Haggling with souvenir vendors in ports

[clackey]

It isn't as prevalent as it was 10-15 years ago, but it can be done in some ports. 

 

I usually look for wood carvings or black clay pottery.  One trip to Cozumel a vendor had some nice carvings priced at $30 each.  I got him down to $18 but he wanted a $2 tip.  When I said that put it back to $20 he said, "Senor, this is how I make my living".  I bought 3 pieces off of him.

 

In another port I haggled with a vendor trying to get him down on a Panama hat.  We left for our beach club and returned to the port 6 hours later.  He was waiting for me at the gate and knocked $10 off the hat.  Yeah, I'll haggle.

[wowzz]

16 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

Price would depend on if it was a genuine imitation Rolex.  

I remember that a trader in Kuala Lumpur tried to persuade me to buy a Rolex from him, as it had a genuine Sekonda movement inside. 

[DirtyDawg]

On 3/3/2023 at 5:01 AM, Gwendy said:

In Copenhagen on a very hot day, my hat was in the hotel room so I decided to buy one from vendor near canal.  €25  was asking price, thanks but no thanks, she then decided €10 would be ok.

Happens everywhere.

How could you????

 

You you beat that poor vender in Copenhagen down by over 50% just to save yourself 15 measly euros! That poor women's family probably went without  their smørrebrød that night.😭

 

😉

[DirtyDawg]

On 3/2/2023 at 9:25 PM, lenquixote66 said:

I normally only buy tee shirts .On my last cruise I bought a supposedly hand carved wooden turtle from the guy who supposedly made it.

That wooden turtle was probably handmade ... by a kid in China. 😁

[Gwendy]

2 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

How could you????

 

You you beat that poor vender in Copenhagen down by over 50% just to save yourself 15 measly euros! That poor women's family probably went without  their smørrebrød that night.😭

 

😉

Didn’t beat her down, walked away, she realised I wasn’t an American and sold me the hat for what it was worth.

[DirtyDawg]

7 minutes ago, Gwendy said:

Didn’t beat her down, walked away, she realised I wasn’t an American and sold me the hat for what it was worth.

No worries. "Beat her down" was a better set up phase for the joke. 😉

[lenquixote66]

6 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

That wooden turtle was probably handmade ... by a kid in China. 😁

I tend to doubt that because the guy was doing a carving demonstration in front of me .Either he or an associate of his likely carved it.

[lenquixote66]

On 3/3/2023 at 2:09 AM, ldubs said:

 

 

Me too.  If I think it is too much I don't buy it.   

In 2008;my wife bought a $10 watch on a cruise ship .A guy observed that and said the watch will stop running when you get home from the cruise.

This morning ,15 years later the watch stopped working.

[DirtyDawg]

15 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I tend to doubt that because the guy was doing a carving demonstration in front of me .Either he or an associate of his likely carved it.

Lenny, it was a  😁  joke. 😉

[ldubs]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

I remember that a trader in Kuala Lumpur tried to persuade me to buy a Rolex from him, as it had a genuine Sekonda movement inside. 

 

I had to look up Sekonda.  I didn't realize that was a popular watch brand over in your neck of the woods. 

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I had to look up Sekonda.  I didn't realize that was a popular watch brand over in your neck of the woods. 

Sorry about that. Sekonda is not a luxury brand, but does have a reputation for being reliable.

[ldubs]

6 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

In 2008;my wife bought a $10 watch on a cruise ship .A guy observed that and said the watch will stop running when you get home from the cruise.

This morning ,15 years later the watch stopped working.

 

You definitely got you money's worth!  

 

The current watch I have was purchased for me by Mrs Ldubs on a cruise ship.   It is a Citizen eco drive.   I don't know how good or bad it is because it has literally been a few years since I've worn a watch.  

[ldubs]

Just now, wowzz said:

Sorry about that. Sekonda is not a luxury brand, but does have a reputation for being reliable.

 

Oh, I understood that.  Kind of like Timex was over here I think.    

[wowzz]

6 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Oh, I understood that.  Kind of like Timex was over here I think.    

Timex watches are still available here !

[ldubs]

Just now, wowzz said:

Timex watches are still available here !

 

Here too I think.  They just don't dominate the market like they used to.  Way back when there was a TV add that showed the Timex strapped to a boat's propeller.  Their slogan was  "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking".  

[lenquixote66]

46 minutes ago, DirtyDawg said:

Lenny, it was a  😁  joke. 😉

Or possibly the truth if I did not see him carving.

[lenquixote66]

39 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

You definitely got you money's worth!  

 

The current watch I have was purchased for me by Mrs Ldubs on a cruise ship.   It is a Citizen eco drive.   I don't know how good or bad it is because it has literally been a few years since I've worn a watch.  

Although I own a high quality watch ,an engagement gift from my wife in 1966,I primarily wear Timex watches .A watch that I have been wearing 10 years stopped glowing in the dark.My children bought me a new one and this does not glow in the dark.

[lenquixote66]

30 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Here too I think.  They just don't dominate the market like they used to.  Way back when there was a TV add that showed the Timex strapped to a boat's propeller.  Their slogan was  "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking".  

That was a commercial with John Cameron Swayze.

[Queenmom1947]

Haggling depends on merchant.  A regular store with prices marked is not be be haggles but a flea marketer will probably haggle.    On a recent stop at Puerto Plata, in park by the fort , I was able to haggle for necklace then Laramar/ blended necklace from $20 US, cash, to $10 each.    I told vendor I didn’t want earrings or bracelets, only necklaces.   I succeeded in lower price by simply saying no.      Back on bus, another purchaser asked how I got such a good price as she had obviously never haggled, didn’t know she could, and payed full asking.

[sfaaa]

Everyone has the right to say NO if he/she doesn't like the deal. My conscience is clear. 

[donaldsc]

On 3/5/2023 at 9:21 AM, ldubs said:

 

I had to look up Sekonda.  I didn't realize that was a popular watch brand over in your neck of the woods. 

 

https://www.sekonda.com/

 

DON

[K32682]

3 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Everyone has the right to say NO if he/she doesn't like the deal. My conscience is clear. 

 

The economic disparity between a well-heeled cruiser and street vendor in a developing country selling goods to feed his family means any "deal" isn't done on a level playing field. His need not to say "NO" is greater than yours. 

[donaldsc]

I was on a trip in Mexico once and women in the village were selling very small woven baskets for $5 to $10 and people who had gladly spent that much money at the hotel we were staying at for a drink were trying to haggle them down a few bucks.  At that point I was ashamed to be an American.

 

DON

[Gwendy]

Seen the same in SE Asia.  If it’s less than the price you would pay for a drink just buy it.  Once in India we hired a tuk tuk driver for the day to take us around.  We agreed to a price before leaving,  he did an exceptional job and this was our last port in India so we gave him the extra money.  He said to me, you have paid me too much,  when I told him no, you earned the extra, he almost broke down in tears.  Their life and expectations are so different to ours.

[dd likes to cruise]

I only buy small price items, like Magnets or Bracelets.  I pay the asking price.  Now I am usually doing this in a small shop, not on the street.