I loved my holiday in Morocco but I am just to British to haggle!!!
By oldchem1
@oldchem1 (8132)
May 13, 2010 5:16am CST
We had a great holiday in Morocco, I really enjoyed it, the only downfall is that I am useless at haggling!!
A trip to the local souk, or just walking down a street the traders wouldn't dream of you buying the product at the price displayed, but with me that';s what they useually got, I found it SO hard to haggle.
Imagine going into Asda and picking up a £1 loaf and saying'I'll give you 80p for it, don't think it would work - but it works in other countries.
Have any of you haggled and are you good at it?
When we were in Spain last year, one of those young men were selling perfume on the beach - my 13 year old son got the price down from 20 euros to 5 euros!!
Have you any tales about it?
5 responses
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
13 May 10
We are a family of hagglers! My husband used to be a buying controller for a large company so had to bargain with suppliers and I've always done it anyway. So, little wonder my sons are so good at getting good deals. When one of them started work, he needed a suit and bargained the one he really wanted, down from £220 to £130 & got a free shirt and tie included! We are always on the look out for a reduced price or some added bonus.... if you dont ask, you dont get!
1 person likes this
@yusufibrahim (19)
• Ireland
13 May 10
Hi. Your post brought back a lot of memories!
I was in two souks - one in Casablanca, and the other in Marrakech. In Casablanca, I could bargain a lot more than in Marrakech. In Marrakech, if you are European, you get fleeced! There seemed to be different prices - one for the locals, and one for everyone else.
The best line I heard when I was trying to bargain at a stall was "It is the best price I can give. I am a muslim, I cannot lie". I am also a muslim, and this guy really was lying! lol
The other phrase I remember being called to me from the market traders was "Come, come, free look" - but once you were in, you had to buy!
I did manage to get a watch (fake copy) down from 25 euro to 10 ... and then i told the guy I didnt want it. Everyone else wanted the same bargain, so the guy wasnt too happy with me
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
24 Nov 12
This was precisely my reaction to the Moroccan way of trading. I ahd a great time in Agadir, but when I decided to purchase a leather wallet it is not easy to find out what the actually prices were. It was obvious that the initial price quoted was exaggerated, but how was I expected to know what a realistic price should be? Here in England all items are priced, so I simply have to decide whether I wish to pay that amount or not buy it. The idea of haggling did not appeal to me at all and when I discovered a small shop with an advert in the window that all itmes were marked in price it was inevitable that I would buy a wallet there.
@o0jopak0o (6394)
• Philippines
14 Jun 10
i have relatives that are brits and they have no problems haggling.
but it will save you a lot if you haggle.
@evepin (721)
• Philippines
14 May 10
i'm not British but sometimes I don't like haggling too. If I find it expensive then off I go. sometimes its the vendors themselves who run after me and tell me they can bring down the price further. but i really do admire those people who could haggle to the point that they get items for a song!
