Do you bargain? Are you good at it?
By poohgal
@poohgal (6845)
Singapore
January 21, 2008 11:54am CST
I have some friends who are very good in bargaining when shopping. They will especially do that when they are overseas. Most places in my country do not allow bargaining. The prices are fixed.
I recently came back from China. I realized one thing. Most places in China (except those big departmental stores) allow bargaining. In fact, it's a must to bargain as they usually mark up the price (especially when dealing with tourists). These items usually do not have price tags on them and how much you pay is really up to the sales personnel and also your bargaining skill.
I have also been to countries which do not allow bargaining at all. One example is Japan. In fact, if I remember correctly, someone told me before it's considered rude to bargain in Japan.
If you are at a shop which allows you to bargain, would you? Are you good at it?
Personally, I am very bad in bargaining. I usually need the help of friends in order to get a good bargain.
2 people like this
10 responses
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
22 Jan 08
haha.. i'm a very bad bargainner.. LOL ^-^ Most of the time, they rell me how much, than i will just pay.. Or sometimes will wait for them to give me discount..hehe =P There are many ways to bargain and from wat i learn from my fren in bangkok, watever the seller wanna sell to u, your starting bargain price must be half of wat he gonna sell to u.. From there, then u negiotiate.. In the end, even din get 50% off, will still get at least 30-40% off the original price.. haha =D
@comeonmolly (828)
• China
22 Jan 08
Hi,there poohgal,
Actually,I am also not really very good at bargain as I am not often go shopping most of the time is my mother to buy something for me..
With the time goes by I went to the college and I have to do a lot of the things by myself including buying things going shopping,I am really amazed by my rome-mate's bargain skills,believe it or not they can buy the things at the half prize or even more less of the sale offered by the saler.
In the process of buying things I am also developed my bargain skills .
Actually,in china if not all at least in my city except some large malls or some famous brand that have the standard price a lot of the places can bargain amybe that all because of I am in a city maybe in the big cities is another case..
Molly;-)
1 person likes this
@comeonmolly (828)
• China
22 Jan 08
Hi,there,Actually I heaven't ever come to shanghai and I am sorry to hear that even in such a world-wide city can still have something that is counterfeit....
I am almost speechless...;-(
Anyway I agree with u not to buy buy the things that is counterfeit
@poohgal (6845)
• Singapore
22 Jan 08
Good for you that your bargaining skills have improved. Mine has not improved at all. =(
I was in China a few weeks ago. I was at Shanghai. My friend bought a mobile phone (K-touch). He managed to bargain from 1680 Yuan to 1500 Yuan. I think that's a pretty good bargain. There was this place (I think it's called Tech Park) where they sell counterfeit goods, ear rings, boots and etc. I bought 2 pairs of boots. My friends helped me to bargain the price. I managed to get both pairs of boots at 320 Yuan. Some of my friends bought the counterfeit branded goods. They were bargaining the prices too. I did not get involved as I do not use counterfeit branded goods.
@afternoontea (1005)
• Indonesia
22 Jan 08
My country is about the same as in China, we bargain in almost all item, for tourist on local residence. My bargaining skill develop from my shopping experience at the local market. So now I always bargain and I think I am quite satisfied with the price I get after bargain a lot..
1 person likes this
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
22 Jan 08
I am not that great at bargaining, but still I do bargain in certain countries that I visit like certain places in Thailand like the street shops or bazaars. That's because in such places, there is a culture of bargaining, and therefore traders are notorious for inflating a higher price for their products. A rule of thumb I apply is that whatever the price quoted by the trader, one can probably get the item at around half the price. So in such places, if one does not bargain, the price one pays may actually be expensive, so there is no choice but to bargain to get a more reasonable price.
1 person likes this
@lorelai (1558)
• Italy
25 Jan 08
I am not good in it and I don't like it, I think that the price should be fixed and not as low as one can lower it by bargaining. I was working in this hotel last summer and everyone asked me for a discount although the prices were written on the price list and I was just working there and I wasn't the owner so I wasn't really allowed to give discounts. When I heard the word discount it would make me so angry that I started being not really polite. I like to be polite to the guests but I don't have much money and I can't afford going for a holiday so why dpo people think that if they tell you they don't have money you would give them a discount, if you don't have enough money to pay for what you want just don't buy it. (I am not referring to the person who wrote this discussion I am taking in general)
1 person likes this
@poohgal (6845)
• Singapore
26 Jan 08
Wow. Those people are too daring. I've never tried bargaining in a hotel. It's common sense that places like Hotels, departmental stores sell things at fixed prices. These people are too ridiculous.
In certain countries ie China and Thailand, you have to bargain as they will mark up prices 10 times of the original price for foreigners. As for countries like Japan, it's considered rude to bargain. It's important to know the different cultures of different countries. This will make the traveling and shopping experience in these countries more enjoyable.
@sweetsagittarius (64)
• China
25 Jan 08
First i am chinese,now i am at Beijing.i don't think most places in China allow bargaining,maybe you go to the very palces that allow bargaining,normal shopping mall don't allow bargining.In Beijing,Xiu shui Street?Wu dao kou clothes market?Ya xiu market and so on are main for foreigners,so the price mark up .
i am not good at bargaining at all.so i don't go to the palces allowed bargining.and i alway believe the items at there are not very good ,oh,it's only i believe.
sometimes my friends who are good at bargaining can selecet good things at the market.
@tmamtse (33)
• Australia
22 Jan 08
I think I do pretty good in bargaining but a friend of mine is an expert. Once we went to a second-hand shop, she wanted to buy many stuffs but she didn't have much in her pocket. I remembered that one of items was a pretty new dvd player which was priced $40 and others are around $10~ $20 each. I forgot how she did it but at the end, she paid $40 only for all stuffs (about 7~ 8 items including the dvd player). Her bargaining skill is so amazed and that why I always ask her out.
1 person likes this
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
22 Jan 08
yes i do and i think i'm quite good at it. i can even bargain in a smattering of malay at geylang serai. i prefer the manja cajoling attitude rather than the domineering take it or leave it tone that offends some shop owners.
especially in bangkok and china bargaining is a must. in china, it seems that they inflate the price 10 times when they know you are a foreigner. but sometimes i feel bad bargaining too much when i know that they have a family to feed, and the extra dollar or two won't make a difference to me if i lost it but would make a big difference to them if they gained it.
@poohgal (6845)
• Singapore
22 Jan 08
Even in geylang serai? You must be good. It has been donkey years since I last went there.
What you said is indeed true. That's why if I think the price is reasonable, I would just buy it. I do not really care if that's the lowest available price. Some of my friends will try to bargain till the shopkeeper's face turn green. =X
@shraddhaswnt211 (418)
• India
21 Jan 08
I do bargain but m not good at it...I usually do bargaining considering the place where I shop and not at all places....Yes E1 i require my friend's or any other elder's help while doing bargaining.....
@nothingbetter2do (235)
• Australia
22 Jan 08
I'm very bad at bargaining because I feel embarrased to do so. My husband is really good though! If I want to buy something, I'll bring him along!
1 person likes this
