Thread: Haggling For Overly Polite American Dummies

OK, so, I've been reading Meissoun's fabulous Istanbul shopping guide in anticipation of my trip. It's just great. One point she makes is that haggling is very important. I have absolutely no idea how to haggle. I don't come from a haggling culture. I come from New York, where attempting to haggle can land you on the sidewalk with a bootprint on your ass, or at least in a cab back to Midtown, where you are no doubt staying during your mercifully short visit in our fair city (Kidding! Kidding! We love you visitors! Come visit us!). I am sure that we used to haggle here, back in the days when the Lower East Side was populated by peasants from the Pale of Settlement. Now, however, it is not the way.

So, enlighten me. I'm used to meek, polite American shopping. What's the technique? Sweet and flirty? Cold and disinterested? Are there costume dealers whom one simply doesn't haggle with?

Many thanks.

- Leela

Affect luke warm interest(at most) in said desirable object.
Attitude... ah well..it's OK but I'm not that a**ed about it.
In Turkey we were told to come in at about 1/3rd price and expect to pay 2/3rds.
I'm talking souk,bazaar,market here.
And also remember you are bowing to local custom, where folks expect to haggle..when in Rome...
It can be fun..so I spent 5 mins extra buying my husband 3 shirts in Turkey and saved a whole £8...55 TL insted of 75TL..it was expected of me. And you know when they'll go no lower..there's stubborn look appears in those eyes. But you can try walking away and hope they come after you..that tended to work in North Africa but it's very hard to turn around if they don't!!
As to costume buying at a costumiers that's a whole different ball game and I would imagine unless you are a dealer, the designer probably quotes what s/he wants. I bought in Egypt from Mahmoud's and he doesn't haggle. BUT he does take plastic.

You can always try your luck with costumes. SIM or Bella won't go down much, but hey, it's worth a try.
I will look at the costume, sigh, hmmmm, well..... Put it away, look at something else... Take it up again and hmmm some more. Finally ask sweetly: "I'm not sure... Can you make a special price fo me?"

If it's in a basar, haggle more. Example: A friend asked me to buy cheap hip scarves for her students.

"How much are these?"
"15 Lira." (or something like that)
"What???? ts ts ts... What is the price if I take more?"
"12 Lira."
"OK, tell you what: I will take 10 for 10 Lira each, OK?"
"OK."
So we put the scarves together.
"All this for 100 Lira, OK?"
"Yes"
Then I take another one, put in on top: "And this as a gift to me." (you need to be a bit flirty here)
He shakes head a little, smiles and says "OK".

It's always a good thing if you take several pieces. Makes it easier to ask for a discount.
But really, I did a whole tour comparing prices first. You CAN come back after walking away.
And yes, sometimes they will run after you and offer a better price themselves. This is your signal to go even lower - and in the end you will meet somewhere in the middle.

It's fun for a few days and starts to get on my nerves by the end of the week ..l;,
Fortunately, in Istanbul there are enough regular shops where you can shop the Western way, so it's not a constant haggle from dust to dawn.

Have fun in Istanbul

MEISSOUN

Oh yes, and DON'T be the excited American

No "Oh my GAWD, this is sooooo awsome!"
Put on your pokerface and say no more than "well, not bad..."
Carry the costume back to your hotel, unpack it and THEN shriek with pleasure!

MEISSOUN

Originally Posted by meissoun

Then I take another one, put in on top: "And this as a gift to me." (you need to be a bit flirty here)

MEISSOUN

YOU ARE FABULOUS !

I agree with everything Meissoun said here (and thanks again, on behalf of dancers everywhere, for putting those costume shopping guides on your webpage!), although most of my bargaining experience has been in the Middle East. Another tactic to try, which has worked well for me, is to squirrel different amounts of money in different pockets, so you can pull it out and say, "Well, I only have XX pounds with me..."

Or -- my favorite -- (after you've been bargaining, you've gotten them down, but not to what you want to pay) hold out in your hand a stack of money that is the price you want to pay. There's something about that irresistable handful of cash that sometimes gets you the price you want.

Bargaining is like a game, and it should be fun. It's one of my favorite activities in Egypt, especially the bantering back and forth. ("What?? Are you quoting the tourist price to me??" etc)

I once bought an Oriental rug in Egypt that was priced at $3,000, I paid $800.

Other folks have already posted excellent advice, I'll just add:

• Don't shop when you're pressed for time. Bargaining takes time to do. If you're in a hurry, you'll end up paying more.
• Don't fall in love with an item and decide you absolutely MUST have it. Vendors can sense this, and they'll charge you more. (The same day I bought my rug, another woman in our group bought a similar one for $5,000 because she fell in love with a particular one and gushed to the vendor about how beautiful it was.)
• If it's a big ticket item (such as my rug example), make your opening offer LESS than 1/3 the price they quote you (though I agree that for small-ticket items starting at 1/3 is about right.)
• Be ready to walk away if the price is still higher than you want to pay. Don't allow yourself to become emotionally attached to anything.
• Try to slip away from the rest of your group and shop alone. Bargaining in front of an audience rarely yields a good price because the vendor doesn't want to risk having a herd of other people come forward when they're done with you and say, "Okay, can I have the same thing she bought for the same price?" Also, sometimes the people you're traveling with can say really stupid stuff that undermines your bargaining. Once when I was in Turkey, I made the mistake of hanging out with another woman from my tour group, and when I approached a stall that sold antique clothing items, she stupidly started gushing about how wonderful/amazing the merchandise was, and how in the US we would pay 3-4 times as much as this vendor was charging, etc. I soooo wanted to stuff a smelly sock in her mouth to shut her up because she COMPLETELY undermined any chances of my getting a good price. In the cab on the way back to the hotel, I told her I would do the rest of my shopping alone, without her, because of it.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

In the cab on the way back to the hotel, I told her I would do the rest of my shopping alone, without her, because of it.

To which she replied.... ?

Originally Posted by zorba

To which she replied.... ?

Her excuse was that the guy WAS offering a good price compared to what we would pay if we were in the U.S. I said I wasn't in the U.S., I was in Turkey, and I wanted to get a good price by Turkish standards rather than the rip-off tourist prices.

We had to agree to disagree. And I indeed shopped without her at my side after that. I'd still be friendly toward her at mealtimes, sightseeing, and such - my motive in ditching her wasn't anger, it was desire to shop on my own terms. She was a nice person, but not a good shopping companion.

That was great advice, Shira.

The one trick I learned from trips to Greece was ask the price, get that quizzical, disdainful, blasé frown on your face (I don't know how else to describe it) and walk away.

You have to walk slowly because you WANT the seller to catch you.

I remember my friend getting a really good deal in Spain. As he was walking down the street with his merchandise, the owner chased after us, yelling that my friend was ruining his business. ..c::

Here are some things you can say to get a vendor's price to come down:

You: [For big-ticket items such as rugs] "Oh dear, it's lovely, but I just can't afford such an expensive item! I was looking for something more in the range of $___" [where $___ is 10% of what he's asking for]
Vendor: "How about $___? We take credit card." [This price is only slightly lower than opening price.]
You: "Oh, I can't afford THAT price even on credit card! But maybe I could afford $___". [Price slightly higher than the original price you offered. Think about how much he came down, and offer a correspondingly higher price.]
Vendor: "But it is good quality." [He proceeds to show you "proof" that the quality is wonderful.] "Maybe $___?"
You: "Oh, yes I can see that it's very nice." [Big wistful sigh.] "But the problem is that I just can't afford it. I guess I just can't afford nice things." [Now, sad smile.] "Would you consider letting me have it for $____?"

and so it goes....

< I soooo wanted to stuff a smelly sock in her mouth to shut her up because she COMPLETELY undermined any chances of my getting a good pricE.>


ROFL..l;, ..l;,

The game goes on after I found in Tunisia.
I got down from something silly like £50 to £16 for a kaftan and cape and the guy says with a snarl.."Tomorrow , madam you will come past this shop and I will be lying in the gutter with my throat cut by my boss"
My reply"I will take care not to slip in your blood"
His parting shot: "You are a Tunisian woman!"

..l;, Oh, I want to shop with you!

Originally Posted by lizajuk

The game goes on after I found in Tunisia.
I got down from something silly like £50 to £16 for a kaftan and cape and the guy says with a snarl.."Tomorrow , madam you will come past this shop and I will be lying in the gutter with my throat cut by my boss"
My reply"I will take care not to slip in your blood"
His parting shot: "You are a Tunisian woman!"

Wow, you are good! Can I travel with you??? ..l;,

Originally Posted by lizajuk

The game goes on after I found in Tunisia.
I got down from something silly like £50 to £16 for a kaftan and cape and the guy says with a snarl.."Tomorrow , madam you will come past this shop and I will be lying in the gutter with my throat cut by my boss"
My reply"I will take care not to slip in your blood"
His parting shot: "You are a Tunisian woman!"

You are my IDOL!

I have nothing useful to add here - just wanted to say that I LOVE this thread! This is "need to know" information!

Originally Posted by lizajuk

His parting shot: "You are a Tunisian woman!"

Is that supposed to be an insult of some kind? Like, "Your mother wears combat boots!"?

I've only bargained in SE Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Thailand) but I go with my boyfriend and we are a team.

One of us (whomever wants the item) is the "good one." The other one is the tight-wad "bad" one.

The bad one always wants to leave and go to the shop next door. The bad one remembers seeing it cheaper somewhere else. The bad one refuses to part with our hard earned money.

The good one apologetically announces we are leaving and thanks the shopkeeper for their time repeatedly.

But I too get sick of bartering after a few days. After about 5 days I just walk in and say "how much?" I offer 1/3 or 1/2 depending on the area and I do walk out if they don't give it to me for that price.

I always buy something VERY small as a warmup barter and I suggest doing that if you are bartering for the first time (or for the first time in a while). It gives me confidence.

I also refuse to buy anything from anyone who physically restrains me. (This happened a lot in Vietnam)

Originally Posted by laura 2

Is that supposed to be an insult of some kind? Like, "Your mother wears combat boots!"?

No, it's a compliment - that the customer is clever and knows the prizes and won't pay too much.

Originally Posted by laura 2

Is that supposed to be an insult of some kind? Like, "Your mother wears combat boots!"?

I don't think so..I think it meant I shopped like a Tunisian. I joined in the customs of the land and had a real good haggle. I was enjoying the repartee but I do know some are made uncomfortable by what can be quite forceful conversations and there are times when I can't be bothered and rush off to fixed price shops. The best example I have seen this year was in Egypt at Esna lock with an American lady and myself chucking pashminas backwards and forwards from our boat until we got the right price (for us and most likely especially our trader) £6 for 2!All the insults and don't care flows but ended with grins ..no handshake..we were feet away from the vendor. And earlier in the trip I had actually been floored on the deck of the boat by a kaftan in a bag which I chucked back only to miss the offending trader by miles. Yup Egyptian shopping is much more fun than Asda and M&S especially on the Nile.

PS I only ever saw Tunisian ladies looking very feminine even the police women in their boots!..g.:

Originally Posted by eshe

I also refuse to buy anything from anyone who physically restrains me. (This happened a lot in Vietnam)

yes I was "detained" in a shop in Aswan with my money taken out of my hand before I could sort the notes . But I only had to say two word to get back my change and before I gave back the goods ... Please and POLICE

If you are doing something as important as shopping with someone else, and they cannot read in your non verbal communication that they should put a sock in it, it's probably a liability to be with that person. I know by the meer half flikker of an eyelash from my closest friend when I should shut up.

Originally Posted by lizajuk

yes I was "detained" in a shop in Aswan with my money taken out of my hand before I could sort the notes . But I only had to say two word to get back my change and before I gave back the goods ... Please and POLICE

I wish more people would police that kind of behaviour by not shopping in places like that instead of saying "oh, well that's how it is here" because it makes things worse for other tourists.p::

This cracks me up for some reason...it doesn't hugely bother me because I know I can still walk away. They aren't that strong usually. It happens here sometimes and also when I was in Beijing.

It does however piss my hubby off to see someone grab my arm. He has no patience for that.

Strangely I find it easier to walk away from a firm grip than when shop keepers sit you down, give you tea and show you all their goodies and have a friendly chit chat. It was like this in India and I always felt bad if I didn't buy something. ,r:;

Originally Posted by eshe

I also refuse to buy anything from anyone who physically restrains me. (This happened a lot in Vietnam)

Cracks me up when it happens to me...not to you Eshe!

Thanks for the clarification, Lizajuk and Outi. Makes perfect sense!

Two things:
1) You have to know the average price for whatever object you're looking for - go to a store w/posted prices and do your homework first otherwise you will be flying blind.
2) I've had a lot of success when I can make the shopkeeper laugh -
"1000 for the rug"
"What?!!! That's impossible - you want me to eat Ramen noodles (insert reference to whatever is the local "poor" food) for the next six months?"

These are great tips.

Some other things you can say

"That sounds like a fair price but I can only afford $X for it"
"What is the cash price"
"What is the volume discount"
"I'll pay that price if you add X, Y and Z product as well"

As has been mentioned, don't act too keen to buy and don't be afraid to walk out.