I was left empty handed and embarrassed, all because of charging an extra $5 on a box of skeletons.
In places around the world, bargaining for the joy of buying groceries is a historic custom. It seems that guests are not expected to pay untouched prices. Rather, buyers and suppliers engage in a verbal fandango that – depending on the moment – can feel light-hearted and funny or uncomfortable and offensive, especially in an era of rising inequality and threatened assets.
Katie Leary Sebastian, director and co-founder of Ixöq, a company specializing in home goods and appliances made by Guatemalan girls, said she once enjoyed the competitive game of bargaining. Nowadays, she will wrinkle more briefly and settle for a better price.
“They may have gone further down the road, but I’m much more sensitive to their circumstances,” he said.
Tourists can stay away from disputes and rate an offer Through exploring the trade and customs of ethical bargaining. The ultimate objective: sharing the victory.
Know where the price will be cut
Many countries like Egypt, Türkiye and Ecuador are called hot spots. bargain for. Don’t think that the application is a national hobby, however. For example, although it is common in many parts of Mexico, the current tourist destination of Oaxaca no longer includes it as enthusiastically.
,There is no big culture of bargaining here. Locals don’t do it too much,” said Suzanne Barbezat, co-owner of Uncover Oaxaca Excursions and advance professional at Walk Ask a Native. “But some tourists expect it, so it can sometimes be an issue.”
Even in the same city, this practice may be appropriate in one type of industrial venue, such as a souk or open-air market, but discouraged in another, such as a mall or global store. As a preventive measure, some owners will put up signs mentioning that prices have been fixed.
“Attempts to negotiate in these scenarios may be considered disrespectful, and any such attempts usually do not result in a waiver,” Ignacio Curbelo, overall director of Uruguay’s tourism ministry, wrote in an email.
Fernando Rodriguez, general manager of Intrepid Journeys in Peru, encourages tourists to splurge at the South American country’s manufacturing and craft markets. Tourist destinations, where the markup is in most cases higher than local destinations, are particularly receptive to bargain hunters. However, Rodriguez said tourists should avoid this practice in stores with cashiers and price tags.
Sherif Khalil, managing partner of Dunes & Past Journeys and Walks Ask a Native Professional, said the guidelines are the same in Egypt. He tells his customers to scoff at prices in bazaars, such as Khan al-Khalili in Cairo, but no longer to buy groceries with brand-name stores. He said visitors want to cut back on cab fares, but the rise in meters has taken away this dependency.
Leary Sebastian, who visits Guatemala several times, will always give customized dollars on principle. She avoids bargaining in built-up markets because items are already cheap, even at “tourist” prices.
“Vegetables are so cheap that I don’t care if I’m paying five quetzals and the Guatemalan woman next to me is paying three quetzals,” said Leary Sebastian. “I just got an avocado for 50 cents.”
If you’re undecided about whether bargaining is appropriate, walk around the venue and practice exchanges between buyers and traders. To avoid any mistakes, hire an information or discuss with someone from the area. While they are able to trade within the recommendations and guidelines, they are generally not allowed to negotiate for you.
Adopt the best negotiation perspective
When you find yourself able to take the leap, start with a comfortable opener, like “Is this the best price?” Or suggest a price that is a third or partial discount – or whatever custom dictates. (For example, Rodriguez said it’s 10 to 20 percent in Peru.) If the seller responds, walk to the nearest one. Move from side to side until you reach an amount that works for either of you.
Anu Taranath, a lecturer at the University of Washington and author of “Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World,” says to keep the conversation bright, pleasant and entertaining. Taranath, who has hawked bargains around the world, encourages travelers not to shoot the transaction – or themselves – too seriously.
“There’s some joy to be had in this,” he said. “If someone gets caught up in a sense of superiority or a sense of being aggrieved, it turns the conversation sour.”
Hala Benkhaldoun, general manager of Intrepid Journeys in Morocco, said a novice or overly competitive dealmaker may insult a merchant by suggesting a clever cut rate, such as 70 percent off the untouched price, and the company’s closest position on quantity.
If the conversation turns painful, defuse the situation and shoot the store. Christine Buzinde, lecturer and director of the Arizona State College of Family Assets and Buildings, reminds tourists about the noble purpose of the bargain: to connect on a humanistic level, not a materialistic one.
“If we have a more interconnected approach to being world citizens, we’re less likely to worry about how much can I do for the price,” Buzinde said. “We move beyond the transactional elements to ‘How do I get to know this person?’ Can move towards.”
If you can’t reach an agreement, accept the normal price or walk out. Professionals say that there is no disgrace in getting yourself out of this situation. If the seller is still in the sale, they will come after you.
Don’t be discouraged when a proposal fails, Khalil said. Markets tend to promote a lot of the same things, so get back in the game – with all sanity.
Understand the souvenirs you are bargaining for
When buying groceries for souvenirs and crafts, you can understand the range of costs for similar goods. One reason for this is the influx of cheap imports that have devalued and marketed exclusive and hand-made pieces. Before you start bargaining, ask the seller about the origin of the product and the efforts put into making it. Modify your request depending on whether it was made by hand or purchased in bulk from a foreign country.
One of Peru’s most sought-after trinkets is a llama that I dress up in a miniature Machu Picchu, Rodriguez said, and vendors in tourist markets welcome hard bargains because they buy pieces from China and sell through volume. Are. On the other hand, such bargaining is unfair when you buy immediately from local artisans, many of whom spend hours preparing herbal dyes and fibers and toiling at their craft.
“We ask people to avoid bargaining as the local communities are not traders. They don’t feel comfortable doing that,” Rodriguez said. “It may be very expensive, but it’s a fair price.”
Buzinde said you need to take into account the country’s cost of living, salaries and economic and political balance to help calculate a “fair” price.
“What could be a good deal for us may be taking away the quality of life that we want for ourselves,” Buzinde said. “At the end of the day, you may feel like you gained a profit, but you left them at a loss.”
Taranath said tourists should keep this in mind when engaging with locals, but cautioned against thinking too much about it. If you’re concerned about social inequalities, chances are you’ll miss out on the joy of conversation.
,If I’m at a market in Guatemala and an aunt is selling something I’m interested in buying, I want that exchange to be enjoyable for both of us,” she said. “Just thinking about how much I have compared to him probably won’t take us away from experiencing that moment.”
If you feel guilty, you will always have to pay the full price.
A few years later, after the harsh lesson I learned in Mexico Town, I bought a hand-carved stool in Ankara, Turkey, without haggling. anyhow. To express his gratitude, the seller also included his knitted pillow.
