Souvenir Buying

Thanks George for the information. I thought this was a good question to ask here and I would have never known the answer if not trying.

I guess I should have gone to google to ask my question because here is the answer I found.

In North America and Europe bargaining is restricted to expensive or one-of-a-kind items (automobiles, antiques, jewelry, art, real estate, trade sales of businesses) and informal sales settings such as flea markets and garage sales. In other regions of the world bargaining may be the norm even for small commercial transactions.

I will use this while in Europe and ask certain types of questions on google before here.

Carole, Istanbul is in Europe. You can (are expected to) bargain in Istanbul.

I feel it really depends on the scenario; I would never bargain with someone who is selling something they made with their own two hands (i.e. fabulous mittens in Estonia that were hand-knit--some are machine-knit and as a knitter, I can tell the difference) whether in a shop or street market. I plan to hit the flea/antique markets and shops in Vienna and Budapest and as I do here, if a price seems reasonable I buy it; if not, I politely ask if that's the best they can do.

Street vendors (the legal ones at open-air markets) are usually willing to bargain. Sometimes if you buy more than one item, any shopkeeper may be willing to discount(doesn't have to be 50 of something, could be two or three).

Google is ethically neutral, so not all information there is particularly sound.

Well, Carole, that's hardly a bad question. I agree with Christa, but I would qualify that by saying that I would be hesitant to bargain with a "brick and mortar" shop owner. We bought a couple of leather items, a wallet and a coin purse I think it was, from a street seller in Florence, and went around on price a bit, no big deal, everyone including the seller had a good time. You'll know when the time is right for bargaining a little.
And by the way, if you have travel questions this is a great place to ask them.

I am not a bargainer at all, but as others have noted at the San Lorenzo street market in Florence the vendors bargained. If you looked at something then started to walk away they would offer you a lower price.

Carole,

We were just in Rovinj, Croatia and the shopkeepers offered me a lower price as I was walking out of the store without buying anything. I wasn't even trying to bargain. I don't like to bargain. As I recall, they will do the same thing in Greece.

Mary

Thank you everyone for the info. I will use the helpful information when shopping. Just cannot wait for the trip.

It depends on the shop. Even some with fixed prices will give you a discount for paying cash or even a small discount for buying more than one item. Or it can depend on the country. I would be hesitant to bargain in Austria, apt to do so in Italy. Street vendors - always. Markets, usually, but not for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Totally agree w Chani's comments. There is a polite manner to do so (regardless of if the product is handmade or manufactured or where the vendor is located) and our experiences have been pleasant and often successful. We simply politely express (via language or hand motions) our desire to know if the price can be lowered and the responses vary from a firm "no", offer of a lower price, request if we are willing to pay in cash, offer of another item, offer of a gift to accompany the item (such as a small wallet or scarf to go with the purchase of a purse).

We negotiate for the best rate on hotels, car rentals (free upgrades) and many other things regardless of where we are in the world.

On a different note..... We do not do that much shopping while traveling and our form of "souvenirs" has become to purchase clothing which allows us to remember where we purchased the items while wearing the items long after the end of the trip.

I'm a little surprised that Italy has pretty much been omitted from the discussion of bargaining. For example, I have been to Deruta 3 times, and have bought ceramics for myself and for gifts. A slight hesitation or request for the VAT return forms prompts a quick offer of a "sconto." Many years ago, I was even offered a lower price in a large fabric store in Rome when my hesitation was for the purpose of trying to change lira into $$ mentally. I'm really uncomfortable with bargaining, and my hesitations are authentic, not ploys. However, the shop owners seemed to interpret them as bargaining moves. Of course, this does not apply to large department stores, supermarkets, etc. Some shops even have signs advising that their prices are fixed. Otherwise, I suspect that there are subtle clues as to where and when bargaining is acceptable; but as others have said, I don't think a polite request would be offensive.

My impression was that in Italy, discounts had more to do with paying cash to avoid taxes and credit card fees. Every merchant I dealt with offered a better deal with cash. I did, in some cases, get a better deal when offering to buy more than one item.

I appreciate all the great information that has been posted. I figured when and if I did the bargaining it would be with a street vendor definitely not from an individual who I just witnessed making something or the big stores. We should be able to figure out where and when to bargain.

Don't be shy about politely asking for discounts and upgrades. I once got an upgrade in Berlin from a standard double room to a superb suite - and I didn't even ask, it was offered to me! Last fall I was in Victoria BC and asked if we could have a free upgrade (expecting a polite refusal) and sure enough, we got a suite! I have often gotten 5%-10% discounts on hotel rooms by paying cash in Italy, though less lately, perhaps the credit card fees have been reduced.

I'm 65 so I just ask if there's a senior discount. If the merchant feels like bargaining, there is.

If you're at a flea market in France, bargain away!