Playing the Negotiation Game

When I first arrived in Guatemala, the whole idea of negotiating for everyday items was weird to me. Now, 7 years later, it`s a process that is as comfortable as picking up an item on a supermarket shelf. I`m constantly reminded of those early days, though, by tourist I see walking down the street clutching their bags of supermarket produce, something that could have been had for a tenth of the price in the market.

The local market in Antigua is something that changes the way you look at shopping for your food. Oh, you`ll find the variety, from basics like potatoes, squash, tomatoes and fresh herbs, to the more exotic, piles of cantelopes, pineapples, starfruit and pitaya. But the entire atmosphere is so very different from the cold supermarket produce aisles that we tread back home.

Negotiating is almost a game. You walk up to the produce stall, feel a couple of tomatoes and ask how much. The seller gives a price and you react in feigned shock.

"8 a pound? That`s way too much!" You say.

"I can go to 6.50 . . . it`s been a dry year." The seller explains.

"But these are really small . . . 3?" You counter.

"Oh, no, there`s no way, I`d be losing money! Look, I can drop to 5, that`s as low as I can go."

And so the sale is made and you pay 5 quetzales for a pound of tomatoes while the next person might end up paying 6.50 or even get a lower price by doing better at the game.

When things are just too high, you simply walk away and see if another vendor will give you a better price. And often the simple act of thanking the person and physically turning away is enough for them to give you a better price. If they say nothing, that`s probably the lowest price you`re going to find anywhere.

As a foreigner with very white skin, I stand out like a sore thumb in the marketplace, but once people realize I`m willing to bargain, they often give me a better price. Yet many tourists don`t realize that they can do this and will happily pay the first price. Sure, you`re helping the local economy, but if you really want to get into the culture, enjoy the lifestyle of the locals, then you have to negotiate . . . it`s expected! You`ll find that you get a lot more respect by playing the buying game, as well as getting better deals, so it`s a win/win situation.