I know that different cultures have different approaches to buying and selling, and in some places it's acceptable to haggle over a price and in others it's considered rude. Do people usually bargain in the bazaars and open markets? And is it the same in the shops? Is there a different from one region to another? I would like to get the best price for things, but have great respect for craftspeople and I don't want to insult anyone.
Bargaining is quite common in India. But it's consider to be inauspicious if you bargain when the shopkeeper has just opened his shop. It is common to bargain for prices at craft bazaars and open markets. Some shops are also open for bargaining but the big shops are generally fixed price shops.
Yes people bargain in bazaars, open markets and shops because for a country like India where bargaining is considered as one of the processes in buying and selling. In my opinion it differ from one region to another.
I think haggling is a part of the culture of the people in India, much like ours. In markets and farmer markets, I think it's acceptable to haggle or bargain with the prices of goods. It is almost like a way of life especially in Asian countries in general, not just in India. I don't know though if you can haggle at malls or stores because their prices there are fixed.
This is good to know. I would have expected bargaining in open markets, but not so much in shops. I think I will observe others before I try any haggling in the shops.
I am glad I stumbled upon this thread. I am the worst when it comes to bargaining for prices as I always feel shy and I'm not sure of the seller's reaction. But now that I know that it is common practice in Indian bazaars and open markets, I should be good to go
I think that bargaining is common practice in bazaars and open markets in almost every country that I have been to. I am sure it's the same in India.
I really don't feel comfortable bargaining with people because I am always worried that they would feel insulted or offended; especially if their product is hand-made.
I'm not very good at bargaining because I always feel like I'm insulting the person by requesting a price discount. I have a friend who is a great haggler, she can bargain a price down pretty low and usually has the seller laughing while she's doing it.
Price negotiation seems to be a way of life in India. I knew some stall keepers back in my college days who said they'd sometimes feel let down when a buyer gave up easily and completed a purchase without engaging in some little haggling tradition. Bargaining promotes good conversation between two strangers and often creates best-customer best buyer relationships.
Something to remember in bartering is to know what the product should cost. Don't try to barter too hard for things you know nothing about. But even looking up a little bit of information online is enough to give you an understanding. It is bad to offer to pay ten dollars for something that cost the store twenty just to stock. But if you haggle them down from fifty to twenty-five, that is still good. A big thing is never get upset. It is just a conversation, and if it goes your way, great, and if not, no worries.
I think it's a common practice to haggle at bazaars and flea markets. But I don't do it because I don't know how to haggle. And sometimes, I feel like I would be stealing from the person if I ask for a lower price for the thing that he's trying to sell. Well, that's just me. If I think that the price is too steep, I just walk away and look around for other goods that would fit my budget.
Seeing as you are a tourist, the locals always give us more leeway when it comes to bargaining and haggling with the products. Believe it or not, sometimes the locals (in any country for that matter) are actually kinder to tourists compared to one of their own, as they want to make a good impression to the tourists visiting their area. Don't expect them to just give you things though, everything needs to be justified, and please maintain a sense of respect when talking to them. They give you hospitality, you should give it back with gratitude.
I don't haggle in marketplaces or where I see farmers or fishermen selling their products. I feel really guilty when I ask for a discount with these types of vendors. I haggle a lot though when I'm in night markets or stores where they sell clothes and crafts, etc. I think haggling is OK if you ask for a reasonable price and you respect the vendor's decision on the price.
My etiquette for life that can also be applied at haggling is always be respectful. Even if you're asking for a lower price it's important not to play fast and loose with your dignity (and money). Some shopkeepers like bargaining, some don't you really have to take their body language and facial expressions into consideration as well.
Being respectful and having common decency is certainly the best way to get to a price that you can both agree on. While in some ways haggling a price is a competition, its also just a way of coming to an agreement, just like you would with anybody over anything, and if you go in all guns blazing at the beginning, then neither of you are going to get anywhere.
