Who does not like to take a souvenir of the place they have visited during the holidays? Many of these souvenirs are found in busy markets in countries where bargaining is a common activity to buy. However, this practice is uncomfortable for many Western tourists who are not used to haggling and it is difficult to know if they got a bargain or paid more.
If you find yourself in this situation and want to graduate in the art of haggling, do not miss the following tips to take all the memories you want from your trip without your wallet suffering.
Get rid of shyness and take charge
When negotiating one of the most important things is attitude. Shyness will be perceived as a weakness and the seller will get you to pay much more for their products. Remember to maintain your confidence and a firm and respectful attitude to reach an agreement. In many countries, haggling is a custom so they will expect you to try to lower the prices of their items.
Sellers live off trade. Every day they see thousands of travelers pass by and from their experience they probably know where you are from, what your budget is and what you are willing to pay just by looking at you. As it is the buyer who decides whether or not to buy at the end of the process, you should dominate the game. A trick? Let him know that you have seen that product in other stores and that if you do not buy it there you will do it elsewhere.
Don't smile all the time during haggling
It is very common to see the typical Spanish tourist talking to the seller with a smile while saying "no, it's very expensive ...". By doing that, you will transmit an image of insecurity and you will give yourself away as a rookie in these struggles. Get serious about negotiating, but don't be arrogant either. With humility and cunning you always go further.
Avoid making the product you want clear from the beginning
Pretend that you are just looking without intention of buying anything particular, because the moment you see that you are clear about what you want, the starting price will go up and it will cost you much more to reach an agreement. A trick? Find a hook item in the store and haggle for it. When you have lowered the price enough, change the item and focus on the one you really want. With the price threshold already low, it will not come out with a high starting price and that is when you can take it to your land.
Pay a fair price
Do not try to always buy at cheap prices because in some countries the economic situation is bad. Try to arrive at a fair price for the item you are buying according to your pocket.
Play good cop, bad cop with your date
If you visit the market accompanied by your partner or a friend, you can share the role of good cop and bad cop when it comes to haggling. One will be more friendly and open with the seller while the other will assume the role of haggling with prices.
Make yourself beg
When the negotiation reaches a stalemate in which there is no progress but there is still interest in closing the deal, the most effective is usually to drop that in another nearby store there is a similar product at a low price and to threaten to leave. Faced with this attitude, sellers often launch a counter offer to make the customer return. Haggling will begin again with the most flexible vendor.
Be patient
Haggling takes time so it is best not to get impatient. The most common is a long haggle so don't expect to reach an agreement in 5 minutes. In this case, it is best to arm yourself with patience and find different ways to convince the seller that the price we offer is the most fair. It can even be fun!
Enjoy the experience
Although the ultimate goal is to acquire a product, the excitement generated by haggling makes it a very fun experience for those of us who are not used to it. An open, patient, carefree and respectful attitude is the key to being successful.
Do the math
It is very important to know what the exchange rate of the local currency is in relation to the euro when bargaining and buying. Also keep in mind that the price offered by the seller will be high because you will have to haggle. So you can get an idea of what is the right price for the item you want to buy.