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"We're kind of on the level of crossword puzzle writers... And no one ever goes to them and gives them an award." ~Joe Strummer
sscce.org
If you are not laughing at yourself, then you just didn't get the joke.
Spot false dilemmas now, ask me how!
(If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room.)
Originally posted by Paul Wheaton:
This just popped into my head as I was thinking about the forgive/integrity thread ...
I am, personally, not a fan of haggling. I know there are people, and entire cultures, where this is the way to live. People love it. I don't.
You think you know me .... You will never know me ... You know only what I let you know ... You are just a puppet ... --CMG
Originally posted by David O'Meara:
if anyone is offended by this post then reply to it or start a new thread threaten it
deleting it without justification is just a sign off whatever
This last statement shows that you know it was unacceptable by our standards and still decided to post it. I was going to delete it after reading the first paragraph but would prefer to leave it to the MD moderators. I don't hold much hope.
You think you know me .... You will never know me ... You know only what I let you know ... You are just a puppet ... --CMG
Spot false dilemmas now, ask me how!
(If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room.)
Originally posted by Bert Bates:
I agree with the notion of buying from a local shop instead of a big chain, and I also will pay a small premium to the local shop - but that seems like a different topic.
Back to haggling and pricing...think about airline ticket pricing and their strong and complex supply and demand algorithms. How about when a vendor decides to put stuff on sale? Does that mean the vendor was ripping everyone off before the sale? Commerce is very dynamic and slippery, and haggling is just a natural way of responding.
You think you know me .... You will never know me ... You know only what I let you know ... You are just a puppet ... --CMG
Spot false dilemmas now, ask me how!
(If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room.)
Originally posted by Bert Bates:
... Commerce is very dynamic and slippery, and haggling is just a natural way of responding.
"We're kind of on the level of crossword puzzle writers... And no one ever goes to them and gives them an award." ~Joe Strummer
sscce.org
Originally posted by Bert Bates:
I understand that English is not your first language and I admire the fact that you are communicating in English!
You think you know me .... You will never know me ... You know only what I let you know ... You are just a puppet ... --CMG
Originally posted by Ajay Mathew:
It starts with an air of superiority or inferiority when people say they are not like those people or their culture, politely.
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<a href="http://itpaypacket.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://itpaypacket.blogspot.com/</a><br />Life is unpredictable: eat dessert first :-)
Check out my kickstarter CLICK HERE
My book, my movies, my videos, my podcasts, my events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
Originally posted by Paul Wheaton:
The difference between negotiating and haggling, in my opinion, is that somebody will propose something that they think is unfair - to their own advantage.
Negotiating is where both parties think they are proposing something fair.
So if I am willing to sell something for 20 bucks, and somebody wants it, but they think that it is worth only 10 bucks, then we can talk about why there is a difference in what we think is fair. Negotiating.
If somebody offers me a dollar for it, and then pesters for a bit and then offers two dollars without gaining any new knowledge of the item - that strikes me more as the person thinking that I might have been stupid enough to go for the dollar. Okay, I'm not that stupid, so let's now see if I'm "two dollar stupid". It's just offensive.
Yesterday I was a bit high, so the mind was moving a bit faster than the hands while typing.
Spot false dilemmas now, ask me how!
(If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much room.)
You think you know me .... You will never know me ... You know only what I let you know ... You are just a puppet ... --CMG
that strikes me more as the person thinking that I might have been stupid enough to go for the dollar. Okay, I'm not that stupid, so let's now see if I'm "two dollar stupid". It's just offensive.
Originally posted by Sharmi Ragoth:
These conversations are not to see who is stupid, but it is almost like a sport. In the process, most times, a rapport is established and I will choose him over others the next time I go there.
Originally posted by Sharmi Ragoth:
...Me: Ok, Ok, lets not waste time...
"We're kind of on the level of crossword puzzle writers... And no one ever goes to them and gives them an award." ~Joe Strummer
sscce.org
Most people are not good judges of quality, so when they buy from an established store they are relying on the store's reputation (and willingness to take back products which prove defective). In market stalls people take the risk that the products are defective or cheap imitations, and expect lower prices in return for taking this risk. That's why they seem more accepting of higher prices in the stores.Originally posted by Ajay Mathew:
I have a xyz shop in a mall. ... The initial stock cost around 50c to a dollar per piece at wholesale rates. ...
The price of the item in the mall is 20-25$. People ask about the product but very rarely about reducing the price.
During the weekends I setup a stall in a market. The items are priced at around 10-15$. 75% of the customers ask for a lower price. ...
What do you think is the reason for this?
Yes, that is how it was a century ago among Jews who emmigrated from eastern Europe to England and America. Back then the inhibition against money talk among people of British ancestry was much stronger than today, so many natives concluded that Jews were pushy, stingy, money-hungry, etc. -- when it was really little more than a collision between two different sets of expectations and customs. (People even started using the word "Jew" as a verb meaning "to lower the price of something through bargaining." Nowadays, that usage is considered impolite.)Originally posted by Sharmi Ragoth:
But you don't have to take this so seriously.
Living in India, haggling is the norm for certain shops... so most sellers hike up the price expecting the buyer to haggle it down. Let me give you an example conversation:
Seller: Rs.20 for one mango, nice juicy ones, Rs.120 for half a dozen
Me: Hmm.. those don't look so good. I will give you Rs.14
Seller: Madam, what is this Madam.. no chance... how will I make a profit?
Me: Come on, I see same mangoes selling for Rs 10 at <some other location>
Seller: No, those are bad quality. These are the finest. Come, come, give me Rs 18. I have to pay for school books for my kids..
Me: Ok, Ok, lets not waste time. I am buying a dozen. You can give it for Rs.16.
And the deal is struck. Now, both of us know from the start the final price is not gonna be Rs.20 or Rs.10. But if, I outright quote Rs.16, he will refuse.. because he doesn't want to be seen as a pushover, he has a reputation to maintain among the other vendors and buyers, and he needs to have the satisfaction that he was able to negotiate the price up from what I originally wanted. These conversations are not to see who is stupid, but it is almost like a sport. In the process, most times, a rapport is established and I will choose him over others the next time I go there.