My wife and I are planning to go to France and Italy this coming fall. We have been in Mexico and China and in those countries it is not uncommon to haggle over the price for souvenirs and other things (but never food or things sold inside a store). In Canada, like the USA, there is no negotiation.
What's the story with France and Italy? Negotiate or no?
I am also posting this in the France forum.
First of all, do you speak French and Italian? I can't imagine trying to haggle In English with a small shop owner or the people who have stands at public markets. I have never been to a public market in Italy but have been to many in France and just to ask the price of something you need to know some French.
We speak some French and Italian. While in France we will have some French friends with us, so there should be no language barrier. In Italy my wife is on her own - I speak 4 languages but French isn't one of them. I can do it in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese
Maybe with street vendors but not within established shop unless it is a very large order.
Roberto di Firenze will no doubt have great insight. I am not much of a haggler, but during the saldi in July/Aug and in January every year, I would find that if you were interested in an item but hesitated over price, they would sometimes come down; that is the shop owner would offer a lower price. It was not really a negotiation. Similarly, if you make a significant purchase, Italians like to throw in a small gift. I buy linens in the Alto Adige every summer and when I spend €100 or so, I usually am given a small item as a thank you. Speaking the language really helps, too.
Do you live in a First World country? Do you haggle at home? There's a huge difference between negotiating in a developing country and western Europe.
I don't live in a First World country, I live in the USA but haggling is as much a matter of culture and custom as it is income. The Peoples Republic of China certainly is not an impoverished country, but there haggling is common. Mexico, especially near the US border, is not a poor country, and haggling there is also a part of the culture.
Italy and France are not third world countries and do not have a haggling tradition.
If you go to the large (or small) flea markets you might try to negotiate a lower price but I would feel that I was very rude if I tried to do that in a shop.
Like North America, I've often seen bargaining on the price in antiques stores and at flea markets. It's the polite kind - 'would you consider' or 'sorry, it is only worth x to me'. I think it would be considered maleducato most other places.
"I don't live in a first world country. I live in the USA ....."
The USA and Canada are First World countries, as are Italy. France, Germany, the UK etc.
"I can do it in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese" - are you sure about that?
"I don't live in a first world country. I live in the USA ....."
LOL. Yes, you DO live in a 1st-world country.
No, haggling isn't a custom in France and Italy (which are also 1st-world countries) that I've been aware of outside of possibly street/flea markets. Even then I probably wouldn't push it, and especially if I wasn't fluent in the local language.
"I can do it in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese" - are you sure about that?
Maybe I should have said "I have one it in English, Spanish Chinese and Japanese."
Generally we do not haggle. But in the leather market for example, we might ask (or be offered) a discount if we bought multiple items (like belts or wallets). But if you need an umbrella from street vendor, you can always get them down to 5 EUR....
I don't live in a First World country, I live in the USA...
Given the current state of affairs, I totally agree!
If you are dealing with a street vendor, for example the street market of San Lorenzo in Florence, asking for a discount is expected, especially if you buy multiple items. For example if you buy 3 leather belts, a purse, and a wallet, from the same street vendor you are likely to get some discount if you ask. Therefore it pays to buy several items from the same vendor rather than the same separately from multiple vendors (all those trinkets are made by the same Chinese owned companies in Tuscany anyway, so they are all the same).
At a regular store, it’s like in the US, not much of a negotiation. However it doesn’t hurt to ask for a discount, especially for multiple items purchased or for large purchases. At most you get a “no, sorry!”. Sometimes the store owner has some discretion. Also pull out your credit card, then ask if there is a discount for using cash. I have friends who own shops in Florence, who will give you 5% to 10% discount over the listed price if you pay cash. Those discounts for using cash instead of credit card would be illegal in many US states, but they are common in Italy.
You can in Murano, especially after one of those "demonstrations".
If it helps, my wife and I were able to get a bit of a discount when we bought two leather bags from a street vendor near or at Florence's Mercato Nuovo.
We tried the same thing in a boutique in Rome and didn't have much luck.
I have friends who own shops in Florence, who will give you 5% to 10%
discount over the listed price if you pay cash. Those discounts for
using cash instead of credit card would be illegal in many US states,
but they are common in Italy.
Same goes for some B&Bs and smaller, family-owned hotels.
"Maybe I should have said "I have one it in English, Spanish Chinese and Japanese." - yes, that's much better.
I have never done it in my "home" town (of 2 years) in Italy, as I never thought about it (and would never do it in a brick and mortar chain store), but when I was in the market in Florence, I did offer a reasonable price for a purchase of multiples of scarves that were 8 euro each, I said "how about 3 for 21?" in Italian and the worker agreed. I didn't see that as haggling, but I was satisfied with my purchases :)
If you buy from a street vendor, always negotiate.
From shops in Italy, you might get a small discount for inexpensive items, perhaps more for expensive items.
The area of the World where you absolutely must negotiate is in Turkey, the Middle East or North Africa. Especially if you are buying a carpet. For example, if a carpet vendor asks $2000, then start offering $700 and perhaps pay $1000. If they don't move on price, walk out, sometimes they will chase you down and drag you back into the store.
I've haggled successfully on the street in both Rome and Florence; in Rome with a street artist, and in Florence with a street vendor selling soccer jerseys.
I wouldn't try to really haggle in a shop (unless it's a big purchase), but asking if they offer any discounts never hurts. The worst they can say is no, and many more times than you think, they will say yes. Too many people are just afraid to ask.
Of course I have also successfully haggled here in the US when purchasing larger ticket items even at chain stores etc. Appliances at Lowes, electronics at Best Buy/Pieratts, etc. You just have to ask and be willing to walk away. Also, it's a lot easier to negotiate free extended warranties and things like that than major discounts at a chain store.
It is perfectly acceptable to ask about the price virtually anywhere that you shop, and in almost all countries. Granted, it is more expected in some places than others but there is no harm in asking about the price if it is done politely and if you are indeed serious about making a purchase. I negotiate prices almost everywhere I shop for retail items...it depends upon the items. I simply ask, is this your best price for this? Sometimes the answer is yes and sometimes there is an offer of a lowered price. I do this here in the US. Most store managers and some retail clerks are able to offer a discretionary discount.
When I ran a global trade business I expected some back and forth with my customers...I was always prepared with an offer.
Give it a try...but be sensitive to your surroundings, be reasonable and polite and do not allow a negotiation to become hostile...and be ready to walk away....negotiations is the Middle East and Asia can be quite interesting...I've had people follow me out into the street to close a sale that I walked away from.
