The Best Trick for Bartering
There is a certain knack to bartering. Coming from Western countries, we don’t get a chance to learn this skill, but when you are out travelling in countries that barter as their way of life, you need to become a quick study in the art of it.
There is a fine line to being a good barterer and a poor one. Bartering is not how low you can get the person to go, but coming to a fair price on both ends. Now with this “fair” price, being a tourist, and they always know you are a tourist, you are never going to get the locals price. Sucks, but that is just the way it goes. It is just like shopping in the tourist area of your own city.
When you are in countries that barter, such as Indonesia, make sure you take part. It is not being “cheap” but a cultural exchange. Some tourists do not barter at all, and where is the fun in that! This ends up driving the prices up going forward in that area, as they now know tourists will pay it. Bartering is a fun exchange with locals, keep it light and with a smile on your face…it will get you farther.
Now there is one thing that you should do before you go shopping in an area where you barter. It is a tactic I learned that usually yields good results. First you want to only be carrying small currency, and then you want to scatter your money on yourself. Do not carry large bills. If you know what the prices of things are, around about, carry enough to buy 1-2 things in your wallet. I always keep one set of that money in the billfold and the other in the change part of my wallet. Then I also have some money in my bag, and some in my pocket, etc. The reason to do this is to stop them from keeping the price up when you are at a stalemate. You can pull open your wallet and say, ”well I only have this much with me.” The outcome is then totally in their court. They will either take it or leave it.Top Trick to Bartering Success: