Bargaining 101 (Or, How to Learn the Art of Haggling)

For many westerners, the thought of having to haggle back and forth with shopkeepers is as foreign as you can get. After all, we're used to paying a set price without even batting an eyelash. However, If you want to shop in much of the world, you're going to have to do a little bargaining. With a few basic rules and some practice, you'll be able to haggle without breaking a sweat.

I was recently in Singapore and finally got up the guts to try bargaining (or haggling) for the first time. There was a large electronics mall near my hotel, so I didn’t have to go far for my inaugural foray into bargaining. After checking out numerous stores, I finally decided on a store that didn't look too intimidating, had a good selection, and friendly looking salesmen.

After I made my decision to enter, all I had to do next was ride the wave. My salesman was really nice, had a great sense of humor, and really seemed to enjoy what he was doing. He kept trying to get me to pay more by playing up the favorable exchange rate, I countered with better prices at online stores. I told him I couldn’t spend too much money, he told me to just hide the bill from my wife (Like that would work!) We went back and forth like this for almost an hour, going over different items, and throwing numbers around. Try spending that long in Best Buy without wanting to kill yourself...

In the end, I didn't get the camera I was looking for (an inexpensive video camera) because they didn’t have one they were willing to sell in my price range. But, I did end up getting a camera lens for my digital SLR, a new memory card, and a card reader. And all at great prices, which was almost a bit of a surprise given how good a salesman he was. Most of all, I came away with a taste of local culture that I wouldn't have gotten if I had just gone into a big store.

So, now that I've shown you that bargaining is possible, if not plain easy, I'll give you a few tips that will help you on your first bargaining expedition.

• Calm your nerves. This isn't a test or an interrogation. Even if you get an obnoxious salesman, you can just get up and walk away. Chances are, though, you'll meet some nice people and everything will be a lot of fun. Take a deep breath and smile.
• Know what you need/want, and what you don't. Make sure you have a good idea of what you're looking for. The sales guy will almost invariably try to get you to buy more, more, more. Keep firm in what you're looking for and try not to waver too far from your goals, lest you find yourself spending way more money than you intended. When you're in the thick of bargaining, especially if you are having some fun, it can be easy to just keep agreeing. Stay strong.
• Know your prices. Know how much you can get your stuff for at home, so that you have some ammunition to use come bargaining time.
• Start low. When you start bargaining, start with an almost crazy low price. Don't be rude and offer a dollar for expensive electronics. A good tip for starting out is to cut their starting price in half (at least) and knock off some more. See what you can get away with without insulting anyone's intelligence. I regret not starting lower when I was bargaining for my camera lens, I bet I could have gone lower. Don't leave yourself wondering. Go for broke!

Now that you're armed with some basic haggling skills, get out there and talk to shopkeepers! You'll get a good dose of local culture and (hopefully) some good deals.