Payment info needed before price negotiation?

I too have sold many vehicles and bought many vehicles over my lifetime although I admit that I was never a salesperson at a dealership or even a car lot. I have never given a deposit or credit card to a salesperson to make an offer. The advantage for the salesperson is they have your card and they can get cute about returning it to you. I make it a point not to let my credit card out of my sight in this time of identity theft and fraud to anyone. Negotiations are all about who holds the upper hand. When the money is in my pocket, I have the upper hand. I don't understand why one would give that to the other side.

I have never had a dealer refuse to negotiate with me until I surrender a deposit. I have had many requests for one "to show I'm serious". I tell them I will give a deposit after the terms are all agreed upon by all parties concerned and I am showing my seriousness by investing my time during the negotiations. They always cave at that point because I will walk if they don't and I've made that clear. The more people surrender to this pressure, the more the dealers will try to pull this. I'm all for being reasonable but the dealer/salespeople's reputations precede them.