About the Author
Named after the Roman deity of love, Venus is no romance guru or hopeless romantic. Her opinions on love and relationships border on the radical. This practical and independent person would rather spend time working on her laptop or doing house chores than going on dates or looking for “the one.” Not that she shuns company—she is just happy and content being alone.
A journalism graduate from the University of the Philippines, Venus, 25, advocates a free, ethical, and responsible media. Writing is her passion, and teaching is her first love. She currently works for the Web content development team of a U.S.-based company and takes freelance jobs when she has time to spare. Yes, she is an insufferable workaholic, but she doesn’t mind juggling different tasks because it pays the bills and keeps her sane.
10 Tips on the Art and Style of Haggling
0Many Filipinos have a knack for haggling. But some shoppers are too shy or hesitant to ask for tawad (the local term for, and used when haggling). It’s not a bad thing, though. Most vendors actually expect people to negotiate for lower prices. Haggling is the norm in Manila’s bargain stores. So why not give it a shot if it means bigger savings for you?
Get started in mastering the art of haggling, and your money will go a long way.
Wear comfortable clothes, sneakers, or slippers. Flaunting your designer bag and high-end cellphone is a big no-no when shopping in very crowded places like Divisoria. Aside from security reasons, dressing down makes haggling a lot easier. How would a seller agree to give you a 50% discount when you’re dressed as though you can pay twice the product’s price?
Persuade the seller to give you a discounted price with a friendly smile and a firm yet polite tone. A little humor helps, too. Remember that people are least willing to compromise with a grump. Soon, you’ll be walking away with that item at a smaller price tag.
Typically, here’s how savvy bargain shoppers haggle: they ask for as low as half of the original price and keep on negotiating with the seller until they agree to a certain price.
For example, ask the vendor if you can get a P200 bag for P100. Then the vendor might offer to let it go for P180. Ask again for a lower price, say P130. Make counter-offers until you arrive at a price that fits your budget.
Buying in bulk is also a great idea, as vendors are often more willing to give discounts for wholesale than individual items. For example, if a purse costs P50, you can ask the vendor if you can get six purses for P250.
Usually, salespersons voluntarily give their prospective customers a discounted price. For example, a pair of shoes that costs P300 will be sold for just P280. Still, negotiate for a lower price because that kind of approach still leaves them with a partial profit from that P280. Otherwise they won’t decide to cut the price to that amount.
Just as you observe vendors to know if they are kind enough to give big discounts, these vendors also take notice of your body language to know if you have the money to really spend. Be careful not to show your wad of P500 bills, lest the vendor refuse to cut the price. Also, pay just the exact amount to avoid forgetting your change.
If you spot any flaw in an item such as a missing button or torn hemlines, then you’re one lucky shopper! That means you have a good reason to convince the seller to give you a discount.
Don’t be ashamed to tell the saleslady that you’re on a tight budget. Some wise shoppers even go as far as saying that their 100-peso bill is all that’s left in their pocket. Vendors would rather give discounts than lose a sale, so it doesn’t hurt to be honest.
Don’t make your excitement about getting the item too obvious. If you show that you really need or like the item, then the vendor might assume that you will buy it anyway, with or without discount.
It’s not worth spending the entire morning or afternoon haggling for just a single product and not getting your desired price. Just thank the vendor and tell him or her that you’ll look for something else instead. This haggling technique works because vendors who are desperate for a sale will run after you and agree to your price. If that doesn’t happen though, don’t worry. You can surely find other stores that sell the same item at a lower price or at least, a store that would agree to your haggled price.
If haggling is not your cup of tea, then the next best thing is to go with a master haggler. It’d be better if your shopping buddy is either Chinese-looking, or can speak Chinese. Obviously, most bazaar (tiangge) owners happen to be Chinese, so you have a better chance of getting a good deal.
Click here for a list of bazaars all over the Philippines
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About the Author
Named after the Roman deity of love, Venus is no romance guru or hopeless romantic. Her opinions on love and relationships border on the radical. This practical and independent person would rather spend time working on her laptop or doing house chores than going on dates or looking for “the one.” Not that she shuns company—she is just happy and content being alone. A journalism graduate from the University of the Philippines, Venus, 25, advocates a free, ethical, and responsible media. Writing is her passion, and teaching is her first love. She currently works for the Web content development team of a U.S.-based company and takes freelance jobs when she has time to spare. Yes, she is an insufferable workaholic, but she doesn’t mind juggling different tasks because it pays the bills and keeps her sane.
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