Contents
Bargaining is the norm in many foreign markets, but you’ll need the right mind-set.
close
Key takeaways
Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed.
- Haggling is a global tradition, but not accepted in every culture.
- Ethical bargaining respects local customs and economic conditions.
- Observing behavior at markets, asking locals, and starting negotiations gently are key.
Did our AI help? Share your thoughts.
Years ago at a crafts market in Mexico City, I found a shadowbox of Day of the Dead figurines and immediately started bargaining for it. When the vendor would not go down further, I walked away, a common ploy. But this time, it backfired. Instead of enticing me back with the lower price, he closed up shop.
I was left empty-handed and ashamed, all because of a $5 difference over a box of skeletons.
In destinations around the world, haggling is an ancient tradition integral to the shopping experience. Visitors are not expected to pay the original price. Instead, buyer and seller engage in a verbal fandango that — depending on the circumstances — can feel lighthearted and fun or uncomfortable and offensive, especially in a time of widening inequity and threatened resources.
Katie Leary Sebastian, director and co-founder of Ixöq, which specializes in home goods and accessories made by Guatemalan women, said she once relished the competitive sport of haggling. These days, she will fold more quickly and accept a higher price.
“They might have gone lower,” she said, “but I’m much more sensitive to their circumstances.”
Travelers can avoid conflicts and score a deal by learning the business and customs of ethical bargaining. The ultimate goal: sharing the victory.
Know where to bargain
Many countries, such as Egypt, Turkey and Ecuador, are known as hot spots for bargaining. But don’t assume the practice is a nationwide pastime. Though it’s common in many parts of Mexico, for instance, the popular tourist destination of Oaxaca does not embrace it as enthusiastically.
“There’s not a big culture of haggling here. The local people don’t do it much,” said Suzanne Barbezat, co-owner of Discover Oaxaca Tours and a travel expert with Go Ask a Local. “But some tourists expect that, so it can be an issue sometimes.”
Even in the same city, the activity may be acceptable in one type of commercial venue, such as a souk or open-air market, but discouraged in another, such as a mall or international retailer. As a deterrence, some proprietors will post signs stating that the prices are fixed.
“Attempts to negotiate in these scenarios … may be considered disrespectful, and any such efforts usually do not result in discounts,” Ignacio Curbelo, the general director of Uruguay’s Ministry of Tourism, wrote in an email.
Fernando Rodriguez, Intrepid Travel’s general manager in Peru, encourages travelers to bargain in the South American country’s produce and crafts markets. Touristy areas, where the markups are typically higher than in local haunts, are especially receptive to bargainers. But travelers should abstain from the practice in stores with cashiers and price tags, Rodriguez said.
Sherif Khalil, managing partner with Dunes & Beyond Travel and a Go Ask a Local expert, said the guidelines are similar in Egypt. He tells his clients to banter over prices in bazaars, such as Khan el-Khalili in Cairo, but not in shopping malls with brand-name stores. He said visitors used to bargain for cab fare, but the rise of meters has nixed that habit.
Leary Sebastian, who visits Guatemala several times a year, will often buck custom on principle. She refrains from bargaining at produce markets because the goods are already inexpensive, even at the “tourist” price.
“Vegetables are so cheap that I don’t care if I’m paying five quetzals and the Guatemalan woman next to me is paying three quetzals,” Leary Sebastian said. “I just got an avocado for 50 cents.”
If you are unsure about whether bargaining is appropriate, take a reconnaissance stroll around the venue and observe the exchanges between customers and merchants. To avoid any missteps, hire a guide or consult with a local. While they can offer advice and tips, they are usually not allowed to haggle for you.
Adopt the right negotiating attitude
When you are ready to take the plunge, start with a soft opener, such as “Is this the best price?” Or suggest a price that is a third or half off — or whatever custom dictates. (Rodriguez said it’s 10 to 20 percent in Peru, for example.) If the vendor reciprocates, then proceed. Go back and forth until you land on an amount that works for both of you.
Anu Taranath, a professor at the University of Washington and author of “Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World,” said to keep negotiations light, friendly and fun. Taranath, who has haggled all over the world, encourages travelers not to take the transaction — or themselves — too seriously.
“There has to be some joviality to it,” she said. “If one gets tangled up in the sense of superiority or the sense of being aggrieved, that sours the interaction.”
Hala Benkhaldoun, Intrepid Travel’s general manager in Morocco, said a novice or hypercompetitive haggler can insult a vendor by suggesting a sharp discount, such as 70 percent off the original price, and then standing firm on the amount.
If negotiations turn tense, pause and take stock of the situation. Christine Buzinde, a professor and director of Arizona State’s School of Community Resources and Development, reminds travelers about the greater purpose of bargaining: connecting on a humanistic level, not a materialistic one.
“If we have a more interrelated approach to being world citizens, then we’re less likely to worry so much about how low can I go price-wise,” Buzinde said. “We can move beyond the transactional elements to more of a ‘How can I get to know this person?’”
If you can’t reach a compromise, accept the final price or walk away. Extricating yourself from the situation is not an insult, experts say. If the vendor is still interested in the sale, they will come after you.
Don’t feel dispirited when a deal falls through, Khalil said. Markets sell many of the same objects, so get back in the game — all the wiser.
Understand the souvenirs you’re haggling for
When shopping around for souvenirs and crafts, you might notice a range of prices for the same item. One reason for that is the influx of cheap imports that has devalued and commodified once unique and handcrafted items. Before kicking off a bargaining round, ask the vendor about the origins of the product and the efforts involved in producing it. Adjust your asking price depending on whether it was made by hand or purchased in bulk from abroad.
One of Peru’s most popular trinkets is a llama set in a miniature Machu Picchu, Rodriguez said, and vendors in tourist markets welcome rigorous bargaining because they purchase the items from China and sell by volume. Such bargaining is inadvisable, however, when you purchase directly from local artisans, many of whom spend hours preparing natural dyes and fibers and toiling on their craft.
“We ask people to avoid bargaining because local communities are not merchants. They don’t feel comfortable doing this,” Rodriguez said. “It may be very expensive, but it’s a fair price.”
To help you calculate a “just” price, Buzinde said to take into account the country’s cost of living, wages, and economic and political stability.
“What might be a good deal for us might be robbing them of the quality of life that we seek for ourselves,” Buzinde said. “At the end of the day, you might feel as though you’ve gained, but you’ve left them at loss.”
Taranath said travelers should be mindful when engaging with locals but warns against overthinking it. If you’re fretting over social inequities, you may miss the joy of the interaction.
“If I am in a Guatemalan market and an auntie is selling something that I am interested in purchasing, I would like that exchange to be pleasurable for both of us,” she said. “Only thinking about how much I have in relation to how much she might not takes us away from the experience of that moment.”
If you feel racked with guilt, you can always pay full price.
A few years after the tough lesson I learned in Mexico City, I bought a hand-carved stool in Ankara, Turkey, without haggling at all. To show his gratitude, the vendor threw in a free pillow he had woven, too.
More travel tips
Vacation planning: Start with a strategy to maximize days off by taking PTO around holidays. Experts recommend taking multiple short trips for peak happiness. Want to take an ambitious trip? Here are 12 destinations to try this year — without crowds.
Cheap flights: Follow our best advice for scoring low airfare, including setting flight price alerts and subscribing to deal newsletters. If you’re set on an expensive getaway, here’s a plan to save up without straining your credit limit.
Airport chaos: We’ve got advice for every scenario, from canceled flights to lost luggage. Stuck at the rental car counter? These tips can speed up the process. And following these 52 rules of flying should make the experience better for everyone.
Expert advice: Our By The Way Concierge solves readers’ dilemmas, including whether it’s okay to ditch a partner at security, or what happens if you get caught flying with weed. Submit your question here. Or you could look to the gurus: Lonely Planet and Rick Steves.