If there’s one thing the Brits are particularly bad at, it’s haggling. We see a price and fall over ourselves to blindly pay it. Some of this is because we don’t think about trying to knock some money off but also, we don’t want to appear stingy. So today, we’re going to teach you how to barter whether you’re at home or abroad.
Things to remember
Make sure to check whether haggling or bartering is appropriate. If you’re in Harrods, probably not. If you’re in a Turkish bazar, you’ll probably be ok.
Photo by: Christian Müller/Fotolia
Haggling in the UK
There’s no law saying you can’t haggle in the UK. Traders will happily negotiate as long as you’re polite. Ask if they can do any better rather than saying “I’ll give you a fiver” for the £25 bag.
In larger stores, forget anything preconceived ideas you may have and remember one thing “price match”. If you shop in John Lewis, the chances are you may have haggled without realising it. Only it’s called price matching here. If you’ve seen the same product somewhere cheaper, ask if they’ll match.
7 tips for haggling abroad
- If you can, watch the locals for a bit before you try. It’ll give you an idea of the process and what reactions to expect. If nothing else, it’ll let you see what prices the locals are paying.
- Haggling at the end of the day can be more effective. True you may miss out on some things that have already sold but it’s a good time to practice.
- Have plenty of cash and in a range of notes and coins. You don’t want to spend ages negotiating only to find the seller won’t accept your 200 dirham note.
- If you’re not happy with the price, walk away. If the seller calls you back with a new price, it’ll probably be the best price he can do.
- Use your partner to act negatively and loudly worry about how little money there is left and they want to leave.
- Check the different stalls for quality. Which are popular with the locals?
- Offer cash at shops that take credit cards. You’ll likely get a better product with an extra discount.
Photo by: Kotangens/Fotolia
3 things not to do when bartering
- Don’t guess at a price. Do some research and offer an informed price.
- Don’t show any interest in what you’re buying. If the seller knows you want it, they won’t haggle.
- Don’t not barter. Not haggling can be seen as an insult in some countries.
How about you?
Have you had much success negotiating when aboard? If so, we want to hear from you below. Any tips or success stories are always welcome!
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