When I was in Madrid, I was asked where I had come from. Upon hearing my answer of Morocco, he looked upset. "It's a nice place, but if you don't argue for everything they always try to cheat you!"
Well, no. While most shops in the older areas don't have price tags and, if you ask, the given price will seem outrageous, that's because it is completely expected that you will negotiate. Native Moroccans go through the same procedure. It's the same in many areas around the world. I've come across it in Mexico and China myself. All you need to do is offer a correspondingly outrageous low price, and then you go back and forth and back and forth until you reach a price both parties agree to. Locals will almost always get a better price than you, but when you consider how much experience they have and the fact that the average income is about $6-8000 a year, I don't think you can get too upset.
It takes some practice, and you definitely need to come with the knowledge of how much an item is really worth to you. If you get it for close to that price, be happy! In Morocco, I generally tried to get to a price between a quarter and a half of the finial price, but other countries can be different (in China it was common to get knickknacks and souvenirs for a tenth of the initial price).
In Fes, Morocco, a lot of handiworks are produced in the same way they had been for centuries. I was taken to the tanneries by a tout, an unofficial guide who will offer to show you around the city, but who will always try to guide you to shops where he will then get a cut of whatever you buy (and still expect a tip from you at the end). A leather purse was one of the two items I knew ahead of time I wanted to buy, so I made his day for asking right off the bat to show me a good leather-working shop. He left me in the hands of an employee who showed me the areas where the leather was bleached, dyed, and processed (I got a mint bouquet to hold under my nose since the smell of the tanneries was notoriously bad; however, after growing up in an area that had both oil fields and pig farms, I didn't find it that overwhelming). Then we moved on to the real business. I looked through display after display of purses, and picked out the one I wanted. Between my high school French and his slight knowledge of English, we managed to converse (Moroccans speak Arabic first, French second, and then either Spanish or English as a potential third and fourth language). I've transcribed the following in English to keep it simple.
Him: "Ah, you like that one? You have great taste! It's made from Camel belly leather, which is the softest you can get!"
Me: "Maybe... It's a little big. How much?"
"2800 dirhams" (1 Canadian dollar is about 7.5 dirhams)
"Wow! That's way too much. Sorry, I don't think I can afford that."
"It's a good price! Normally it would be 3000, but I gave you a discount because you're so polite."
"No, sorry. I had no idea it would be that much."
"What would you pay? Best offer?"
"I don't know... Not enough for this one, I'm sure."
"How much?"
"Well... I did't want to spend more than 4-500 dirham."
"What? That's ridiculous! I can't even ask my manager if he'll accept that- it's way too low!"
"I just can't afford more."
"It's the best quality- can't you see?"
"I know, it's beautiful, but it's simply all I have."
"Oh, don't worry. We take credit card."
"No, that doesn't matter. I just can't pay more."
"If I try, I can probably get it down to 2500 dirham. That's 500 off!"
"That's really nice of you, but it's still too much."
"You have to offer something higher! If you offer 1500, maybe we can get it for 2000."
"No, sorry. 500 is my final offer." We start moving to the door. "Or maybe 600."
Suddenly his eyes lit up, as he realized I was playing the game and was willing to negotiate, rather then just holding firm and not understanding the procedure.
"600 is still too little. I would be fired if I let it go for that little. 1800."
"I can get a leather purse at home for that much, but I never would, because that's too expensive!"
"Psh. That's not good leather. THIS is good leather. See?" He took out a lighter and held the flame to the side of the purse for a couple seconds (this puzzled me until I googled it later, but I didn't' want to admit that). "Smell it!"
"I know it's good, I can see how skilled everyone is here... What about 700?"
"You are stubborn! You saw how long it takes to make the leather here. Weeks! 1500, and I really can't go any lower no matter what."
"I'm already offering more than I can afford! I like the purse, but I don't need it. 800. That's my final offer."
"We could never sell it that cheap- everyone would want it all for free, and we would go out of business. Let's be real. I think I can get my boss to agree to 1350, only because he's probably mad at me for taking so long."
"My husband would never let me forget it if I spent that much. 1000. No more."
"This is a 3000 dirham purse! But, how about this. I'm a family man. I have children. I try to be honest, but it's a hard world. You give me 100 dirham as a tip, and I'll ask my boss to let it go for 1100."
"No, you don't get it. I really, really can't spend more than 1000. What about I give you 100, and then it's 900 for the purse?"
"No, I'm serious. They won't let it go for less than 1100."
"But that's still 1200 to me... Ok, I've got an idea. How about I give you 200 dirham, and 800 for the purse?"
He hemmed and hawed, and finally agreed. I took the purse back, we made our way to the cashier, and he told her the price in Arabic (note there was no boss to consult with). The cashier nodded, asked for my credit card, and we were good to go. Just as we left, since I was "such a good customer", the salesman gave me a little mini slipper souvenir and his business card, in case I needed a wallet for my husband.
Normally I wouldn't spend so long on bartering, but this was (for me) a fairly high-end item. Plus, it was fun. Do I believe I got the best price for it? No, I'm certain that a local would probably have paid less, but considering the privilege I showed just by being there, I don't mind if everyone involved in the process made a little extra. I got a purse I liked, didn't pay an international conglomerate to mark up the price and ship it around the world, and everyone seemed happy with the results. I paid less than I would for an equivalent purse at home, I know exactly where it came from, and I had a blast bartering!
via lethekk the unwoman
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