Where is it appropriate to haggle?

[LishaD]

O.K. so the term wasn't "Barter":rolleyes: . Please forgive me, I am a Graduate student a week away from finals. I have little brains left.

 

Where is it O.K. to haggle? I know that it should be O.K. in markets and such, but others have remarked on using it in shops as well. I am going to be in Paris, Venice, Dubrovnik, Athens, Santorini, Naples, Rome, Florence, Villefranche, and Barcelona. Anybody know when and where it is appropriate?

 

Thanks,

 

LishaD

[Bruin Steve]

Where is it O.K. to haggle? I know that it should be O.K. in markets and such, but others have remarked on using it in shops as well. I am going to be in Paris, Venice, Dubrovnik, Athens, Santorini, Naples, Rome, Florence, Villefranche, and Barcelona. Anybody know when and where it is appropriate?

Ahhhhh...Whenever I hear that word "haggle", I think back to the great scene in Monty Python's "Life of Brian":

 

>>--------[brian sees a troop of Romans, and quickly looks for a way of

disguising himself. He spots a Beard selling stand, and heads for it

There, he meet a Merchant (Merchnt), and picks up a fake beard.]

Brian How much? Quick!

Merchnt What?

Brian It's for the wife.

Merchnt Oh. Uh... Twenty shekels.

Brian Right.

Merchnt What?

Brian There you are.

Merchnt Wait a minute.

Brian What?

Merchnt Well, we're, we're supposed to haggle.

Brian No, no, I've got to get...

Merchnt What do you mean, no no no?

Brian I haven't time, I've got ...

Merchnt Well give it back then.

Brian No, no, no I paid you.

Merchnt Burt!

--------[A large man stands up behind Brian, blocking his way out.]

Burt Yeah?

Merchnt This bloke won't haggle.

Burt Won't haggle???

Brian All right... do we have to?

--------[burt disappears.]

Merchnt Now look. I want twenty for that.

Brian I, I just gave you twenty.

Merchnt Now are you telling me that's not worth twenty shekels?

Brian No.

Merchnt Look at it. Feel the quality, that's none of yer goat.

Brian All right, I'll give you nineteen then.

Merchnt No, no, no. Come on. Do it properly.

Brian What?

Merchnt Haggle properly. This isn't worth nineteen.

Brian But you just said it was worth twenty.

Merchnt Oh dear, oh dear. Come on. Haggle.

Brian All right, I'll give you ten.

Merchnt That's more like it.

Ten!? Are you trying to insult me? Me? With a poor dying

grandmother...Ten!?!

Brian All right, I'll give you Eleven.

Merchnt Now you're getting it. Eleven!?! Did I hear you right? Eleven?

This cost me twelve. You want to ruin me?

Brian Seventeen.

Merchnt No, no, no, no. Seventeen!

Brian Eighteen?

Merchnt No, no,. You go to fourteen now.

Brian All right, I'll give you fourteen.

Merchnt Fourteen, are you joking?

Brian That's what you told me to say.

Merchnt Oh dear.

Brian Oh Tell me what to say. Please.

Merchnt Offer me fourteen.

Brian I'll give you fourteen.

Merchnt He's offering me fourteen for this!

Brian Fifteen.

Merchnt Seventeen. My last word. I won't take a penny less, or strike me

dead.

Brian Sixteen.

Merchnt Done. Nice to do business with you.<<

 

Anyway, the real problem here is there is no set rule...it changes place to place and type of business to type of business. Generally, more haggling will go on with open markets, street stands and the like...Established stores everywhere tend to have set prices...EVERYWHERE. None of these ports is like Mexico (where everyone tends to bargain). I wouldn't count on a lot of "haggling" in any of these ports.

[cberge]

IMHO,it all depends on where you are and what kind of a market or store.If you think the price is really reasonable I would not haggle.If not then you can ask is this the best they can do..if not walk away and if they come after you then you know you can bargain.Most stores(what I call the regular stores) in Europe do not haggle over the price just like here although you can ask if you buy a lot and pay cash will they discount.Just walk around and see what other's are doing and you will get an idea of what is and is not good to do.Some of the leather shops will haggle if you say no thank you,and turn to walk out,but this was the only time I saw this in the stores in Barecelona and in Florence.Hope this helps a little.

[jcanino]

Where is it O.K. to haggle? I know that it should be O.K. in markets and such, but others have remarked on using it in shops as well. I am going to be in Paris, Venice, Dubrovnik, Athens, Santorini, Naples, Rome, Florence, Villefranche, and Barcelona. Anybody know when and where it is appropriate?

 

Lisa, my wife travels to Barcelona a few times a year on business and has haggled with shopkeepers there.

 

A few years back, my wife and I and another couple went into a jewelry store in Athens. They couldn't find anything that they (read she) liked and told us they would meet us outside. My wife found a beautiful pair of diamond/sapphire earings that were a little more than I wanted to spend. I haggled with the saleman for about 15 minutes and finally settled on a price that I thought was reasonable. After returning, we had them appraised for almost 3 times what I paid.