Haggling & Bartering: Our Guide
We have often read, in posts by all kinds of travellers including the most experienced, that they don’t enjoy or feel comfortable with the practice of haggling over prices in bazaars and markets in certain cultures. On one level, we find this really surprising, as we have had great fun doing this in places as disparate as Turkey, Morocco, India, Jordan and even Singapore, and without fail we have enjoyed the whole experience. On the other hand, we think we perhaps do understand what it is that the British in particular don’t like about the practice.
So here’s our 5-minute guide to how to enjoy.
- Firstly, don’t think that you are always meant to haggle, in some situations it isn’t appropriate. Food markets, for example, are not usually negotiable prices, and in many cases hand made craft items aren’t fair game. If in doubt, wait and watch before you dive in and cause offence.
- Try and judge your circumstances and think about your impact on the locals. In other words, don’t always push too hard: something which is a very small amount of money, a few pence perhaps, to you, may be the cost of a meal for the vendor. Always keep this in mind. And don’t start the process if you’re not serious and have no intention to reach a deal, nobody likes a time waster.
- Having established that it’s “game on”, let’s start with why Brits aren’t comfortable. Being a fairly mistrusting race, we tend to be fearful of losing, or being “done”, and consequently there is a belief that the outcome of haggling will be that there’s a winner and a loser. Get this thought right out of your mind, and instead, think of the whole episode as a quasi-social event where you and the vendor are both having fun. Forget the whole concept of “defeat”.
- We’ve had enormous success with haggling prices, and by success, we don’t only mean that we bought something at an agreeable price, but also that we made new friends who we then chat to each time we see them again around town.
- How much does it matter if you get the last few dirums off? If you really want to buy the item, then have in your mind what price you’d be willing to pay, and then don’t deviate from it. Either way.
- Don’t be afraid to make your first offer very low. Your first offer will be rejected anyway, so start well below the price you’ve decided you’d be willing to pay.
- Always make eye contact with the vendor, always smile, always engage. Contrary to popular opinion, eye contact is crucial for the buyer: it won’t weaken your bargaining power, and it will show that you’re genuine. Be engaging. Remember, it isn’t adversarial, it’s a bit of social fun.
- Don’t be afraid to become an actor or actress. Lots of us have assumed a different character during business meetings in our career, so haggling in a bazaar shouldn’t be any more challenging than that. Have fun playing a role.
- Conduct yourself as if you’re coming to an agreement with a friend, not as if you’re fearful of being “done”.
- Finally, an example. We have several scenarios we act out, but this is our favourite. Michaela starts the bidding (she is extremely good at bargaining but is coming over as really wanting to buy) and starts extremely low, but she’s making lots of eye contact, she’s smiling and admiring what’s for sale, she’s engaging, she’s even allowing him to flirt. I stay detached but occasionally make eye contact too, from a distance. When Michaela and the vendor reach the inevitable impasse and are still some way apart on price, Michaela comes over to me and whispers. I shake my head and turn away, Michaela looks sadly back at the vendor and shrugs her shoulders. Almost invariably he now makes another offer, and we start again.
One final myth: lots of guide books will tell you that there comes a point where it is impolite to walk away, once negotiations have started. This is actually nonsense, you are free to walk at any time and nobody’s going to be offended (unless perhaps you’ve let him fetch two dozen different examples from the back of the shop!).
So remember, don’t be adversarial, there’s no winner and there’s no loser. You win when you make new friends.
19 Comments
Marie
I read this carefully because I hate haggling!…. I like to browse and root through stuff so can’t keep asking the price of everything 10 or 15 times!…. I’ll always head for the priced items by choice. I’m better if I’m in a place for a couple of days.. then I have time to gauge what’s what. Its not exactly a fear of being ‘done’…. I just don’t enjoy the process….. But… Having read this, maybe I’ll embrace it more openly next chance I get!!
Phil & Michaela
It really is a good way of making friends, more than once we’ve ended up getting restaurant recommendations and finding where the locals eat…plus of course, like all travellers, our house is full of souvenirs from around the world.
ourcrossings
I love picking up unique things like jewellery, shoes or clothing that are locally made when we travel. As we made our way to Morocco, where I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist their hand-made goods, but I wasn’t that keen on haggling. I know that haggling is a game and if you approach it that way you’re likely to be more comfortable. There’s nothing to be afraid of. In the end the worst case situation is you walking without the item you wanted. Still, I made my husband to do all the negotiations. Thanks for sharing. I loved seeing Morocco through your beautiful travel photos. Aiva 🙂 xxx
Phil & Michaela
Thanks Aiva, we just love Morocco and its culture. Well done to your husband for doing the deals! 😁
normareadtalktalknet
Brings back so many memories, so enjoyed haggling in these circumstances and you’re spot on .. it can be a fun and social interaction for both parties and you’re both really waiting to get to the middle…they’ve started to high .. your start is to low so when you meet in the middle you’re both happy and it’s has been an entertaining few minutes .. great fun (let’s face it they wouldn’t expect you to take first price) that’s the name of the game .. keep haggling .. 👍😁… isn’t it something we’re having to get used to now here with our household bills 🤔
Phil & Michaela
Its fabulous fun!I think I owe all my bartering skills to you and Nan in those early trips to Tunisia, loved it!🥰
Steve Berger
So much fun to read this post. I really enjoy bargaining, Annie (Canadian with British mum) not so much. I can still remember how long it took me to convince her that bargaining was a normal and expected part of buying souvenirs in many countries.
I don’t know if others have experienced this, but as we’ve gotten older we don’t bargain nearly as “hard” as we used to. We still bargain a little but our philosophy is that they need the money more than we do. With taxis/tuk-tuks I still bargain hard but usually give a nice “tip” at the end – often equal to the original asking price. Sure brings a smile.
Phil & Michaela
We always enjoy it and have ended up making many friends through the process. You’re right on the transport thing: you can end up getting really good “local info” from tuk tuk drivers etc … so a good tip can buy you favours!
Andrew Petcher
One day in Malta we took a walk around Mellieha and on the way back to the hotel stopped at a beach bar for a break. A Looky-Looky man approached and showed us the rubbish that he was hoping to sell. I would never buy from a Looky-Looky man and I told him to go away. He packed up and moved on but my five year old granddaughter called him back.
Sensing a sale he started all over again, she liked a carved elephant and he said it was five euro. my reaction was ‘no way‘, my daughter said ‘offer him four’, Patsy thought about this for a while and then looked him directly in the eye and said ‘Three’. I choked on my beer, Sally almost fell off her chair, the Looky-Looky man just laughed and agreed the deal!
The next time I go to Morocco and go shopping in the Souks or go to buy a new car I am taking my granddaughter with me to do the negotiating…
Phil & Michaela
Ha, good plan!
Monkey's Tale
I hate haggling, but Richard loves it. At least he did until our 2 year long trip. By the end he was tired of it and just wanted to pay a fair price. After all as you said, what’s a few cents to us compared to them. I like your tag teaming method though 🙂 Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Hi Maggie, I learnt a lot of my haggling skills from my Mum and Nan years ago in Tunisia. My Nan drove such a hard bargain that they used to call her Maggie Thatcher! All good fun 😆
Monkey's Tale
😄😄🤣🤣🤣
Annie Berger
Great advice, Phil, for all travelers interested in knowing how best to barter.
Phil & Michaela
Happy bartering!😁
Toonsarah
This is an excellent post, full of great advice! I have got more used to haggling over the years, having hated it when I first encountered the practice. I still feel a bit uncomfortable when I start a transaction, especially the first of any trip, but I usually get into the swing of it and relax after a while.
What I don’t like in these places however is that it’s so hard to browse. If I pause to look at an item, maybe point it out to my husband, the vendor is straight on to me: ‘How much will you pay? I give you good price’. If I say I’m just looking they hover my my shoulder and as soon as I pick up a second item the same thing happens. I end up walking away when if I’d been left alone to browse I might well have ended up buying. I’ve had to learn to look from a distance and only move closer to a stall once pretty sure I want to buy something, but I’d much prefer to be able to look at my leisure. Any tips on managing that part of the operation please?
Phil & Michaela
Unfortunately yes that is one of the drawbacks, browsing is difficult. We haven’t found a solution I’m afraid, just to be forceful with a smile – but in the end you just have to keep fending them off. The closest we’ve come to holding them at bay is to keep repeating the word “later, later”, but it doesn’t work every time by any means.
Joe
While on a visit to Morocco, while in my early twenties, I was lured into a carpet shop by an old shopkeeper greeting me with a friendly “shalom”. Once inside, he ushered me to a low table and offered me a soft pillow to sit on. Next, he poured me a cup of mint tea, and rapidly showed me a never-ending collection of rugs. I politely expressed my appreciation of his products, which were exquisite, but I had no need for a rug and didn’t have the money to buy one. I tried to communicate my lack of interest and inability to purchase, but he persisted by bringing out smaller and cheaper rugs. After about 30 minutes, I felt like my only option was to get up and leave the shop. As I walked out, the merchant became furious and cursed at me in Arabic. I felt terrible, and have remembered this experience every time I go shopping in a foreign land. Your advice is helpful, and will be useful the next time I inevitably get sucked in.
Phil & Michaela
Oh dear, not a good start! It’s great to own things picked up on your travels though, isn’t it…the homes of avid travellers are often filled with great memories, ours certainly is.