Bargaining doesn’t have to suck

Hang out, drink tea, and pay the same price as the locals

For many of us, bargaining does not come naturally. We don’t do it often enough. Everyday, when we go to the store, we have to pay the price listed on the sticker. The rules governing our society say so.

Elsewhere, that’s not always the case. Markets around the world use the barter system. If you’ve never negotiated the price of an item before, this conversation feels uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and unfair. You feel bad that you’re either paying way too much or way too little.

Don’t feel bad. Sellers are smart. They’re not going to lose money to you. This is their way of life, and they’re damn good at it. Respect the process. As the buyer, your one job is not to pay too much. Don’t mess that up!

I’ve bargained across Africa, Asia, Central America, and parts of Europe. Here’s what works.

Learn the language. You don’t have to become fluent. But before heading out of the country, you should always learn enough to greet your fellow humans, be polite, ask for help, and buy things. Even speaking the bare minimum earns you a lot of respect.

Master the local currency. You never want to appear confused in a market, especially holding money. Make sure you know which bills and coins are which. Know the conversion rate, and how to price items accordingly. Have small bills ready to make purchases. ATMs are awful and always give out big bills. Ask for change at your hotel, a restaurant, or in the airport.

Do a loop and get the layout of the market. It’s easier to bargain when you know where you’re going, who sells what, and price estimates for items you want to buy. Do a few trial runs before settling on shops you really like.

Be nice. Most shop owners around the world are champion chit chatters and they just love to practice their English. You might be in a rush, but they certainly are not. They’ll be here all day, everyday. Stop, stay awhile, and chat. They’ll lower their price a lot.

If they offer tea, drink it. This goes with be nice, but let me reiterate. You should always hang out with locals, especially when there is tea involved. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn’t mean you have to buy something. If they are making you tea, it is likely because it’s custom for them to do so. Partake! If you end up wanting something from their shop, you’ll always regret saying no to the tea.

Keep the poker face. Do not react strongly to any one particular item. It’s harder to drive the price down if the shopkeeper knows you really want it.

Start at least 75% lower than the asking price. It seems very low, but it’s only going to go up. When you spend the first part of the conversation being nice, you won’t offend them with your offer, so it doesn’t hurt to start real low.

Perfect the walk away. If you reach an impasse, kindly bid adieu. Nothing is worse than watching a customer walk away without buying anything. They always come back for you with their lowest price yet. You can do this a few times when you really want to close a good deal.

If it doesn’t go well, start over. Markets usually have dozens of vendors selling the same item. If you can’t get a price you like, you can always find another vendor.

Isn’t part of traveling doing something different? Take the time to actually bargain like locals do, and you will get the local price. Or at least pretty damn close. You might even have fun doing it.

If you have additional tips, respond below. What works for you?