Comments on: 5 Tips for Bartering While Traveling http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/ Travel tips and stories for backpackers, budget travelers, and those wanting to discover the world through something more than a simple vacation. Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:03:34 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jorrit Jorritsma http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/#comment-3149 Jorrit Jorritsma Tue, 15 Dec 2009 10:54:55 +0000 http://www.havepack.com/?p=1490#comment-3149 I love bartering too. Just one word of advice - make sure that you examine your product in detail there and then. I bought a carpet in the outskirts of Marrakech and the shop delivered it straight to the airport for the day I was flying out. However, it proved to stink, even within its brown paper package. It had probably been sitting on the top floor of a Moroccan home for years, with animals roaming all over it! So if you're buying carpets, get down on all fours and have a good sniff! I love bartering too. Just one word of advice – make sure that you examine your product in detail there and then. I bought a carpet in the outskirts of Marrakech and the shop delivered it straight to the airport for the day I was flying out. However, it proved to stink, even within its brown paper package. It had probably been sitting on the top floor of a Moroccan home for years, with animals roaming all over it! So if you’re buying carpets, get down on all fours and have a good sniff!

]]> By: Long-Term Travel, Lisbon Holiday, Day Trip from Nice | Venere Travel Blog http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/#comment-2371 Long-Term Travel, Lisbon Holiday, Day Trip from Nice | Venere Travel Blog Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:12:14 +0000 http://www.havepack.com/?p=1490#comment-2371 [...] Pack Will Travel shares tips on bartering while traveling.  Check out this blog post if you’re going on holiday in Morocco and planning a visit to the [...] [...] Pack Will Travel shares tips on bartering while traveling.  Check out this blog post if you’re going on holiday in Morocco and planning a visit to the [...]

]]> By: Shannon OD http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/#comment-2332 Shannon OD Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:03:32 +0000 http://www.havepack.com/?p=1490#comment-2332 I love bartering! And I love that you point out about the economic differences. Although I hate getting blatantly ripped off, I hate to take too far and have seen too many other travelers take it into an offensive confrontation...umm, at the end of the day, you always have the right to walk away. Oh, and I have to agree on the food - at fruit stands I would occasionally ask for a little discount if I was buying a lot in SEA (I'm a vegie and would buy 4 baggies of pineapple/papaya at a time ) and they were always willing and nice...but that's about as far as I took it :-) I love bartering! And I love that you point out about the economic differences. Although I hate getting blatantly ripped off, I hate to take too far and have seen too many other travelers take it into an offensive confrontation…umm, at the end of the day, you always have the right to walk away.

Oh, and I have to agree on the food – at fruit stands I would occasionally ask for a little discount if I was buying a lot in SEA (I’m a vegie and would buy 4 baggies of pineapple/papaya at a time ) and they were always willing and nice…but that’s about as far as I took it :-)

]]> By: Anil http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/#comment-2331 Anil Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:59:07 +0000 http://www.havepack.com/?p=1490#comment-2331 Going with the flow is a good way to get a good deal. No need to be confrontational or see it as a competition. It's more of a game of chess and makes purchases more interesting than not! Going with the flow is a good way to get a good deal. No need to be confrontational or see it as a competition. It’s more of a game of chess and makes purchases more interesting than not!

]]> By: John Bardos - JetSetCitizen http://www.havepack.com/5-tips-for-bartering-while-traveling/#comment-2328 John Bardos - JetSetCitizen Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:07:02 +0000 http://www.havepack.com/?p=1490#comment-2328 I love to barter! Both sides can have so much fun. I also believe that the seller will respect you much more if you are able to negotiate well. The best bartering advice I could give would be to wait to purchase anything. Spend some time looking around and you will likely see that most stores are offering the exact same products. Casually ask about prices and get a feel for how much they will go down. Make ridiculously low offers in the beginning to find out the real costs. In many countries, this can be less than half the original asking price. When you have a pretty good idea of the prices, then try to buy from a smaller, lower quality shop. They will always offer you the best deals. If you are going to buy a lot, try to find a taxi driver to take you to the wholesale markets. Here you will often be able to buy at 1/5 of the price. I love to barter! Both sides can have so much fun. I also believe that the seller will respect you much more if you are able to negotiate well.

The best bartering advice I could give would be to wait to purchase anything. Spend some time looking around and you will likely see that most stores are offering the exact same products. Casually ask about prices and get a feel for how much they will go down. Make ridiculously low offers in the beginning to find out the real costs. In many countries, this can be less than half the original asking price.

When you have a pretty good idea of the prices, then try to buy from a smaller, lower quality shop. They will always offer you the best deals.

If you are going to buy a lot, try to find a taxi driver to take you to the wholesale markets. Here you will often be able to buy at 1/5 of the price.

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