Haggling In India

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jnorth88

jnorth88

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Most prices in India are pretty fixed, like in shops and Western style stores, but many goods are still haggled over regularly. If you want tailoring, or services, these can be brought down easily without much trouble. But what are the best strategies for haggling in India? Any tips from locals?
 
I have a simple bargaining strategy: Ask for the price and, with a soft chuckle, give an extremely low price. He'll often smile and probably tell you, "no way." Go up a little bit just to show that you are ready to bargain. This will let him know that you are not some naive tourist he can easily fleece. Do not fall for sentimental ploys like "my family will starve if..." In fact try to act disinterested and even start walking out. Tell him the price is too much and you'd rather check the price in the other shops or stalls. Hold your ground and you'll get the best price. Always ask for a discount, especially when you are buying several items from the same stall or shop. In India, a discount is an unofficial right for every buyer of multiple items.
 
Here are some tips I can give you with regards to haggling:
  • It helps if you can research the product before you buy. This way, you know your target price when you haggle.
  • Dress the part. Don't dress too extravagantly, leave the jewelries at home as well as any expensive looking item. This way, they won't think you're a rich customer, lol.
  • Be polite. Do not insult the seller or his products. Be courteous and ask nicely for the bargain price you want.
  • Have cash ready. I prefer cash just because it's more direct than credit card plus I don't think they accept credit cards in street shops. Prepare exact cash amounts and have your bills in smaller amounts.
  • Have some humour. Don't take haggling seriously, make the situation fun and light. This way, you might earn the seller's trust.
Good luck!
 
When I was travelling in India, I used to jokingly look shocked at the prices they gave and always haggled between half the price or a quarter of the price in return. Not that I was being stingy, but it usually made them laugh so hard that they always end up giving me a good price all the same.

I loved to break the ice this way and I've continued using this method for a lot of my travels especially in developing countries. Try it :)
 
Haggling or bartering over a price, I've always found it best to keep the negotiations playful and try and get a bit of humour into the conversation, at least then the trader will know your not just trying to rip them off!

Make sure you keep a smile on your face, and try and have a laugh and a joke with them, and build up some sort of bond with them, even if it is only for a few minutes and a way to get what you want at a cheaper price.
 
In other countries, I have used as my ultimate strategy to start walking away. Usually, they try to make a final, rock-bottom deal to get you to stay. I have used this in my previous trip to India, but only in Chennai. Would it work elsewhere inn the country?
 
It also pays to remember that haggling is simply part of the business deal with no malicious or thievery motives intended. So be kind and friendly to the merchant. Treat the entire exchange with a humorous touch and even try to learn more from the merchant about other related products you may need during your stay. You may even end up creating lasting friendships through haggling.
 
jnorth88 said:
In other countries, I have used as my ultimate strategy to start walking away. Usually, they try to make a final, rock-bottom deal to get you to stay. I have used this in my previous trip to India, but only in Chennai. Would it work elsewhere inn the country?
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If it works for you in one part of the country I wouldn't have thought that it wouldn't work for you in another. At the end of the day in this situation then people are all the same, and they want to achieve the best deal for them, while we, the consumers, are trying to do the same for ourselves.
 
Honestly, I must be one of the people out there that hates haggling. I always feel like I'm either being ripped off, or ripping someone else off by trying to offer too low of a price! I always, always prefer to go to a fixed price type store or market...for me it just takes some of the stress out of it (the times I've tried to haggle it's been pretty intense, and I'm really bad at it which doesn't help!)

Does anyone else feel this way? Like they're being an inconsiderate tourist by trying to low-ball the price of goods? I mean I know it's 100% okay (and encouraged!) in a lot of places to haggle...but I can't help but feel that in a lot of the places that I've travelled that a bit of extra money is better off with the families who are running these shops (and trying to support their families by doing so!) than me trying to get a super cheap handbag or sunglasses or whatever!
 
No, I feel the same way Amelia. If I feel that the price is fair then I'm happy to pay it. If I think a price is too high for what I'm trying to buy I just don't buy it. I think its because its not really practised in the UK. When I travel to India with my wife, who is Indian, she will dive right in and start bargaining for a good price straight away, usually quite successfully, but she has explained to me that as she is a native Indian, she will always be able to get a cheaper price than me. I'm lucky to have an expert haggler by my side as I'm so useless at it myself.
 
Steve Dawson said:
No, I feel the same way Amelia. If I feel that the price is fair then I'm happy to pay it. If I think a price is too high for what I'm trying to buy I just don't buy it. I think its because its not really practised in the UK. When I travel to India with my wife, who is Indian, she will dive right in and start bargaining for a good price straight away, usually quite successfully, but she has explained to me that as she is a native Indian, she will always be able to get a cheaper price than me. I'm lucky to have an expert haggler by my side as I'm so useless at it myself.
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You are lucky! I bet it helps a lot being able to have her do the haggling. I definitely think if it's something you're accustomed to it would be easier...but I'm in the same boat as you - haggling is never done here in the States (in fact you'd probably get a bizarre stare or be told to leave if you tried!) so I'm just not used to it. I'm pretty much the same in that if I think it's a fair price then I'm happy to pay it. If not, I just say that it's okay and continue browsing or move along. If they then offer me a lower price then that's up to them, but I hate playing the mind games!
 
It's not my favourite thing to do I must admit, but in certain parts of the world, they'll expect you to try and knock the price down a but, so right from the start their prices will be a lot more expensive than they should be.

No matter how much I dislike haggling, I like being ripped off even less so I'm prepared to do it, just because it means I'm not being taken advantage of and overcharged.
 
pwarbi said:
It's not my favourite thing to do I must admit, but in certain parts of the world, they'll expect you to try and knock the price down a but, so right from the start their prices will be a lot more expensive than they should be.

No matter how much I dislike haggling, I like being ripped off even less so I'm prepared to do it, just because it means I'm not being taken advantage of and overcharged.
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Yup - my sister took a trip to China and was looking at a market at knock off designer branded make up brushes. When they gave her a price she walked right away because she thought it was overpriced and then immediately they tried to offer her a price that was basically 50% less! So you can see how much they probably inflate the price for tourists, so I totally get where you're coming from about not liking to be ripped off!
 
As a tourist in any country I think we can expect to pay a little more than the locals, but 50% more is a bit too much for anyone to be expected to pay.

When it comes to haggling a price, us in the west don't have any experience of it, so going to any country where it's the normal thing to do, is always going to be a little awkward.
 
I don't know how to haggle. Even if I wanted to, I can't seem to get myself to ask for a lower price for what the other person is selling. If I think that the given price is steep, I'll just walk away. I only buy what I can afford and what's within my budget whenever I'm in another country.
 
Maja said:
I don't know how to haggle. Even if I wanted to, I can't seem to get myself to ask for a lower price for what the other person is selling. If I think that the given price is steep, I'll just walk away. I only buy what I can afford and what's within my budget whenever I'm in another country.
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I think a lot of people will probably do the same as if in your own country it's not the done thing, then you're simply just not used to it.

Haggling takes a certain amount of confidence, and it's going to take time to build that confidence up to a level where you not only feel comfortable about getting the right price in the end, but you can have a little fun with it along the way.
 
I successfully haggled a few times in India and actually won. I must admit it was done in English, which made it a bit easier seeing that they seems pretty compassionate towards selling the rug to a tourist.

Like pwarbi stated, it does take a certain amount of confidence in order to make it work. But if I can do it, I'm sure anyone can if they put forth a decent effort.
 
It's mainly about building up that rapport aswell with the seller. If you trust that they're not going to be overcharging you, and they trust that your not going to be there to get a super cheap bargain, then I think you'll usually be able to find a common ground and a fair price.

If you start off by offering a ridiculous amount then the seller will go the other way and not budge on an amount that even they know is overpriced and you'll then be stuck at a stalemate, and neither of you will want to back down.
 
Let's face it, if you are a tourist, the locals are going to be much more lenient to you when it comes to prices. All you have to do is be polite, ask nicely for a price reduction, and if they see that it is fair, they do it. It's kind of unfair, really, that most people treat their tourists better than one of their own, but I guess it's how the world works. Good luck with the buying game, make sure to be respectful with their decisions, and you will be just fine.
 
OursIsTheFury said:
Let's face it, if you are a tourist, the locals are going to be much more lenient to you when it comes to prices. All you have to do is be polite, ask nicely for a price reduction, and if they see that it is fair, they do it. It's kind of unfair, really, that most people treat their tourists better than one of their own, but I guess it's how the world works. Good luck with the buying game, make sure to be respectful with their decisions, and you will be just fine.
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I'm not sure if that's true entirely, as some have been known to do the opposite and charge even more because they're a tourist and aren't used to haggling over a price.

If the buyer is obviously a tourist, then some sellers will start the offer around 50% higher than what they would with anybody else, as they know that usually a tourist will try to knock them down 25%. The seller will agree and the tourist will walk off thinking they've got a good deal, when really they've still bought the item for 25% more than what the starting price should have been in the first place.
 
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