Bargaining / Haggling - New Situation?
Bargaining / Haggling - New Situation?
For years, the guide to price-bargaining has been "offer half and settle at 75%" or something close.
In other words, if that new 4-slice toaster is priced at $50 by the sales lady at Busy Market, then you should first offer $25, then slowly wheel and haggle to $37.50 as a purchase price.
But recently, I've been given massively inflated prices in places that know me and really should know better.
It seems to me that the White Guy price has seen some serious inflation of late, and that a new haggling % start-price is needed.
I respectfully suggest that all Whiteys here begin to offer no more than 20% (one fifth) of initial asking price on the normal haggled purchases, settle for a purchase price of no more than 35% to 40% of the initial asking price, and walk away if the price doesn't come down.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Ming of the Market is ripping you off hundreds of dollars for the tomatos and spring greens, or that the Oichi seller is asking too much at 2500r a bottle - but for larger purchases, I'm seriously suggesting that the Barang Tax has increased beyond all reasonable proportions in the last year or so.
Want that toaster?
Offer a fifth of the asking price, and settle for no more than 35 to 40%... Which means the toaster costs $20 max for anyone other than a white face with no idea of the locals' pricing structure.
I have no indisputable reasoning to trace the reason for recent price increases, but can offer a guess at cashed-up westerners lacking basic bargaining skills hopping off the banana boat, skin-aglow with the prospect of whatever, getting fleeced with a smile on their faces at the "cheapness compared to home" and the word spreading locally.
$125 for a Chinese bicycle?
$650 for a crappy apartment?
WTF?
In other words, if that new 4-slice toaster is priced at $50 by the sales lady at Busy Market, then you should first offer $25, then slowly wheel and haggle to $37.50 as a purchase price.
But recently, I've been given massively inflated prices in places that know me and really should know better.
It seems to me that the White Guy price has seen some serious inflation of late, and that a new haggling % start-price is needed.
I respectfully suggest that all Whiteys here begin to offer no more than 20% (one fifth) of initial asking price on the normal haggled purchases, settle for a purchase price of no more than 35% to 40% of the initial asking price, and walk away if the price doesn't come down.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Ming of the Market is ripping you off hundreds of dollars for the tomatos and spring greens, or that the Oichi seller is asking too much at 2500r a bottle - but for larger purchases, I'm seriously suggesting that the Barang Tax has increased beyond all reasonable proportions in the last year or so.
Want that toaster?
Offer a fifth of the asking price, and settle for no more than 35 to 40%... Which means the toaster costs $20 max for anyone other than a white face with no idea of the locals' pricing structure.
I have no indisputable reasoning to trace the reason for recent price increases, but can offer a guess at cashed-up westerners lacking basic bargaining skills hopping off the banana boat, skin-aglow with the prospect of whatever, getting fleeced with a smile on their faces at the "cheapness compared to home" and the word spreading locally.
$125 for a Chinese bicycle?
$650 for a crappy apartment?
WTF?
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As a mixed race guy I seem to get ripped of slightly less than white people. Most of the time I feel that sellers actually give me the correct local price. When they do try to overcharge me, it's only by 10-25% more than the local price. When my dad (white) came to visit, prices for small goods and services doubled - It seemed that rather than just trying to con a few dollars off an unsupecting tourist, these people seemed genuinely pissed off that they had been paid less than the going price for barang customers. Instead of ripping us of, they were the ones that felt that they had been ripped off when given the usual fare (local plus a bit extra).
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Sure.
My house is 100 meters from Russia Market, and recently went shopping for fruit at Central Market.
2 kilo of passion fruit RM 16.000 riels, same CM 13.000 riels.
Big pack of large banana 6000 RM, 4000 CM.
As I buy these items a number of times of week, on 20 weeks it does make a difference, as and I have to trim down body fat it is a nice ride on the bicycle downtown.
This afternoon at CM saw a cap to put on your head I bought about a week ago alongside the road on the way out of PP, 2 dollars, same but exactly the same cap at CM 9 dollars, no Sir, no discount Sir......
Overall, my impression is that with a small number of vendors you will get a normal or slightly inflated price, others see you as....
Earlier this week at CM one photoshop dealer had the audacity to charge me 180 dollars for a second hand item not even Worth 10 bucks. It reminded me of an incident in Singapore about 4 years back where a vendor in a photo shop charged me 350 dollars for a small spy camera you could buy at that time for 45 bucks, however he said he was willing to discount me up to 320 bucks....
My house is 100 meters from Russia Market, and recently went shopping for fruit at Central Market.
2 kilo of passion fruit RM 16.000 riels, same CM 13.000 riels.
Big pack of large banana 6000 RM, 4000 CM.
As I buy these items a number of times of week, on 20 weeks it does make a difference, as and I have to trim down body fat it is a nice ride on the bicycle downtown.
This afternoon at CM saw a cap to put on your head I bought about a week ago alongside the road on the way out of PP, 2 dollars, same but exactly the same cap at CM 9 dollars, no Sir, no discount Sir......
Overall, my impression is that with a small number of vendors you will get a normal or slightly inflated price, others see you as....
Earlier this week at CM one photoshop dealer had the audacity to charge me 180 dollars for a second hand item not even Worth 10 bucks. It reminded me of an incident in Singapore about 4 years back where a vendor in a photo shop charged me 350 dollars for a small spy camera you could buy at that time for 45 bucks, however he said he was willing to discount me up to 320 bucks....
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Sometimes I just don't feel like going to the market and haggling. I have found that a lot of prices on basic things like irons, microwaves, etc. are what they should be at places like Sovanna Mall or 9 Dragon on Hanoi- places that have fixed prices. For example, when I first got here I paid 2 dollars for a tape measure at RM, and later saw the exact same tape measure for 50 cents at 9 Dragon. The only reason I go to RM anymore is for clothes, as I am stupidly tall and need American sizes, and for DVDs/electronics as I have a favorite seller who lowers the prices for me.Chuangt2u wrote:For years, the guide to price-bargaining has been "offer half and settle at 75%" or something close.
In other words, if that new 4-slice toaster is priced at $50 by the sales lady at Busy Market, then you should first offer $25, then slowly wheel and haggle to $37.50 as a purchase price.
But recently, I've been given massively inflated prices in places that know me and really should know better.
It seems to me that the White Guy price has seen some serious inflation of late, and that a new haggling % start-price is needed.
I respectfully suggest that all Whiteys here begin to offer no more than 20% (one fifth) of initial asking price on the normal haggled purchases, settle for a purchase price of no more than 35% to 40% of the initial asking price, and walk away if the price doesn't come down.
Now, I'm not suggesting that Ming of the Market is ripping you off hundreds of dollars for the tomatos and spring greens, or that the Oichi seller is asking too much at 2500r a bottle - but for larger purchases, I'm seriously suggesting that the Barang Tax has increased beyond all reasonable proportions in the last year or so.
Want that toaster?
Offer a fifth of the asking price, and settle for no more than 35 to 40%... Which means the toaster costs $20 max for anyone other than a white face with no idea of the locals' pricing structure.
I have no indisputable reasoning to trace the reason for recent price increases, but can offer a guess at cashed-up westerners lacking basic bargaining skills hopping off the banana boat, skin-aglow with the prospect of whatever, getting fleeced with a smile on their faces at the "cheapness compared to home" and the word spreading locally.
$125 for a Chinese bicycle?
$650 for a crappy apartment?
WTF?
The other thing I hate about haggling here is that it's much sadder. In the Middle East, it feels fun and you are both just out to screw each other over in a fun way. When I go to markets in Cambodia, the people feel so desperate and I don't even like to stop to look at anything as I am then guilted and pressured to look at everything, and even if I'm marginally interested in something but then walk away, they desperately start to lower the price. I wish that it was like markets in Thailand where the general consensus seems to be "Just look at it. If you like it, try to bargain. If not, just keep walking". The sellers in Thailand don't seem as desperate.
I've seen growing cynicism and sadness from sellers overall even in the 4 months I've lived here. Yesterday I asked a seller if he could break a 10, and he uttered in Khmer that "This is Cambodia, we don't have money like that". Everyday people come to me and complain about the government and how they just can't get by. I think the inflated prices that you're talking about at the markets are a reflection of that.
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we are being robbed, all the time. earlier this week I had some cameras installed in the house, now to see what they have to see, I need more light. So wanted to ad two addional 1,20 meter tl lamps, informed about the price and told my houseowner, he simply said this afternoon : give me 20 bucks and I will buy them for you.Bosco wrote:I buy nothing in this country, for the reasons outlined above, bar what comes on a price list that is equal for everyone. I'm probably missing out on loads of bargains but at least I'm not driven mad thinking I'm bring robbed the whole time.
Ha.
I guess my point is that I avoid being robbed by buying nothing, pretty much bar food and drinks in places with menus.mannacambodia wrote:we are being robbed, all the time. earlier this week I had some cameras installed in the house, now to see what they have to see, I need more light. So wanted to ad two addional 1,20 meter tl lamps, informed about the price and told my houseowner, he simply said this afternoon : give me 20 bucks and I will buy them for you.Bosco wrote:I buy nothing in this country, for the reasons outlined above, bar what comes on a price list that is equal for everyone. I'm probably missing out on loads of bargains but at least I'm not driven mad thinking I'm bring robbed the whole time.
Ha.
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Isn't the unwritten rule to get your Khmer girlfriend to go buy things and you not to be seen?
i gave the missus $10 to buy a mop at the market she came back with a mop 3 western ice creams and a feed of rice and chicken and fish for 3 people and still had change
i gave the missus $10 to buy a mop at the market she came back with a mop 3 western ice creams and a feed of rice and chicken and fish for 3 people and still had change
Jst tell them how much, take it or leave it. Having said that I often walk home empty handed.
Another unwritten rule is know the price before you go to the market and purchase it.
johnny
johnny
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In siem reap i go shopping all the time and find now that i get the pretty much the same prices as anyone else,but SR is much smaller than pp and after 8 years most sellers know you and you know the prices,but recently i spent 3 months or so in Pp and that was totally different for me,i tried to haggle on prices(not well)i ended up sounding like a parrot,(i can get it cheaper in sr,i can get it cheaper in sr,i can get it chea)anyway i got that blank stare that says well go back to siem (bloody) reap and buy it:)
so for me i either got my staff to do the shopping in pp or waited to buy it in siem (bloody) reap.
so for me i either got my staff to do the shopping in pp or waited to buy it in siem (bloody) reap.
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Yeah, rather than get ANY business AT ALL, they refuse to budge to a reasonable price that they would STILL profit from, just as they would dealing with a Khmer.reflexline wrote:It seemed that rather than just trying to con a few dollars off an unsupecting tourist, these people seemed genuinely pissed off that they had been paid less than the going price for barang customers. Instead of ripping us of, they were the ones that felt that they had been ripped off when given the usual fare (local plus a bit extra).
Is it pure disdain, and their way of telling us as a species (barang) to totally fnck off? That's the way it seems to me.
I've had it many times where I've gotten a fair price without any haggle (the fish grill) and would return every other night for weeks. Suddenly one night I return to my friendly neighborhood corner grill and they decide to charge me $2 more, or get real picky on chicken sizes and all that. I've witnessed their transactions with Khmer customers, and I know it's not an increase in cost, because, I hike across the street to another grill and get my damn fish or chicken for the "regular" price. I just liked them so I kept going, TO THEM. wtf? They literally witness this action and seem oblivious to the fact they lost my business to a direct competitor. I'm pretty certain I haven't overstepped some cultural norm here and I'm not an embarrassment to be seen with. Admittedly it hurts my feelings a bit---trying to make good with the folks in the hood and all. (Harden the fnck up, I know).
Then again, I used to buy sunglasses en masse from this woman in Central Mkt. and she would tolerate my close analysis, etc. giving me a fair discount. She had a good, simple set-up. We were both very happy with each others business, and she would order colors I mentioned, but never formally requested, things like that. Sometimes I would sense the scowls of her neighboring dealers... It seems elementary, but some folks just got a better head for business it seems!
See you in Hell
I just wanted to add that if you don't know the price on something, it doesn't matter if you're Khmer or not, they'll charge you crazy amounts on anything. My cousin had to go buy parts for our coffee business machinery a few months ago because I was busy, so she came back with 5 sets of blades and told me she paid $30 for them, discounted from $35. I thought no one would try to overcharge her because she's Khmer so I didn't think to tell her that they were normally 7,000 riel per set and that she paid over $25 too much for them.
Me on the other hand, doesn't matter where I go with regards to car or machinery parts, people can see that I know machines so 9 times out of 10 they don't even dare overcharge me more than $1-2, which I am perfectly fine with paying, being a "barang".
Me on the other hand, doesn't matter where I go with regards to car or machinery parts, people can see that I know machines so 9 times out of 10 they don't even dare overcharge me more than $1-2, which I am perfectly fine with paying, being a "barang".
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