“No, this is the price.”

WHEN TO SAY IT: Every time you hear “Do you discount?” or “Can you do better on the price?”

WHY?: Eve Alffilé, owner of the Eve J. Alfillé Gallery and Studio in Evanston, IL, explains what she really wants to say to every request for a discount is: “You make me want to cry! Do you not know how much work, how much effort I put into each of these pieces? You should appreciate it instead of demeaning my work!” But she doesn’t. “No, this is the price” works better when said with a smile because it’s straightforward, polite, unapologetic and leaves no room for negotiation.

This article originally appeared in the February 2015 edition of INSTORE.