Scoring a bargain from shopkeepers who haggle for a living can be difficult.
Most have a lifetime of bargaining experience behind them and they know how to read tourist shoppers well.
If you're tired of being one-upped on your bargain hunting adventures, follow these simple tips and you'll be haggling like a pro in no time.
Don't haggle on day one
Before heading out and using the force, it's important to curb your enthusiasm, Obi-Wan!
And by that I mean try to avoid buying
anything on the first day of your holiday.
Instead, spend time familiarising yourself with local prices and comparing the shopping districts around town. Your research and newfound knowledge will pay dividends when you do start to bargain.
Look the part
So you're ready to bargain? Great! Before you leave the hotel, dress down.
Gold rings and big watches scream 'Wealthy!', especially in poorer countries.
If you want to grab a bargain, dress as though you don't have a black Amex stashed inside your designer wallet.
Build rapport
When you walk into a store, smile and say a warm "G'day" (NB: Australians are generally offered better prices than Yanks).
You'll get a better bargain if you're on friendly terms with the seller, so make sure you laugh, play nice, and enjoy the haggling process.
If you're feeling tired and cranky, avoid haggling altogether. Go and recharge over a nice meal instead.
Know your limits (and keep them to yourself)
Once you decide what you want, determine how much you're prepared to pay for it.
If you've done your research at other stores you should have a rough idea of the item's asking price.
Todd, an Australian businessman who bargains abroad for work, says "It's important to set a limit in your head before bargaining with the shopkeeper, otherwise you could walk out spending much more than you initially anticipated."
Let the shopkeeper open the bargaining
"What's your best price?" isn't the greatest opener known to man.
In fact, as soon as
you open a sale, the shopkeeper gains an idea of how badly you want an item.
If the vendor knows that you really, really want something s/he'll sense it, and it will be harder to bargain on its price.
Allow the shopkeeper open the bidding and avoid this amateur mistake.
Go low
It's always difficult to know where to start the bidding.
Personally I believe it depends heavily on which country you're in.
In India and Thailand I find it safe to start bargaining at around one quarter or one fifth the original asking price, whereas in Marrakech — where shopkeepers have an abundance of European tourists who happily pay higher prices — I'm laughed out of stores after offering that sort of rate.
Read each situation and act accordingly, but remember — the lower your starting offer the lower your final price will be.
Hold your ground during the haggle
The back-and-forth in haggling is crucial. Shopkeepers will often use a variety of tactics to goad you into buying for a higher price, so remember to stick to your guns and never pay more than the price you've set in your head.
Over time you'll develop your own idiosyncrasies and one-liners to handle even the most relentless of shopkeepers.
For now, these might help you hold your ground:
- "I've seen it cheaper somewhere else."
- "I'm not really sure…"
- "The thing is I just don't need it…"
- "It's not the greatest fit…"
Silence is golden
Once you've openly stated how much you're willing to pay, try, try, try and keep your mouth closed.
Let the shop keeper come back to you with a counter offer before you jump in hastily with a higher price.
Be prepared to walk away
Being prepared to walk away from an item is at the core of every good haggler's heart.
If you're adamant that you won't leave until you get a particular item, an experienced shopkeeper will pick up on it way before you realise you're no longer wearing your poker face.
This is where being prepared to walk away wields its mighty sword.
"If you know in your heart that you can easily walk away from the item and happily never see it again, then you will always have the power over the sale," says Todd.
"But if the seller knows that you need it, then they'll always have the power over you."
If you do walk away, never go back
So you didn't get the price you wanted and you walked away. Good for you!
The next step is to never go back. Ever. In fact, don't even look over your shoulder.
The second you do, the shop keeper will know that you're still wanting that item, which means you'll ultimately pay premium price if you ever set foot in that store again.
It's not always about a discount
While the shopkeeper may not budge on a lower price, they may be willing to throw in another item or two for free. That way they move more stock and you get what you want.
Never be afraid to ask if this is possible.
Live by the haggler's motto: "If you don't ask, you don't get."
Never, ever…
As a customer, there are some things you should never do while bargaining:
- Never mention your total budget and never flash your cash before agreeing on a final price.
- Don't keep bargaining once the deal is agreed upon. It's just bad manners.
- You'd also do well to avoid haggling in busy shops. Haggling is an intimate exchange, and if the shop is full with other customers you could be perceived as a nuisance.
- To save yourself time and energy, always ensure that you're haggling with the right person. There's no point bargaining with a junior employee only to restart the entire process once they "check with the manager".
- Finally, and for obvious reasons, don't haggle in a shop that displays a "No haggling" sign. Those signs are there for a reason, and they're usually posted by cantankerous shopkeepers who are tired of dealing with penny-pinching tourists.
Happy haggling!
Do you have any tried and true tips for driving a bargain abroad? Tell us about them.
