funtotravel.info TIPS: How to haggle

Bargaining over the price of goods is a tradition in many countries that are popular with travellers. To give you a guide of all of these countries would be a little difficult, but is best summed up as follows:

Amongst other places, in Southeast Asia, China, India, Nepal, most of Africa, and parts of South and Central America haggling over prices for taxis, clothing, souvenirs, commodities and even accommodation prices is a part of everyday life and if conducted properly and in the right spirit can be a lot of fun. Outside of these regions, prices are mostly fixed, and attempts to drive down prices through bargaining are unlikely to work or be seen as a good idea (though give it a go if you’re feeling brave!).

Most Western tourists are not entirely comfortable with the idea of bargaining, and it does take some time to get used to. With your first few attempts you are likely to either pay over-the-odds for something (which is why it’s best to start with low value goods first!) or be laughed away for trying to pay a pittance for something that’s worth a lot more. Many people find that bargaining for things becomes one of the most fun and pleasurable elements of their trip – it is one of the best ways to interact with the locals and be satisfied that you’ve got yourself a bargain. There is a real knack to bargaining though, and don’t underestimate the value of a smile and a sense of humour about the whole exchange. Practice makes perfect and don’t forget – a few cents makes little difference to you but could be a big deal to the person selling to you.

Here are a few tips on the best ways to bargain:

Tip 1: Do your research

Before starting to bargain, you should have an idea what the item you’re interested in should usually cost – this should stop you from getting taken for a ride by the seller and being overcharged. Have a look around the other stalls, browse, look and listen to what others are paying for similar items and this will give you an idea of what you should be paying.

Tip 2: Pretend you’re not interested

Have a look at a few different items; and don’t make out that you’re interested in the particular thing that you actually want to buy. Don’t even ask for prices at this point.

Tip 3: Let the seller quote the price first

It’s best to force the seller to make the first move. You’ll be encouraged again and again with ‘How much do you want to pay?’ from the seller in the hope that in your presumed ignorance you will quote a price much higher than he/she was hoping. Don’t fall for this and get them to suggest the price first. You can assume that this first price will be much higher than the price that they are willing to actually sell for, with anything from double to five times a fair price being quoted. It always helps to look shocked and slightly offended at this point!

Tip 4: Smile and ask for a better price

Smile and tell the seller something like “I know you can do better than that” or “we both you know that you can give me a better price than that”. If their English is not great and neither is your grasp of the local language (shame on you!), a cheeky smile and a “Cheaper price!” should suffice…

Tip 5: Naming your price

This is the tricky part, and where it’s handy to know roughly what you should be paying for an item. You want to name a price that’s lower than you know the price should be, but not so low that the seller thinks you are taking them for a fool – they will soon stop taking you seriously if you name an insultingly low price.

Tip 6: Have a sense of humour and keep smiling!

Don’t get too emotional – if you keep a smile on your face and negotiate in good humour then the seller will be far more likely to co-operate with you. Getting angry will not work in your favour and you could well be insulting the seller. You are likely to go back and forth a few times with prices until you reach a stage where you feel you will both be fairly happy with the price offered.

Tip 7: Bulk buy = discount

If you like more than one item that a merchant has for sale then ask for a discount if you buy both. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. The more items that you buy the better the potential for discount. Though don’t forget that your backpack only has a certain amount of space as we discovered when we bought 60 DVDs in Vietnam once…

Tip 8: Walk away if you’re not happy with the deal

A brilliant tactic as a last resort. If you feel that you’ve reached a fair price and that the seller is just being difficult then try pulling out of the negotiation and walking away. You’ll be surprised how many times the seller will follow you and suddenly agree to your last price.

Tip 9: It’s not over until it’s over

Until you have agreed on a final price, you have no obligation whatsoever (even morally) to go through with the purchase. Even if you have haggled back and forth for twenty minutes, if you have not agreed on price then you are completely within your rights to walk away and try somewhere else. Do not feel pressured or guilted into returning to the shop and paying a price you’re not happy with.

Tip 10: The best times to grab a bargain

We think that you’ll get the best price either at the start of the day or at the very end. At the start of the day, most sellers are keen to get a sale under their belts to get the day rolling properly and will usually lower their prices slightly to get things off to a good start. Likewise at the end of the day most sellers are looking to boost the amount of cash they’ve taken so will usually lower prices slightly to get rid of stock. Take advantage of this!

Tip 11: Once you’ve agreed on a price then it’s final

Once you are both happy with a price and have settled on the amount you are going to pay then you have to go through with the transaction – to walk away at this point would be seen as very unfair and cause you both to lose face. Culturally this is not cool at all.

Tip 12: Don’t use a big note for a small price

If you’ve just spent twenty minutes pleading your poverty to get the price down on a $2 t-shirt, don’t then try and pay with a $20 note and expect to get change. Not only is this extremely rude and slightly duplicitous (after you’ve just been telling the seller that you have very little money), but culturally not really acceptable and also serves to highlight the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The myth in many areas is that tourists are just walking ATMs and it is exactly this kind of behaviour that gives travellers this reputation. Carry small denomination notes with you for exactly this reason.

Tip 13: Remember where you are and don’t take things too seriously

Please don’t spend twenty minutes bargaining over the matter of 20 cents – it makes very little difference to you and a lot of difference to the seller trying to feed their family.

Always remember these tips on bargaining and most importantly, smile, relax and have fun: by being respectful and having fun at the same time you are bound to get yourself a bargain!