The Art of Haggling - The Ultimate Backpacker's Guide
Last Updated: October 24, 2021
HOW TO MASTER THE GAME OF HAGGLING - AN ESSENTIAL BACKPACKING SKILL
Heads up: We sometimes work with companies to provide affiliate links and reviews - here's what that means. If it's here, we use it. We don't plug shit for profit.
You Wait. And Whoever Speaks First, Loses.
These words were spoken by Leo Dicaprio in the Wolf Of Wall Street, and they apply to haggling in the souks of Marrakech just as much as they do selling stocks.
Haggling is the talent of saving yourself money, without pissing anyone off along the way.
And it's an essential skill if you're travelling cheap.
Spending less money on food, transport, hostels, or souvenirs means more time on the road. That's more money for beer, more money for bucket lists, more stories to tell. It's a complete no-brainer.
Yet most backpackers suck at it.
If you want to travel better than average, you need to know how to haggle. We're gonna show you how!
But first, you need to know what you're up against.
Why do Backpackers Suck at Haggling?
It's cultural.
Odds are, if you're lucky enough to be a world traveller (or an aspiring world traveller!), you're probably from the 'West'.
And we're crap at negotiating! It's not taught, it's not done, we don't get it. The price is the price.
More to the point, the idea of negotiating on price feels uncomfortable, like you're insulting someone just by asking. And people instinctively avoid feeling uncomfortable.
Meanwhile, in swathes of Asia, South America, and Africa, they've been taught this since birth. The norm is there are no price tags, and everything is bought by negotiation. There's no awkwardness, it's their way of life.
So, when a tourist rocks up, fresh off the plane with high hopes, full pockets, and not knowing the rules, they're an easy target. We've all been that person, and you stand out! Don't think you don't!
Meanwhile, these grizzled veterans see one thing: opportunity.
You're on their turf, and they know you're uncomfortable. So they will try and charge you more than they would a local for the same stuff, because they think:
- You can afford it; and
- You won't argue.
They know we break easy. So they mark things up to make more profit. And who can blame them? They add the 'tourist tax'.
Don't take it personally, it's just the way of things.
What it does mean is: you need to go in prepared, or you'll be taken for a ride. And preparation starts in the mind.
How to Prepare your Haggle
We've all heard the saying 'knowledge is power'.
Think of haggling as a game. You're a detective trying to find the lowest price, and you need to follow the clues. Your opponent doesn't want to give anything away, but, with the right tactics, they will.
Treating it as a game helps you feel less awkward, which levels the playing field. They're not uncomfortable, so nor should you be!
The best thing you can possibly know to win the game is what your opponent's minimum is. What's their rock bottom price? They're not going to tell you, but there are ways to find out. And before you even start, you can:
Know The Local Markup Rate
Anyone who tells you, "Always aim for 30% off!" has already lost.
The truth is, there isn't a universal rate. Different countries, cities, and markets all work on a different tourist tax rate. In some places they'll add 20%, in others, the price just quadrupled.
What you have to your advantage is that the markup will be pretty consistent across the whole market, with slight variations on that across the town.
If you can find out how much this is, you know roughly what your target price should be.
Here's how to work that out:
Ask Around! - Ask your host how much you should pay. If you've made a local friend, even better! (Or even better again, get them to buy it at the local rate!) If not, ask other travellers what their best deal was, and beat it. All of this gives you a good picture.
How Many Tourists Are There? - If there's loads, you can bet the markup is a lot more than in a quiet town, where you're the only new face.
What're You Haggling For? - If it's a meal, the markup won't be much. If its a market souvenir, they're gonna try and rinse you. Adjust accordingly.
Have A 'Throwaway Haggle' First - This is where you haggle for something you don't care about, and your sole aim is to get to the point that they refuse to go any lower. If you do it well, the last offer they give before they abandon negotiations is the point they're no longer making money. And that, my friends, is the actual price. Compare that to their first offer, and that ratio is the local markup.
Because of these variables, we won't give you a global haggling target. Check our city guides if you want localised, specific information.
How to Act (And Not Act) During the Haggle
We've covered the mindset, now for the body.
Body language gives away your thoughts and feelings. We all do this without thinking, but you can very quickly learn to avoid a few telling moves.
Also, everyone can read body language. It's an instinctive part of being human. And your opponent is good at it.
Control that body, and avoid giving clues away!
Be Confident! - Even if you're not, this is a case of 'fake it til you make it'! Stand relaxed, don't shy away from conversation, and act like you belong. The aim is to not look like an easy target. In particular, don't sound nervous when you throw in your offers, throw them proudly! Remember, you're just playing the game.
Keep It Friendly - By far the easiest and best way to avoid causing offence is to give a big smile, and keep it upbeat. Don't smile constantly like a maniac, but nothing says, "We're all good, amigo!" like a cheeky grin!
Don't Appear Indecisive - Avoid saying, "Ummmm..." or, "I dunno..." (unless you're using it as a tactic), because what you're showing is that the last offer is close to what you're looking for, and they won't move much further.
Act Casual! - If they think you really want something, they know you'll pay more. So be nonchalant, pick up what you want, turn it over idly to 'inspect' it, and put it down again. Make sure they see you do that, and let them come to you with a price. They will, every time.
Don't Lie - You see this a lot, and it's a very good way to come unstuck and look like a tit. Common ones are, "I saw it down the road for half that price!" or, "I've only got a tenner!". They've heard it before, and they know you're lying. You've now 'cheated' at the game, and they may call your bluff. And when you're forced to magically produce another fiver you 'didn't have' from your sock/bra/anus, they've won. Don't do it. You don't need to.
Don't Be A Dick! - We say this a lot, but it really applies to haggling! This comes down to being an ethical backpacker, and not trying to screw people over. It's fun to haggle hard, but leave them some profits too. When you get good at it, it's all too easy to get caught up in haggling for pennies, but realistically, those pennies mean more to them. This is their livelihood, you're on a jolly. And, let's face it, you probably have more scope to make money than they do.
So that's the mindset and behaviour covered, and the only big no-no is lying. There's no need for it; use tactics instead.
The Best Tactics for Haggling
Now, none of these work all the time. The art is in mixing them together to find an overall strategy that works.
And sometimes it doesn't. Even if you bring your A-game and follow all the 'rules', there are no guarantees you'll walk away with what you want.
It's a game, and no one can win them all.
However, knowing what tactics you have available, and when and how to use them, will increase your odds. Their biggest fear is losing out on a sale altogether, so most of these are designed to make them think that you're willing to walk away.
Be wary: your opponent may well try these on you too! Don't fall for them!
Here goes:
Leave Some Wiggle Room - This is number one. Just as they won't offer their best price first, neither should you! Go low. Leave some room to increase. You're going to meet in the middle, so make the 'middle' suit you!
The Pro Move: Start really low, and gradually come up until they're almost at your target price. Then you start umm-ing and I-don't-know-ing, and they'll sense the deal is almost there, and drop a little more to get it done.
Silence Is King - You wait. And whoever speaks first, loses. It's amazing how well this works! If you want the offer to go lower, you don't have to say a word. Remain silent, look them dead in the eye, give a smile, and wait some more. Silence is uncomfortable, and human instinct is to fill it. Don't get freaked out by the wait! As long as you can hold your nerve, you're good.
The Pro Move: Know their competition. This works best if you both know you can easily get what you want somewhere else. If they're also good at this trick and the silence rolls on for too long, say, "Okay, this isn't working.", and decisively move to leave. This almost always gets a reaction. But if it doesn't, you've committed to leaving! High risk, high reward.
It's In The Handshake! - Handshakes seal a deal. We all know this. So when you offer a price, hold out your hand expectantly, and leave it there. The instinct is to automatically reach out and take it, plus it shows them that a deal is close and gets them excited.
The Pro Move: Pull this one out when you're getting close to agreeing on a price. If they so much as twitch, point it out and tease them gently, saying they must want to do a deal there! You've won the psychological game at this point, and the price will at least be close to your offer.
Alternatively: Use this as an assertive move right at the end, when you've almost agreed a price. Give your price, offer your hand, smile big, and say something like, "Come on, let's get this done!".
Hand It Back To Them - Instead of putting something back down on a shelf, hand the item back to them. When it's in their hands, they think 'I've got this back, and I don't want it!'.
The Pro Move: Do this when they refuse your ideal offer. It's like walking away, but not as final.
Learn The Language - This one always takes you a little further. If you have taken the time to learn a few basic numbers and phrases, the proprietor will show you more respect, which usually translates to a lower, more 'local' price.
The Pro Move: If your language skills are hot, then swapping banter like, "You're taking the piss, mate!" in their mother tongue with a jokey smile... Well, that's a winner!
Have A Friend - If you have a friend who's not gonna fuck this up, have them run wingman and downplay the value of what you're looking at! Having a mate go, "Give it up, it's not worth that." really gets things moving in your favour. The two-on-one psychology is strong!
The Pro Move: This one pushes ethical boundaries a little, so be vigilant about not outright lying. You need a friend who 'gets' haggling already, and they're gonna act like they don't know you. They're browsing separately whilst listening to your deal, and at a critical moment they jump in with something like, "I wouldn't pay that for that!". 'Strangers' agreeing on something is more persuasive than friends!
Bundle Bargain - You want a couple of items from the same stall? Do a deal! 'Buy one, get one free', right? You should always be able to wangle a discount for multiple purchases! However, don't go buying shit you don't actually want.
The Pro Move: One thing at a time. Haggle for one thing, and find out the minimum. Bail on the deal, then go for your other target item(s), and repeat. Once you have the minimum for each item, tot them all up in your head, then throw an offer for all of them with a big, hearty discount.
Act Interested In Another Item - This is our favourite! This whole thing is a pro move, yet it's easy as hell. You can safely lead in with this every time, and it's pure mind games. As long as you don't give away your intended target, it's virtually undetectable. Here's how it rolls:
You walk in, and scout subtly for what you want. Once you have it, you then pick up something else that's both less pricey, and within arm's reach. You'll get the attention of the shopkeeper. Haggle hard for the item you don't want, and make them believe you're really after it. But make sure you don't meet their price! Let them get close to a deal, build up the tension, and watch them get excited.
Then, you break it off. Abruptly. The aim is to make them disappointed. Tell them you're not interested anymore. Then, your next word is, "Sorry." Whilst they're still reeling from the sudden change in tone, you're immediately going to swap to your actual target. Casually say, "What about this? I'd take this for that price?". They're so eager for a deal to make up for the 'lost' one, they'll dive straight to their best price. It's misdirection: get their attention, distract with emotion, then strike. It's the old Kansas City Shuffle. They won't see it coming.
Walk Away - This is your last card. It's the endgame. If you do this, you have to follow through. If you don't, you've lied and you've lost all negotiating power. There's no pro move here. Just get the deal close, and if the price remains above your highest acceptable figure, walk away. If they're going to break, it'll be now, and they'll agree. Or they won't. You can't odds it. But I've been chased by shopkeepers down the street to agree to my offer, several times. It works.
So, what does this all look like in practice?
Well, Monty Python nailed it:
The Reward at the End of a good Haggle
So that's it. That's the art of haggling!
Both of us have tons of experience with this, and both really emptied our bag of tricks into this blog. Using these tactics, both of us win the game a lot more than we lose.
And you can too! The key is taking away the fear. Playing the game is fun, and once you get over that step, you'll be well on your way!
Travel is about experiencing different cultures and ways of life, learning new skills, and throwing yourself into that headfirst. Learning to haggle is one way of doing this.
Give these a try, and let us know how it goes! If you're already a haggling veteran, what're your tips and tricks? What's the best score you've gotten? If you're new and have any questions, ask them below! We'd love to hear from you.