Dan Smith是一位美国的健身用品经销商，此次是Robert Liu第一回与他交手。就在短短几分钟的交谈中，Robert Liu既感到这位大汉粗犷的外表，藏有狡兔的心思――他肯定是沙场老将，自己绝不可掉以轻心。双方第一回过招如下： D: I d like to get the ball rolling（开始）by talking about prices.
R: Shoot.（洗耳恭听）I d be happy to answer any questions you may have.
D: Your products are very good. But I m a little worried about the prices you re asking.
R: You think we about be asking for more?(laughs)
D: (chuckles莞尔) That s not exactly what I had in mind. I know your research costs are high, but what I d like is a 25% discount.
R: That seems to be a little high, Mr. Smith. I don t know how we can make a profit with those numbers.
D: Please, Robert, call me Dan. (pause) Well, if we promise future business――volume sales（大笔交易）――that will slash your costs（大量减低成本）for making the Exec-U-ciser, right?
R: Yes, but it s hard to see how you can place such large orders. How could you turn over（销磬）so many? (pause) We d need a guarantee of future business, not just a promise.
D: We said we wanted 1000 pieces over a six-month period. What if we place orders for twelve months, with a guarantee?
R: If you can guarantee that on paper, I think we can discuss this further.
Robert回公司呈报Dan的提案后，老板很满意对方的采购计划.但在折扣方面则希望Robert能继续维持强硬的态度，尽量探出对方的底线。就在这七上七八的价格翘翘板上，双方是否能找到彼此地平衡点呢？请看下面分解: R: Even with volume sales, our coats for the Exec-U-Ciser won t go down much.
D: Just what are you proposing?
R: We could take a cut（降低）on the price. But 25% would slash our profit margin（毛利率）.We suggest a compromise――10%.
D: That s a big change from 25! 10 is beyond my negotiating limit. (pause) Any other ideas?
R: I don t think I can change it right now. Why don t we talk again tomorrow?
D: Sure. I must talk to my office anyway. I hope we can find some common ground（共同信念）on this.
NEXT DAY
D: Robert, I ve been instructed to reject the numbers you proposed. but we can try to come up with some thing else.
R: I hope so, Dan. My instructions are to negotiate hard on this deal――but I m try very hard to reach some middle ground（互相妥协）.
D: I understand. We propose a structured deal（阶段式和约）. For the first six months, we get a discount of 20%, and the next six months we get 15%.
R: Dan, I can t bring those numbers back to my office――they ll turn it down flat（打回票）.
D: Then you ll have to think of something better, Robert.