Bargaining Tips
How to Hold Your Own When You're Haggling About Price

Haggling can be intimidating if you're not in the habit of doing it - and even if you. These basic bargaining tips will help you develop the right attitude, one that should help make this experience bearable, and even pleasurable:

• If you're somewhere haggling is commonplace, assume the initial price will be several times higher than the real price.

• Try to estimate what the item is worth. Asking others what they've paid for something similar is a good way of assessing price. Or ask someone local for bargaining tips, bearing in mind that as a foreigner, you would be expected to pay a little more.

• Put that amount - and no more - in your pocket. That way, when you pull it out to say it's all you have to spend, you'll be telling the truth.

• Walk around and look for similar items. Make sure you've spotted the best of the lot before you start bargaining.

• Do not look interested in the object of your interest. A merchant will be watching you closely as you meander through his or her stall or shop. Any show of interest will raise the price. If you must point at something just to begin the bargaining process, do so carelessly.

• Appear bored or in a hurry. Don't hold an object in your hand any longer than you need to in order to begin the bidding.

• Gear up psychologically. You are about to face masters in the art of haggling, who have worn down thousands of foreign shoppers before you.

• Better yet, take a friend or someone from the hostel. It's harder to convince two people, and she'll keep you from going overboard if you get too caught up in the haggling game. You can use the carrot and stick - you look interested while she tries to drag you away.

• Try not to look too wealthy. No merchant will believe your tales of poverty if you're dripping with the very latest gear.

• Determine your strategy. Will you demean the item? Will you plead poverty? Will you feign disinterest? It's best to have a plan before you plunge.

• Be ready to walk away before you walk in. You must be convincing about this - most deals happen when you're halfway out the door.

• Ask the prices of two or three items, so the one you're keen on isn't so apparent.

• Make an offer on the one you want that is somewhat lower than the price you've researched as appropriate.

• If you're in the ball park, this should yield a counteroffer. At this stage, you should be trying to bring the price towards your end of the scale and the vendor towards his or hers.

• This is a good time to highlight some of the product's disadvantages - a stain or discoloration, hanging threads, mismatched colors, anything you can think of that makes this particular item less than perfect.

• If after several efforts the price is still too high but you're keen on the purchase, walk away. Chances are you're still in the game, and this may help clinch the deal.

• Whatever you do, don't try to take away all the seller's profit. Stall-owners are sometimes badgered so aggressively by tourists that they scale back their prices unacceptably, even parting with an item at cost. Remember, they have to make a living, while all you may be trying to do is save 5 cents. Keep things in perspective.

• Consider how rich you are in comparison to the people around you. Your daily budget may be more than local people make in a month - so be sensitive when you bargain.

In the end, these bargaining tips stress a mixture of common sense and mutual respect. Use your sense when making an offer, but don't leave your compassion at home. If the vendor is obviously poor, make sure you don't take away her livelihood. Go ahead and try to get a good price - but not at any price. That's why it's called the art of haggling.

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