Round The World Tips (Haggling)

RTW Tips (Haggling)

OK take a deep breath...

Let's not beat around the bush, haggling is tough! I absolutely hate it and many travelers i know don't even bother after their first few attempts. However, like it or not haggling for the best deals will play a big part in your Round The World trip.

Taxis

Lets begin with Taxis; Taxis or Rickshaws (Tuk Tuks in Thailand) will almost always approach you with their meters off. This means they can set the fare for the entire trip before hand and no matter how long or short the journey you will never know how much it should have cost. Get used to this because 9 out of 10 drivers will do it.

If you've read my previous articles then you'll probably have a set daily budget for transportation expenses. Try your hardest to stick within those boundaries. When approached by a driver they will ask your destination, tell them but keep walking, then they will 90% of the time follow you and offer to take you there. Now you can stop and ask how much; this is when the haggle fest begins.

As you are a foreigner the price will usually be ridiculously inflated, cut it by roughly two thirds and you'll still be paying a lot more then a local, so they may accept this. If not they will continue to push you back up toward the original price given, so obviously the lower you make the first response the harder it is for them to bring it back up to full whack. When this happens take a stand and give them a final price you are willing to pay. (according to your budgeting) If they accept, jump in, if not then walk off. There are hundreds of Taxi's that will happily take another drivers lost custom.

If the price they give you falls well within your budget don't insult them too much by tearing their offer to shreds. At the end of the day the prices you will end up paying will usually be less then a pound. And Trust me, they no that! A lot of people will tell you your countries exchange rate and weigh up how cheap their service is in comparison to what you'd pay at home.

Shopping

Some of the bigger stores in the city will have labels up saying, fixed price, no haggling. Respect that, it will save you embarrassing arguments. But don't be afraid to shop around, ask how much the item is then say you can't afford it and put it back. Chances are, despite the signs the shop keeper will offer you a deal with out the need for haggling.

Food Shopping

This covers restaurants and supermarkets. I wouldn't advise any kind of haggling here, it's not really accepted practice and can cause upset. Plus its not really worth it, if you can't afford the price on the menu/shop shelf, don't buy it.

Gift Shopping

Now this is where you'll save the most money by haggling. These people are geared up for a price battle the minute they open their stalls. If you want to practice your technique do it here, because the mood is lighter and the sellers are used to the skirmish. Plus there are so many places selling EXACTLY the same thing, you're never losing the item. In places like this i've brought prices down from 1500 baht (£21) to 90 baht (£1.28!) so don't be scared, give it your best shot.

Hotels

There is a lot of room for barter here, but still well worth a shot if you are staying in one place for more then 2 nights. Especially during the off season. You'll be surprised how much you can save when you ask for discount on multiple nights.

As a side note, asking hotel staff how much you should be paying for certain items around the city will give you a lot more confidence when bartering with the locals. There's no harm in asking.

Summary

• If the first price offered is very low, don't insult them. Take the deal.
• Get a guideline price from hotel staff and base your bartering confidence on it.
• If the price is extortionate cut it by 2 thirds and work up from there if you want.
• Walking away is a powerful statement. Use it whenever possible.
• Booking hotel rooms in bulk often entitles you to some discount. Ask for it.
• Respect 'No Haggling' signs.