Editor Pick
Haggling!
- November 30, 2001
- Rated 4 of 5 by
Aya from USA, Japan
"I give you good price-student price!" is what a lot of the shopkeepers told me...in Durbar Square there are lots and lots of stalls, as well as people walking around selling goods. One thing a lot of people like to buy while they are in Nepal is a prayer bowl. The starting price was 600 each...me and my friend bargained until we got 2 for 800...and we were probably still being ripped off! In the beginning, I was reluctant to bargain because Nepal is a developing country. But I realised that they won't sell me anything if they are making a loss. Apparently, Nepali people belive that the first customer of the day is lucky- so they may sell something for a lower price than usual. I bought a paint holder with Ganesh on it for Rp300- and the starting price was Rp1100!Make haggling fun! -don't seriously argue with them- or they will get mad! (as I experienced with an old lady at Durbar Square...). Try to start with an absurd price and make your way up until they agree. Same with shops in Thamel. Make sure you don't get too ripped off. You will get better at this towards the end!
From journal Namaste Nepal