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Adel Murad
Haggle Your Way to Bargains
in Egyptian Markets
Haggling has become an art form in
Egypt. Many tourists would rather do anything than haggle over the
price of a gold cartouche while on holiday in Egypt. But, from the
local point of view, haggling is expected, sometimes encouraged,
as a way of communication and human contact. It is also legal in
Egypt to haggle, bargain and ask for a discount.
As with any type of negotiation, there is a
protocol to haggling, and many ways to make sure you don't pay
over the odds. But the basic skill is to have some inside
knowledge about the value of what you are buying and put a limit
of what you are prepared to pay. Always look at the price tag, as
the maximum required, not the minimum. Then set a minimum price
and negotiate for some medium price in between.
Haggling is effective if you are buying high
value items, such as gold and jewelry, but with low value goods it
is not worthwhile the time and effort; it becomes more or less a
social gesture. If you pay with cash, not a credit card, you
should have more leverage for getting a good discount. Shops in
Egypt prefer cash. Paying with dollars sometimes helps secure a
bargain.
There used to be a golden rule of offering half
the asking price, but that rule has grown unreliable over the
years, as the asking price could be treble the real value or just
a fraction above. If you want to obtain a bargain, be prepared to
invest some time and have a rough idea what the item is worth. Ask
some local friends (not necessarily your tour guides) how much
would they pay for such an item, and then allow a fraction above
that as a margin for being a tourist.
When I return to Egypt, I always relax my
haggling rules because shopkeepers know instinctively that I live
abroad and raise the price. Ideally, you should take an Egyptian
friend to buy for you, but since that is not always feasible, do
some homework. Shop around. Never buy at the first shop; you can
always come back. Shopkeepers will try to persuade you that they
offer you the best value, but will not be offended when you say
you want to look around and would come back. Timing is also
important. You stand a better chance for getting a bargain late at
night than earlier in the day.
When buying gold haggle about the price per gram
not the price per item. For other valuables, you can always say a
friend bought a similar item, for less. Negotiate only with those
who can make an instant decision, not with counter assistants. If
you are not sure, ask to see the manager or owner.
If you are buying more than one item haggle for
the lot, a discount is expected for buying in bulk. So, it makes
sense to buy as a group of three of four, together. Also, if you
can point any defect in the goods, such as poor finishing on a
dress, or a fading color on material, you should be entitled to
money off the asking price.
If you are an independent traveler, or on a
budget, you can apply the same haggling principles to booking
hotel rooms, and to obtaining other services. Sometimes it is
easier to haggle over the telephone than face to face. You can
even haggle before coming to Egypt by telephone or by e-mail. For
instance, if you are staying for a long period (more than two
weeks) or you are reviewing the hotel so that a large numbers of
tourists may follow, be sure to let the hotel know this
information.
There are places where haggling is not the norm,
and these include supermarket chains, where the stock is
computerized, fruit and vegetable markets where the prices for
tourists are so marginal, they are not worth discounting.
Egyptians used to joke about Russians in the 1960"s who took
haggling to extremes; they asked for a discount on bread which was
subsidized by the government and sold at two loaves a penny.
Prices, however, have to be put in perspective.
Egypt is still relatively cheap, at least for tourists who
exchange US dollars. The local purchasing power is double that of
the dollar abroad. Egyptian pounds (LE) are exchanged at rates
above LE 3.5 to the dollar (Last quarter 2000). To make your life
simple, you can draw a line about what is not worth haggling
about. Items below LE 50 are not usually worth the effort or the
waste of precious holiday time. If you still think an item is
overpriced, then offer your own price and walk away. This will put
the vendor in a yes or no situation.
The language could be a handicap in dealing with
many traders in Egypt, although increasing numbers of merchants
know at least one foreign language beside Arabic. But, it is
equally a problem for the vendor as it is for the buyer. So, do
not feel at a disadvantage. In these situations, the phrase books
and the time and effort in learning the basic Arabic expressions
become invaluable. You will be surprised at how you can haggle
within a limited vocabulary.
For example:
- Be kam? (How much?)
- Khamseen geneeh (LE 50)
- La'a, da ghaali awy. Mumkin talateen? ((No,
that's very expensive, is it possible for LE 30)
- Laa mush mumkin... Arbaeen? (Not possible LE
40?)
- Laa, ma'aya talateen bas. (No, I only have LE
30)
So, here you are. He can agree to sell for LE
30, or you can find another LE 10 in your pocket and clinch the
deal. In most cases though, the LE 10 is worth more to the small
Egyptian trader, than it is to the tourist. I know that most
tourists to Egypt are not rich, but in relative terms are still
much better off than the average Egyptian. That of course excludes
the big local traders and mega businessmen of the hotel weddings'
fame.
So, be careful, know what you want, and haggle
hard to get what you want for the right price. Otherwise, don't
waste your time haggling over trivia or buying stuff you do not
need. As most travelers know, the best bargains of holiday time
often become clutter around the house, and end up in car boot
sales. So, after all the haggling, it may be worth paying a little
over the odds to get exactly what you want.
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