Haggling Lesson for Jack

India is very different to what we are used to. In the market-place people haggle. One tries to get a lower price than that first offered. In fact, the venders expect you to offer a much lower price. I myself only did this once to buy a shirt I liked. All the other times, I only bought treats one buys at a fixed price. Haggling can be difficult for a tourist like me. One reason is that I would not know just how valuable the item of choice really is, especially if one’s currency is worth more in the area chosen. I was sometimes worried that I might be going too far down from a reasonable price or that I may be paying too much for a normally inexpensive item. The business of haggling is like a game. You have a goal and an opposition. There are strategies and techniques. There are opportunities, risks and rewards. In the end you settle on a price lower than first offered and everyone’s friendly again. You may sometimes be happy about the prize you won. This practice is everyday life in Kolkata in the very least. All I know is that I miss fixed prices but it was an interesting experience nonetheless.

My experience of haggling when I was getting my shirt was new to me. I saw a nice shirt, an example not the one I wanted to get an idea of how much the man would first charge me. 850 rupees. That sounded too expensive for such an area I was in. I looked hesitant and pointed to the one I wanted. He said it was 450 rupees but he said he would make an offer “for me” for both shirts. It would have costed 1300 for both but he offered 1100. I said I only would have wanted one and he offered 350 for the shirt I wanted. I said I would come back with the money my teacher was holding for me. Mr. Alexander said I should go for a lower price, 200 or 250. I was really hesitant, but I figured that this practice happens every day here so I went on my way. I had 500 with me, however when I went there I said that my teacher told me to spend only 200. This way the man may think I only had 200 but I was not lying, the teacher did tell me to try to spend 200 only. The man did not look happy and told me that the shirt of choice was of good quality but I looked regretful and said if it was too much. I walked outside of the shop and started walking away. The man called me back asking me if I could pay 250 rupees. I checked both pockets, didn’t take the fifty out. Then I took the fifty out of my back pocket and gave the 250 to him. He gave me the nice shirt and we wished each other to have a nice day. I thought that I did pretty well for the first time I haggled, despite that others told me that I could have gone a little lower. I didn’t want to push my luck at the time and I was happy enough with the price. It is a nice shirt after all.