Haggling,do you feel guilty?

[lust]

14 hours ago, sipi said:

I have a back bone and a door mat and use the meter every time. 

Every time.  Every time. 

You should try going outside of Bangkok some time.

[Fairynuff]

16 hours ago, sipi said:

A tight arse however you spell it. 

Haggle over the purchase of a house for sure, a taxi fare?  Get a life. 

I’d love to meet you if I was a taxi driver, I’d only need one fare a day. Nuts!

[HooHaa]

On 7/30/2018 at 7:09 PM, from the home of CC said:

Whenever I see something I like that there's no price tag on I stand out of sight and let the wife go deal with it. Once the price has been set she gives me the signal and I walk and pay for it. Sometimes the vendors face displays dismay but when me and wife both smile at them they'll chuckle and shake their head. I treat it as a game and the wife says when foreigners overpay, some vendors considers them rich fools. 

Yes, hiding behind your wife is certainly the way to do Thailand right.

[Fairynuff]

11 hours ago, tingtongtourist said:

I will just say to these people who think a vendor "enjoys" to haggle...

this was the excuse of a family member i went to JJ and he is trying to get 20baht discount on a 100baht t-shirt.

so rude and i told him and he dont like it either.

 

you think they enjoy hey?

Sit out in rain/heat day in day out making probably 20baht per shirt, because of so much competition and probably they must live in fan room with three others.

 

but this cocky (cockheสd) farang wearing $600 wristwatch want to haggle down 80cents from something already dirt cheap.

yesss real fun for them!!

I think your handle says it all “tingtongtourist”

[HooHaa]

On 7/31/2018 at 7:52 AM, BritManToo said:

The funny thing is, it's all changed.

On the green bus, I was the only white guy, at the border hardly any whites, in the market almost deserted.

Five years back the place would have been packed with white foreigners, surrounded by packs of touts.

As a white man, I was almost invisible to immigration, don't even need to put my backpack through the x-ray machine.

On the bus back at the two police checkpoints, when the police board and shout 'passports', they don't mean me, zero interest.

 

It's a funny old world!

Well they obviously could tell you were an upmarket, desirable, viagra-buying sex tourist of the highest ilk.

 

An honour to have you, it must have been.

Edited August 1, 2018 by HooHaa

[Lacessit]

I don't haggle over fruit and vegetable prices at the markets. In season, they're ridiculously cheap anyway.

Shoes,clothing and household goods are different. I usually stand back and let my Thai GF do the talking. She'll save me up to 30% off.

[Andrew Dwyer]

My Thai gf is shy when it comes to haggling, it’s usually me who asks her to ask for a discount .

Example: at local market the other day i spotted a sun dress that we both liked:
“ how much “ ?
“ 200 baht “
“ how about 150 “ ?
“ okay “

I was happy, got a discount, vendor was happy, made a sale.
No embarrassing moments, smiles all round .

Note: would have probably paid 200 baht anyway but i see it as part and parcel of the Thai shopping experience .

[elgenon]

On 7/30/2018 at 3:27 PM, georgegeorgia said:

So if i dont indentify his nationality i am a troll?

 

But if i indentify his nationality i would be called a troll because i identified it. I just cant win

 

 

he is actually from Australia but originally from another Country, 

 

Well mate if you think its a troll post ask the mods to delete it i guess im not too fussed

 

 

I think when you said he used the word "mate" you gave it away.

[sipi]

8 hours ago, lust said:

You should try going outside of Bangkok some time.

Pop into Wongchunpu for a beer sometime. If you can find it. 

My shout. 

[Knocker33]

I do do not feel the slightest bit guilty as most things here are  overpriced and a rip off.

Just got back from a trip to the UK and found most everyday food items in supermarkets cheaper, clothes cheaper and electrical goods at a third of the price.Thailand is not cheap anymore

[JTXR]

Guilty?  Heck no.  In Thailand, bargaining is normal.

Often a discount will be offered before you can ask for one.  If it's not, just ask.  Be polite and respectful and good-humored, don't insult or question the honesty of the seller, and make the encounter brief (thank the seller and walk away if you can't quickly agree on a price you're both happy with).

 

It's not necessarily "fun" -- after all, it's the seller's livelihood, not a game -- but it also doesn't have to be a pain.

[watcharacters]

On 7/30/2018 at 3:04 PM, worgeordie said:

if you don't try they will

think you are stupid.

 

Sorry worgeorgie,

 

I think this is a claim usually made by those who tend to be on the CHEAP side.

 

[catman20]

30 minutes ago, Knocker33 said:

I do do not feel the slightest bit guilty as most things here are  overpriced and a rip off.

Just got back from a trip to the UK and found most everyday food items in supermarkets cheaper, clothes cheaper and electrical goods at a third of the price.Thailand is not cheap anymore

spot on !

[watcharacters]

On 7/31/2018 at 2:02 PM, HHTel said:

Only a month ago I negotiated a deal with Homepro resulting in an 8k reduction on the listed price.

 

Come on you know you have to provide details to make your claim valid.

 

 

[HHTel]

6 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

Come on you know you have to provide details to make your claim valid.

 

 

I already did, but just for you I'll repeat it:

 

Quote

In my particular experience with HomePro, I was interested in a 75 inch TV.  It had already been discounted from 89,000 to 69,000 (started at 200k a year ago).  I asked about a soundbar and he showed me a couple.  I settled on the one at 8,000 baht.  That's when I said that I'll have the TV if the soundbar is thrown in for nothing.  He called his supervisor who offered me 50% on the soundbar.  "Nope.  I'll take the TV but I want the soundbar included".  Went over to the 'office girls' and got an invoice for the soundbar showing FOC"  Checked the TV through the checkout and Bob's your uncle.  From 8k to 4k to free.

 

[watcharacters]

1 minute ago, HHTel said:

I already did, but just for you I'll repeat it:

 

 

 

 

Thank you.

[Odin Norway]

22 hours ago, moontang said:

Does she provide you with good service?

I do provide good enough service for not to be asked for money on that part.But thanks for youre consern

[ResandePohm]

On 7/30/2018 at 5:42 PM, The manic said:

This is true but it might be disappointingly low and force them to work longer. When people haggle here it should be with humour and haggling is never an excuse to be rude to a vendor.

You can haggle in every country. I have haggled in the UK and most countries in Europe and always got a better price. Bought an expensive HiFi system in Sweden with a 25% discount. In some countries you will be looked down upon with the vendor thinking you are stupid for not haggling. In Guatamala, for example, haggling is the norm but so is getting an early sale. An early sale indicates that the vendor is going to have a good day so will often sell at a loss to get an early sale. So I always went out early to do my shopping there. Haggling is normal everywhere and there is no reason to feel guilty in any way.

[5633572526]

Suspect your friend is Aussie, both my Aussie friends I showed this post to believe the same.

[Gecko123]

On 7/31/2018 at 11:09 PM, HHTel said:

In my particular experience with HomePro, I was interested in a 75 inch TV.  It had already been discounted from 89,000 to 69,000 (started at 200k a year ago).  I asked about a soundbar and he showed me a couple.  I settled on the one at 8,000 baht.  That's when I said that I'll have the TV if the soundbar is thrown in for nothing.  He called his supervisor who offered me 50% on the soundbar.  "Nope.  I'll take the TV but I want the soundbar included".  Went over to the 'office girls' and got an invoice for the soundbar showing FOC"  Checked the TV through the checkout and Bob's your uncle.  From 8k to 4k to free.
 

Just for the record...HomePro doesn't sell TVs. PowerBuy Electronic stores frequently have stores adjacent to HomePro but are not owned by HomePro. I'm not questioning whether you received a discount, but doubt HomePro was who gave it.

[HHTel]

3 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Just for the record...HomePro doesn't sell TVs. PowerBuy Electronic stores frequently have stores adjacent to HomePro but are not owned by HomePro. I'm not questioning whether you received a discount, but doubt HomePro was who gave it.

 

3 hours ago, Gecko123 said:

Just for the record...HomePro doesn't sell TVs. PowerBuy Electronic stores frequently have stores adjacent to HomePro but are not owned by HomePro. I'm not questioning whether you received a discount, but doubt HomePro was who gave it.

I bought it at Homepro.  It went through the Homepro systems.  Look at all the TV's for sale on their website.

 

https://www.homepro.co.th/category/12311?lang=en

[HHTel]

I just looked at my debit card statement to check the payment for my TV.  Surprise, surprise.  It lists the purchase as from Home Products (Homepro)

[fanjita]

Before I married my wife we were in Chiang Mai and decided on purchasing our wedding rings.  The hotel that we stayed at had a jewellery store flyer advertising transport from our accommodation to their sizeable store on the outskirts of town.  A very clean and modern Mercedes promptly turned up and dropped us off and we had a good look at their wares and decided on a pair of white gold rings and the haggling with the two female counter assistants commenced.

 

I don't generally haggle cheap crap as it's invariably not worth the energy but these were expensive and I was intent on the absolutely cheapest price I could walk with as I knew their game from the start, anyone would, otherwise they wouldn't pick you up for free in a nice Merc from your hotel, obviously.

 

I knew I'd got the absolute best price I could hope to achieve when I saw the steam coming out of the ladies ears and their faces had turned a brilliant shade of crimson.  All's fair in love and war and, to be fair, it was a good service.  I settled the bill and the rings were then made on site and delivered to the hotel about five hours later and we qualified for the lift home in the same Merc with our purchase.  Anyway, the rings are nine years old now and holding up nicely.  

 

No regrets and no embarrassment from our side.