7 Proven Bargaining Tips in Indonesia
There may be times when you walked around in a market and found what you’re looking for. Unfortunately, it was out of your budget and you had no choice but walked away. A wise choice to make because you should not spend money as you wish while doing internship in a foreign country. But a good news for you, there’s a way to get that item with a price you could afford which is by bargaining. In Indonesia, you can generally fight prices at flea markets or with street vendors, but not at modern markets or shopping malls. Here are some proven bargaining tips to help you get the best bargain.
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Shop around to compare prices
Don’t rush yourself to buy items in the first store you come. Try to walk around the market to find out the average price. Prices can be vary among vendors even though it’s in the same market. It may sound troublesome but it will worth the wait. By doing this, you can avoid yourself not to get expensive price. You don’t need to come to every store in the market to compare prices. Just stop by at 3 to 4 stores that sell the item you want to find which one is the cheapest.
Bargain half the price of the goods
This is one of the most popular bargaining tips in Indonesia. When you’re trying to bargain, you can directly bargain half of the price of the goods. You don’t need to feel bad because you’re not intended to be mean. The seller will more likely refuse the price that you offer. After that, you can start bargaining until find the price that is agreed by both parties. You need to remember that sellers want to get profit, not loss. Therefore, you need to consider the market price as the standard even though you want to get the goods with a cheap price.
Be polite
Be polite and friendly to the sellers. Have a chat with them occasionally. You don’t need to be assertive and act know-it all. Nobody likes with that kind of customers. That will annoys the sellers or, worse, they will ask you to shop in another store. Instead, by being polite, they may accept the price that your offer.
Keep a poker-face
When you find the item that you want, it may be hard to hide your enthusiasm. But bargaining doesn’t go that way. For the next bargaining tips, you should not show your enthusiasm. As soon as the sellers sense that enthusiasm in you, you'll never get the best price. Keep a poker face and don't settle for the first counter-offer.
Argue, argue, and argue
Say your argument on why the price can be cheaper. The sellers will surely throw a counter argument, but you should not give up. Try harder. Keep trying to make your arguments stronger than them.
Promise to be their regular customer and recommend them
When you’ve thrown your arguments but you still can’t get the agreement, convince the sellers that you’ll be their regular customer. This will usually make the sellers think again when they know they will have a regular customer. You can also say that you’ll recommend the store to your friends. Convince them that you have many friends and the seller will get more profits in the future.
If you fail, leave
This is the last bargaining tips. If you cannot convince the sellers through your arguments, try to pretend to walk away. But, remember that it has a risk. If the sellers call you again when you walk away, it means you succeed in this bargaining. But if they don’t call you, it means you have to give up and find another store.