TUNISIA
Haggling is an artform, and it can be a lot of fun. It's a game that many salesmen like to play. Almost all hagglers are men, but I have played the game once with a bunch of 10 - 11 year old kids and once with a woman. I guess the main thing you have to think about is: How much is this item worth to me? Or, you can always go into a "Fixed Price" store and see if they have what you want in there. If they do, check the price and go haggel at the other shop and your top price would then have to be a lot cheaper than the fixed price shop's price.
It is very good to know a language that the salesman doesn't know - you then become a stronger team: 2 against 1. We wanted a cheap rug to have in a certain corner. We went into the shop, and looked around. The salesmen are always really nice and always want to know what you are interested in. This information has to be a secret until you have spotted the item you want. You let him lead you to the rug area - you are not interested in rugs, but look just to be nice. He shows you a bunch of rugs, and you spot a contender. You ask: How much is that one? Ladies and gentlemen, The Game Has Begun.
HIM: Oh, my flend, dis is a berber carpet, you see Fatima's hand and the zee tattoos. It is made in Tunisia, look at ze tag. For you my flend, I give you dis for only 120 Dinar ($95).
YOU: Well, it looks pretty nice (small talk about the hand of fatima). There is no way I'm giving you 120 Dinar, though.
HIM: Say your price.
YOU: I'll give you 10 Dinar.
HIM (face looking like he's about to have a gas attack): Huh?! What!?
YOU (with both palms facing him, to make it perfectly clear) 10 Dinar.
HIM: I will take 50.
You go a few rounds, and you finally agree on 16 Dinar, "plus one Dinar for me". They always want to squeeze one more Dinar out of you. If the game goes well, you part as friends, handshakes, pats on the back. If you leave the store after a haggel without buying something, watch out for knives.
This image was taken in our "Fixed Price" reference store, the Soula Center.
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