Americans generally treat opening offers and initial positions as starting points for negotiation, not final terms. When an American receives a job offer, they typically negotiate rather than simply accepting. When given a quoted price, they often probe whether better terms are possible.
Do not assume that your first offer will be accepted; Americans expect to work toward agreement through adjustment. Conversely, do not take American opening offers as their final position—they have likely built in room to move. This movement expectation shapes American negotiation dynamics: parties position their opening offers to allow concession space, and calibrated movement toward agreement is the normal process.
If you accept an initial offer without negotiating, Americans may think you left value on the table or do not understand negotiation norms. United States Negotiation
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