Suna in Wonderland

Today I went to local market where you can buy antiques. And I was suprised with thier negotiating skill on prices.

Trick is this, instead of merchant give you the price, they ask you to give them a price. How clever is this, most of times travelers do not know the local price. With this negotiating skill, they would never have loss, in fact more likely to have profit most of times.

This is how it worked.

Suna: (Looking at lantern) how much is this?

Chinese Merchant (CM): 128 RMB

Suna: What? So expensive!!

CM: Ok, ok then give me the price that you want (giving Suna calculator so that she can pick the price)

Suna: I want it 20 RMB

CM: No! that’s not possible, how about 98RMB?

Suna: No way!  I am not interested. Bye!

CM: Ok then than 60 RMB! (Grabing Suna’s arm)

Suna: No!

CM: ok give me last price

Suna: I want it 20 RMB, I told you.

CM: Ok 25RMB, Last price

(This is the point you can decide whether you want to buy it or not, because usuallly they would never go lower than your lowest offer price)

It is funny that they make client to decide the price. Which I find it really clever but not fair to tourist. So I learnt some lesson today.

1. Never let merchant notice that you need to buy stuff desperately

2. Always ask for 20% of the price they offer

3. Be ready to walk away when they do not offer the reasonable price. (Don’t worry, you will find same stuff next store )

With above technique, I bought those (see below)

Funny, first price they offered was 380RMB. I end up bought them for 80RMB. I could manage to discount 300 RMB but i still wonder what was the ‘Real’ price.