Negotiating Prices
Negotiating Prices
Negotiating Prices in Thailand
Always smile, negotiating prices is a friendly game between you and the merchant. Yes, it can get tiring, but never let them see you sweat!
A good starting point is half of whatever the list price is, then meet in the middle.
Always remove your sunglasses when talking to someone, it shows sincerity. Try not to be showcasing your Gucci bag or Rolex watch as you bargain!
To succeed, you have to negotiate a fair price without causing the merchant to “loose face” or look bad/cheap by discounting their item. This can be achieved by wavering ever so slightly on your last offer price, or buying something else small and cheap in the same shop.
Even though a vendor says that they are “loosing money” and try to make you feel bad at the end of a sale, it is not true. They would not be selling it otherwise!
If you do not attempt to negotiate, you are leaving a bad situation and higher prices for all future travelers that come in behind you. We are depending on you!
If you are negotiating price for a while and cannot agree on an amount, simply say that you have to go and “may be back later”. Many times the merchant will agree to your price before you can hit the street and find it cheaper. If they do not try to stop you or call you back, then it may be possible that their last offer was honestly their lowest possible price.
Stores in Thailand are almost clones of each other. If you cannot get a good price, go somewhere else.
Never buy at the first shop you visit – look around first!
The first sale of the day early in the morning is considered the “lucky sale” and you may get a better price. If you want to buy something big, try to arrive as a merchant is setting up for a night market and they will be much more flexible on the price.
Without fail, the best way to succeed at negotiating price is to speak some of the local language. At the very least, learn “too expensive” and the numbers. This shows that you are interested in their culture and not just another pushy tourist on his way home with cheap loot.
Remember, you don’t deserve to be ripped off, but that .50 cents you are negotiating so hard for is worth far more to someone that lives on less than $300 a month. Keep this in mind when negotiating prices.
If you are buying something expensive, you can take turns passing a calculator back and forth. The merchant will probably have one or take your little keychain one (remember?) This is especially helpful if you are trying to do the transaction in Thai.
Thai people generally think that all farang (non-Thais) are rich. Technically speaking, the camera that you casually carry around in your pocket could constitute several months of hard labor for one of them, so be conscious. When a local tells me that I am “rich” I usually respond with “Do you know what Pad Thai costs in America?” Their eyes always boggle when I tell them 210 Baht as opposed to 20 Baht in Thailand.
Negotiating price is all part of the fun and you worked hard for your travel money so never allow yourself to be ripped off. Just remember, .25 cents or whatever it is that you are fighting for is probably worth far more to the poor merchant’s family than it is to you.
