Haggling

[Nirish guy]

If your time line is correct in the above your problem was that you gave her the 40 AFTER she'd wrapped it when she obviously thought you'd haggled down to 20 and was thinking 'well fuck him then" so gave you the one with the hole in it - alternatively we're both probably giving her too much credit as being a nice person who plays by the rules of decency as you were of course a tourist, which generally in any country means it's quite accept no actively encouraged to rip you off as they'll never see you again. I hope at the very least you can end your story with the line "but fuck her as the 40 I gave here were all fake notes anyway and then at least the balance between seller rip off merchant and fuck over the seller tourist will have been resumed and the universe and carry on as before ! :-)

Oh and yes, you're absolutely right re the 500 for the watch, I've been told that before too by the boys, hence my comment about me knowing I was done over too.

[latintopxxx]

I dont mind haggling...can be fun..battle of the wits...if we all haggled we wouldnt end up with USD1500 iphones.....and some of u wouldnt end up with BHT2500 MB

[FarangRuMak]

^ You're being robbed, I pay 1000 - and even then I've a funny feeling that "I'm" being robbed too !!!!

Fcuk.
Going by the a444 post I'm being screwed.
The dealer keeps telling me that I'm a special customer;
I know now what he means.

[christianpfc]

We have to distinguish markets aimed at tourists (subject of the OP), markets aimed at locals, goods of daily life (basic clothes, food), services (not subject of the OP).

I was reading a thread on Bangkok markets on an Irish Travel forum earlier and the subject of haggling came up

One of the local experts posted "you should aim to pay just over one third of the opening asking price so bid just under a fifth. If you spoke Thai you'd pay a quarter or less but that's life"

In 17 years of visiting Thailand I have never seen people haggling the price down this low and feel that it's bullshit advice to give to a newbie.

I once made the mistake of buying a watch on Patpong night market (that was around 2010 when I was new to Thailand, and just drowned my watch in a Jacuzzi in a sauna). The asking price was 500 THB, I got it down to 250, and later found such watches are sold in local markets for 100. So you can get the same item for 1/5 of the price ELSEWHERE. (The watch started to disassemble while I was still in Thailand, and with some repairs I could make it work a few months longer.)

I once took a Thai friend to Patpong night market, he had an interest in some items there, but quickly gave up asking for prices because even when negotiated down to half it would be too expensive - maybe we should have split so he isn't seen as accompanying a Farang, but I doubt that would have helped.

Then I go to Thailand or South East Asia where bargaining is a way of life and it is a fun-game that sellers and buyers regularly play. (That's one of the reasons that every seller I know has a calculator handy. <grin> )

I think this is a common misconception. Bargaining is not way of life, it was invented do overcharge tourists! I have not observed haggling on markets frequented by locals. Usually everything has a price label. When someone pulls out a calculator to type in a price you know you are being taken for a ride!

For me it's not fun, it's not a game, it's a waste of everyone's time!
I despise haggling, if the price is not clearly displayed, I go somewhere else.

I walk through those tourist markets (Patpong, Silom, Chatuchak, Chiang Mai night market) only for entertainment and apart from that watch above and sexy underwear in Silom (strangely, the cheapest place at 100 THB per piece, the same costs 120-200 elsewhere) don't buy there. Most of the stuff (souvenirs, home decoration, T-shirts with prints I wouldn't wear), I have no use for anyway.

[goji]

I want to hear more about MB haggling as well. BECAUSE- whenever I go to Pattaya, 2 times now (about to go again), the mamasans even at Sunee always tell me 1500 for everything. Is it because I'm a young (ish at 31) American? Or do I need to haggle more? Thanks peeps.

1 They may remember you.

2 If you ask the mamasans, it shows you don't know the going rate. This is a major error. Never ask the mamasans & even if it were your first visit to Thailand, don't tell them that. You should figure out what the going rate is from these boards, then if the boys bring up the subject of money, tell them what you will pay.


As for negotiating prices in the shops, well if there is no price displayed, I always assume some haggling would be required.

[DrewSpz]

How about Bar off fees... 400 Baht?

[Steve1903]

Keep it simple. You see a thing then decide how much you'd be willing to pay for it. Then ask, how much? If it is less then buy it, if it is more then offer what it is worth to you. If they don't want to sell at that price then walk away.

[NitNoi]

In my experience, a calculator is NOT a red flag - it helps avoid confusion with mispronounced numbers. You can also use their calculator to enter your offer.

[latintopxxx]

reason I like haggling is that it's like a game of poker, u need to watch the body language, try and guess/anticipate what the other is going to do/say....I always know what the real cost at home is..so have only very rarely been caught off guard...and when I do I'm happy as its a lesson learnt.
When it comes to MB..I particularly enjoy bargaining for their services..as its very personal and in a way demeaning....well known thats my kink...so no apologies...complete turn on to beat his price down then take him into the glamour of the sukhothai hotel and show him that a bottle of wine out of the mini bar costs more than 3 hours on his arse....

[scottish-guy]

... and 1000 times what anybody would pay for yours seeing as it probably hangs down like a festoon curtain?