Imagine walking into Target and telling the cashier, “I won’t buy these socks for more than 10 bucks.” You’d get laughed out of the store. But, what if that was acceptable and culturally appropriate? Would you feel more or less confident in the “fairness” of your exchange? In other words, would the cost of an item reflect the item’s true intrinsic value in you were able to bargain on the spot? Many places around the world only haggle/bargain. There might not be a sales tag, rather, there would be an opening quote from the vendor. Then, there might be a quick verbal negotiation ending in a deal (or no deal).
My wife and I recently visited Northern Africa, spending some time in Tunis, Tunisia. We had some interesting encounters in Tunis. Roadside fires, random police stops, and constant bomb searches gave a different feel than southern Ohio. Despite the initial culture shock, we still had a great time. Personally, I enjoyed bickering with the local vendors at each souk. The constant haggling made me wonder how this might work in the States. In the States, bargaining is somewhat acceptable on some occasions. It’s normal to bargain for a car, house, or shirt at a yard sale. However, the majority of retail does not allow any kind of bargaining. I grew up in a small town in Kansas. There, I would watch a store open up downtown, I would blink, then the store would be out of business. After visiting Tunis, I’ve wondered if some places could take a similar, more personalized shopping experience, rather than compete with massive retail giants.
The shops in each Tunis souk were very small, generally not much larger than 100 square feet. The storefront has a similar shape to an American storage unit. The shops are run by one or two people. Unless a shopper is inside, a vendor is usually standing in front of the shop soliciting people to come inside. As a midwestern introvert that has to acknowledge anyone that addresses me, this was tough at first. Vendors constantly hounding you for a sale; it gets old. But once a person weathers the initial barrage of solicitation, it’s easy to wave people off. The United States does have farmer’s markets and garage sales that are similar to this style of commerce. However, this could be a more permanent marketplace for dying downtown shopping areas and abandoned malls. There could be a high volume of vendors, a personalized shopping experience with the vendor, and an opportunity to bargain for a price that you think is fair. Sometimes, I would prefer to price-shop with the seller on the spot, rather than hoping the next store has a cheaper option.
MoneyManeuvering 