So you're prepared. You know all there is to know about window glass and materials. You know window styles. This all goes out the window when the window salesperson shows up at your door. Many, if not most, are pros at the hard-sell. They've got a full bag of tricks. And unless you're in the same line of business, they've definitely got home-court advantage. Here's what they do.

Replacement Window Industry Tricks, Gimmicks, and Tips

The Lightbulb Prop

Put a burning lightbulb on one side of the glass. Put the customer's hand on the other side. "See how hot that light feels with our competitor's glass," you tell them. "Now try it with our window. See how much cooler it is?"

Our Take: A valid point. But a minor point. Let's dispense with the drama and stick to big issues at hand.

The Cross-Sectioned Window Exhibit

Whip out the cut-away window and point out all of the highly advanced details.

Our Take: Great. So your window has glass, a frame, and a space where argon gas should be. Just like most cars nowadays have radios. It's nothing special. Most windows will have this.

The You'll-Save-Enough-Energy-to-Pay-for-These-Windows Claim

Tell the customer that if nothing else, the energy savings from new windows will more than enough cover the cost of the windows.

Our Take: Not true. According to the EPA and Department of Energy's authoritative EnergyStar program: "Replacing windows is rarely cost-effective based solely on energy-savings." However, they do go on to say that EnergyStar-labeled windows today are twice as efficient as windows ten years ago.

The Wear-Them-Down Trick

Overstay your welcome. Stay for four hours instead of the one hour you promised. Break down their defenses.

Our Take: This is childish. And it takes advantage of people who are too polite to give you a smart kick in the pants and toss you out the door.

The Cross-Sell-and-Make-Them-Grateful Trick

Start selling other products--vinyl siding, gutters, fences. When you swing back to the original topic of windows, the customer is grateful to be buying only these $20,000 windows.

Our Take: Didn't the customer say "replacement windows" when she called for the appointment? What part of this don't you understand?

The Old This-Deal-Is-Only-Good-for-Today Trick

"Listen, my regional manager's breathing down my neck, and I just need one more sale this month. If you can decide by five o'clock, then I'll cut you a sweet deal..."

Our Take: Wrong. The deal's good tomorrow and the next day and the day after, too. If you want a sale, you'll make it happen with your regional manager or whoever.

It goes without saying that we will receive angry emails from window salespeople. And we deserve it. Because we have done business with very professional window salespeople in the past.

But these abuses do exist. If anyone can add to or clarify these tricks and gimmicks, we would love to hear from you.