study’s end result is a daunting paper, but one extractable experiment draws a fine microcosm about its findings.

In one scenario designed by Kray, survey participants were asked to imagine they were selling a car worth $1,200. Twelve hundred bucks. Keep that number in mind.

Next, a woman named Sue, in on the ruse, played the buyer of the car. The first time, Sue was flirtatious: upon meeting the participants, she smiled warmly and said, “What a pleasure to meet you.” She looked the seller up and down and leaned forward when speaking, briefly touching the seller’s arm. “You’re even more charming in person than over email,” she says before playfully asking, with a wink, “What’s your best price?”

The next time, Sue turns neutral. Upon meeting the sellers of the fake car, she says, simply, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Later, she says, “I’m looking forward to talking over the financials with you and hopefully working out a deal today. Let’s get down to business.” At the end, somewhat seriously, she says, “What’s your best price?”

Subtle differences in Sue’s approach, but drastic differences in outcome.

In the first scenario, male participants were willing to sell Sue the car for $1,077, on average. Without flirting, Sue was forced to pay $1,279, on average – about $200 more.

A contrived experiment, you say, and you might be right: pit any man against a hot girl, and he’ll invariably turn to mush.

But remember. Sue, in this case, was portrayed by the same woman, so her looks never play into it. Behind the $2,000 savings in car price, then, is proof that flirting has its value, tangible and real.

By Jason Buckland, MSN Money