Yesterday while visiting the Christmas Market I bought an ornament at one of the booths. At this particular booth I conducted my transaction by placing my selected purchase on the counter and before I even exchanged a word with the cashier, I began to dig in my wallet for the money to pay for my merchandise. I could do this because one of the greatest things about shopping in Germany, in my opinion, is that technically you always know exactly how much something is going to cost because its value-added tax is already figured in.
As I reached the last 10 cent coin in my coin purse I realized that I was going to be about 50 cents short. Sighing, I reached into my wallet to pull out a 20 Euro bill, but before I could do so the cashier started gathering my change, telling me that what I had was enough.
Later when I told A. about my purchase and how the cashier was so kind to accept 50 cents less for my ornament, he reminded me that along with offering traditional Christmas wares, most merchants at the Weihnachtsmarkt also practice the traditional art of haggling.
I suppose that I should have realized this, but I have always found the art haggling an unusual notion and so whenever I make a purchase in a place where I could have haggled and the merchant tells me what I have is enough, I merely feel like I got a good deal. However, when A. looked at the price tag on my little ornament, he remarked that the asking-price was absurd and told me if I had haggled I probably could have gotten it for at least two Euros less.
Though admittedly the price was a little high, I was perfectly happy paying the price that was stamped on the price tag of my tiny ornament. After all, I fully expect the prices on anything with a Christmas-related theme to be expensive this time of year. However, after A. made his comments about how I should have tried to haggle, I stopped to think about why I didn’t.
First off, since haggling is a bit of a foreign concept to me, I don’t do it even when I can because I don’t feel that I have the experience to effectively do so. But that isn’t the only reason why I don’t try to haggle: I also avoid it because it makes me feel uncomfortable. I am not sure why, but I have a feeling it is because it is not deemed to be good manners in the so-called civilized world to haggle about prices (unless you are buying a car of course).
However, with half of his relatives coming from an area of the world where haggling is a perfectly acceptable way to conduct business, it seems to be in A.’s blood. I have observed that he doesn’t haggle in the traditional manner of offering a low price and then gradually raising his offer until he comes to an agreement with a merchant, rather he finds a minor flaw with something that he wants to purchase and then uses that flaw to his advantage. And amazingly, more often than not, he is successful in acquiring the item that he wants at a reduced price.
I suppose with enough practice I could get used to haggling and since there are still a few things at the Weihnactsmarkt that I would like to buy, maybe I will try. However, just to be safe, I think I will be sure to take A. with me next time. He may not like shopping, but I don’t think he could resist haggling!