Bazaar bargaining for beginners
“How much did you end up paying for that?” is a common question among tourists and residents alike in İstanbul. No one, it seems, wants to pay full price for anything in the bazaars.
The good news is that bargaining is expected, so the initial asking price reflects that fact. Woe to the person who does not take time to haggle, because they will most assuredly pay an inflated price.
After seeing the many historic sites, most tourists then head for the Kapalı Çarşı (Grand Bazaar) with dreams of finding that special something to remind them of their visit to Turkey once they are back home. However, for many tourists and newly arrived expats as well, the bazaars can be intimidating places since prices are generally not marked, and even if there are prices posted, most first time visitors are at a loss as to when and how the bargaining game is played.
It is important to remember that bargaining is a game and is best undertaken with a good bit of humor. Good bargaining requires skill and patience. Your final goal is to be able to walk away from the sale feeling as if you have paid a fair price for your purchase. I grew up in a part of the United States where bargaining is an acceptable practice. However, for many North Americans, learning to bargain is uncomfortable at first because they are so used to having prices clearly marked and there are no further negotiations needed. However, in many countries, the original price that is marked or quoted for an item is simply the starting point for further negotiations. Many visitors to the bazaars of İstanbul do not realize just how much money they could save if they tried their hand at bargaining.
Before making an offer, though, it is best to look around the bazaar and compare prices of items that you are interested in buying. Do not settle on the first merchant you find who is selling what you are looking for. You want to collect information so that you have some leverage when bargaining. Keep in mind what you feel is a fair price, and have that as your goal when you do decide to start bargaining. Once you have a good idea of what the items you want are going for, you have a basis to begin negotiations.
Some people are embarrassed if they give a counter-offer and the merchant acts as if he has been personally insulted to receive a lower suggested price for one of his items. This is just one of the opening moves in the game of bargaining, and it should be taken in good fun. When you begin the bargaining process, do not gush over an item, or say that it is just what you have been searching for. One of the keys to effective bargaining is to act somewhat aloof, secure in the knowledge that if one merchant does not haggle down to a lower, more acceptable price, you will most likely find another version of the same thing elsewhere. The merchant knows this too, and will keep this in mind once the bargaining begins in earnest.
After deciding on the item you are interested in purchasing, you should carefully examine it for any flaws. If you find any dents, tears, scratches or other damage, point them out to the merchant. You should ask him to find similar, but undamaged items. If the flaw is something that you can live with, use this as a bargaining tool, asking for a lower price since the item is definitely not in pristine condition. I have purchased several old kilims, flat woven carpets, at greatly reduced prices due, in part, to the fact that I found small holes in them. Even though the merchants and I knew that these flaws were easily and quickly repairable, the price began dropping immediately. One creative carpet dealer tried to jokingly convince me that kilims with such “air conditioning” vents were actually more valuable. As we laughed over his sales pitch, the price continued to drop.
If you and the merchant cannot arrive at a price that is mutually agreeable to both of you, there are two ways to deal with the impasse. If the price is close to the amount you have budgeted for the item, but still a little on the high side, ask for an additional item that you like to be thrown into the deal. Just by asking for a little something extra added to sweeten the deal, you may end up with a price for two or more items that is acceptable to you both.
If it seems that no further negotiations will take place and the price is still too high for you, your final option is to politely thank the merchant for their time and walk away. If the vendor is determined to make a sale, he may make one final, lower offer as you leave their store. There is, however, the chance that the vendor will not want to further discount the item you were interested in and he may let you walk away from the sale. If this happens, keep looking for the same or similar item elsewhere in the bazaar. There are numerous dealers to choose from.
A rule of thumb is to follow your gut instinct. If you feel as if you are being taken advantage of, then you probably are. If you are happy with your purchase and the price you paid, then for you it was a good deal. Rest assured that merchants know the real value of their goods and they will make sure that they sell at a price that will allow them to make a profit.
Bargaining is a game, to be sure, but it is also a social interaction. The process can take anywhere from a few minutes, to hours or even days. It all depends on how much you want a particular item, how much the merchant wants to sell it and how long you both are willing to spar about the price. I bought one of my favorite carpets in Konya, in Central Anatolia. Negotiations took three days and endless cups of tea. The result was that I came away with a large carpet and a small one for a price the carpet dealer and I both were happy with. In addition, when I am in Konya with my family, we make a point to stop by and have tea with the carpet dealer and his family. A long-term friendship ended up as part of the bargain.
(Today's Zaman 04 February 2010, Thursday KATHY HAMILTON )