Bartering

This is a little bartering technique I figured out in Ghana.

I don't like to play hardball when bartering, so I use this little tactic that I call "The Throw In". I select X number of items, as I believe that grouping items together will get you a better price than asking for individual quotes. Don't ask for individual prices, create your own "bundle", then ask for a quote. Counter offer about 25% - 50% less than the original offer, ( I opted for the 25% range, I am a creampuff) but with the addendum that another item is added. This is the "throw in" and it is an item that you wanted from the beginning, but did not include in your original group. Usually the offer will be accepted and it changes the dynamic of bartering from taking to giving.

My heart is not really into fighting people over an amount of money that I can easily earn back home. By all means you should not pay the first price offered; in some countries not bartering will lead to a loss of face. However, odds are that the person that you are bartering with works very very hard for not much money.

Show a little respect and ask yourself this - "How much money am I talking about, relevant to my own economic circumstances?". Probably not very much, like the amount you might tip the pizza delivery guy. Then again, if you don't tip the pizza delivery guy, we are probably not on the same page.