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Coming from Australia I really don't have much experience with bargaining. 99% of stuff is fixed price, with possibly the exception of whitegoods that you can probably drop 5% off if you pay cash or something.

But over here and in asia it seems to be a normal part of life. I was recently in the little market streets in Deira trying to negotiate to buy some pashmenias (sp?) for my girlfriend and I just never know what to do.

He says 75, I say 65 then he goes 'Done' and I know I've been ripped. I reckon I probably should have said 35 or something but it just seems so rude. Like I said, it's not part of my culture so it's hard to get used to.

So questions:

1) What can/can't you bargain on?

2) How much less should your first offer be?

3) Are they ever really annoyed at a low offer or is it just part of the show?

4) Can you ever just say 'I don't want to bargain, just give me a reasonable price'?

Very good post. I was wondering about the same thing. There was an article in the newspaper not too long ago saying that people even bargain in the Malls in Dubai.

Wow, I thought the mall were fixed price only.

Nice one. I really enjoyed a recent visit to the Gold souk where I didnt barter for gold, but a great deal on a watch.

I would say go REALLY low, I did. Then you just meet in the middle, or one will stick their ground. If you dont want it for that price then move on, there are scores of dealers who want your money.

That was my stance, loads of guys offered me watches which I'm not bothered about, until one said Franck Muller. I love his watches but could never afford the real thing. So I thought I'd take a look.

Its amazing, it really is. The guy started at 450dhs to which i just laughed and said nothing. Then he lowered it to 400, 375, 350, then 300. To all of these I said no its too much. This carries on for twenty minutes, during which he shows me loads of others, but I want the FM.

Finally he said what's your price? So I said 100dhs. Its a Maylasian fake after all.....

he started to wrap it up and I left the shop. His brother (who 'hooked' me from the street) then said - 'what? no business?' I said he wanted too much, he then promptly agreed to my price and we did a deal.

They buy those things for a fiver and I gave him a score, he got a deal. Everyone was happy.

Just stand your ground, they want your cash and lets face it, unless you are after something really special or exclusive, all the markets sell the same stuff. If your not happy with the price, just move on.

thats correct do as seardarren mentioned...

this is the way I do it and it always works...

There is a very rough "rule of thumb", they normally mark things up by at least 300% (sometimes much more).

Divide the asking price by 3 and start there, you'll normally get a long storey about how his kids will starve and the landlord will come and take his house away - good entertainment value though and sometimes you get a cup of sweet tea thrown in

It's not uncommon to ask for discount at malls,
if the prices seem expensive!!!!

and for laptops,PS3,PC,games,techy ., dont be ripped from Al Ain centre (computer plaza) in bur dubai...they fiddle a lot!!!!.....

I love haggling! It's great fun.

Yep normally start at a 3rd of the asking price and go from there. I never buy in the first shop I go into. If they're not willing to give you the price you want, just say thanks very much and walk out, they normally come straight after you.

With places like computer plaza, the majority of shops are fixed price, however you can ask for loads of extras, mouse, software, webcam etc etc.

Nice pic choco, where is the whip???

Haggle and then walk slowly away, when the trader stops following you then you can buy( expirience from Egypt)

Haggling that's the word. I knew it was called something but I had a mind blank.

I guess I just have to get past the feeling of feeling rude when I say 30% of what they offer. Just get into the game.

I did haggle for a gold necklace for my mum and got it down to 2/3rds of what he originally said, but I'm sure I should have got it down much more.

Haha She doesn't have her whip in this image, and I can't fit the whole thing as it's too big and looks daft small.

Hmmm I think a trip to the souk is in order very soon.

It helps to have a vague idea what the item should cost before you start.

If you are haggling about gold, check out the price in the paper that day before you go. Then ask them to weigh the item in the store. It means you have a base price for the gold before you even start haggling about the workmanship involved in making it.

Copy watches should cost no more than 150Dhs for a good one.
Designer handbags between 150Dhs. and 170Dhs. for an average size one.

Happy haggling!



Knight

Dubai Knight wrote:It helps to have a vague idea what the item should cost before you start.

If you are haggling about gold, check out the price in the paper that day before you go. Then ask them to weigh the item in the store. It means you have a base price for the gold before you even start haggling about the workmanship involved in making it.

Copy watches should cost no more than 150Dhs for a good one.
Designer handbags between 150Dhs. and 170Dhs. for an average size one.

Happy haggling!



Knight

The designer handbags pricings, do you mean imitations or the real deal?

Considering the pricelevel, I expect them to be fake. How can you tell?

RobbyG wrote:

Dubai Knight wrote:It helps to have a vague idea what the item should cost before you start.

If you are haggling about gold, check out the price in the paper that day before you go. Then ask them to weigh the item in the store. It means you have a base price for the gold before you even start haggling about the workmanship involved in making it.

Copy watches should cost no more than 150Dhs for a good one.
Designer handbags between 150Dhs. and 170Dhs. for an average size one.

Happy haggling!



Knight

The designer handbags pricings, do you mean imitations or the real deal?

Considering the pricelevel, I expect them to be fake. How can you tell?

Generally speaking the quality is always a little suspect, if you know the real Mc Coy then you will easily know the difference.

A real Gucci handbag will cost maybe 1500-3000Dhs, so if the shop is on a cart and he offers you 200 then it's fake.

I hate having to haggle, find it tedious and time consuming, however it seems a part of life here in the UAE.

The gold souk is were the price varies immensely, I find it helps not dressing up too flashy to begin with then like Captain says, having an idea of the price of gold that day etc. You can up the banter with things like "I'm only using the last of my holiday money up and am not that fussed" etc

The computer shops in Bur Dubai, it helps to know what you are after, eg and HP Z8970-12 rather than "I want a laptop". Do your research online and in Sharaf DG first if you don't know what model you want. For certain items in Bur Dubai and Deira I sometimes send our company technician in on his own as they speak the same language.

However if you're trailed around the computer souk enough times you will realise that most shops are actually selling the same models and brands. This is because they all buy surplus, end of line stock from the same container at the same price, and due to the amount of shops will be applying much the same mark up - give or take 15-20 AED. As Chocoholic says though you can push for extra things like blank disks etc.

As for the malls, I dunno never tried it. Half the time I'm just glad that the shop assistant has been able to actually find the item i'm after let alone give you something off it. Most seem releaved enough to be in their job in general that they'd seem worried about asking their line manger on your behalf. I dunno if I was making a one off purchase eg a television I'd give it a go but a pair of jeans or cordless phone I wouldn't bother.

Ironically enough I (or rather the missus) used to haggle in the UK high street all the time. She worked for a department store chain so in most shops would walk up to the till or assistant and say "We'll have this, but only if you put it through on a code 403, which gives us 15% off". Or she'd grab the general manager and start quizzing him on stock flows etc before stating the price she would pay. Worked most of the time too but it's like having inside knowledge on any industry I guess.

Finally, got a averagely amusing story that sums up my attitude to haggling. I was going round Deira, looking for a 2nd hand filing cabinet, was only for the warehouse so nothing too expensive needed. Been in a few shops so had an idea of what was what and in one the bloke said 500, I just looked at him, didn't say anything and started to walk out, he came after me bemused that I wasn't even going to haggle (won't 'aggle ).

Anyway I just said that the drive to Deira, parking etc had hardly put me in the best of moods to begin with and that I'd rather stick pins in my eyes then spend the next 4 hours trailing in and out of the same shops playing them all off against each to just get a fair price. I'm off to Ikea.

And that point he just laughed and said ok, 185

The most important thing is to know the rough value of the goods you are interested in..

What I always do is ask them the price and if they say 100, I say 50.. They wont agree so I walk off, while your walking off they will desperately try to get you back shouting out 90,80,70,60,50 and so on lolll... You can go back once you are satisfied otherwise its not worth it.