I just back from 6 days oais tour to egypt with Minamar Hotel and our guide advised us to bargain with the price alawys when we buy somthing and this is was good advice but why you do not see the prices written on gifts.
2006-11-26 07:27:49 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Africa & Middle East ➔ Egypt
One of the things that we, as westerners, don't seem to get is that there are cultures other than our own. We do things our way in our culture and seem to expect everyone else to be in line.
Fact is that bargaining is an age old way of doing business. It's a game that we, in the US, have not been into. Thus, we take it for granted that the price on the goods is the price to pay and we do.
Mostly, I think that we are uncomfortable asking for a discount from anyone. I tend to be, anyway. But, the rule of thumb is that if you don't ask, then you pay the full price. If the answer is that that is the price, then you're right where you were at the start.
All it costs to bargain is the uncomfortable feeling and when you get over that, you may bargain yourself a bargain, huh?
Did you take the guide's advice? Did you get a few bargains?
2006-11-26 07:39:39 · answer #1 · answered by vertically challenged 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am from Egypt and bargaining is a stupid stupid thing. It is a waste of time, effort and mental sanity.
The western way is the greatest and easiest. This is , by all means, the only thing I liked in America. You know that you are paying the right price, and you are taking what your money's worth.
I never bargain when I buy something. I think it is humilating and degrading. Most like it, I get fooled. Many of my friends tell me that they can get the same things I bought for a cheaper price. Maybe they win more money ,but I win my pride, I don't know if that is worth something these days.
I am also a salesman in my own little store. I despise people who bargain. I feel they are like beggars. It is an exihibition of greed. You feel that everybody's fighting on who can suck your blood more.
I actually tried to avoid the whole idea of bargaining. I was determined to put a final price that nobody can discuss. That failed because , obviously , it is satisfactory for some people to bargain. Almost everybody wanted to reduce some part of it.
2006-11-26 12:45:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey, think out of the box! Egypt's marketplaces have only one thing in common with western-type ones - you give money and receive merchandize. That's it! In Egypt (as in Turkey) you virtually have to bargain for stuff, otherwise they will think you are foolish. There are no price tags, because everything depends on the buyer, this is the perfect elastic supply and demand - get something for everybody at the right price. E.g. - you can buy a scarf for both 2 and 20 dollars, it might cost .50... who knows :) Bargaining is the charm of this type of places. If this is not your way of doing things, just when you look at something you like, imagine the cost you will pay for it, divide it by 3, and offer the amount to the seller. Most times it will work out.
Good luck and don't get fooled!
2006-11-26 07:34:36 · answer #3 · answered by Tzvety 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cause getting a good price after hearing a high one is somehow a satisfactory feeling,& it is not written cause not every body will bargain & the bargaining differs ,you bargains hard others don't & so on.
Anyway you were most welcomed to Egypt at any time,hope you had a nice vacation
2006-11-26 07:35:56 · answer #4 · answered by Maro's mom 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is the best part of shopping in Egypt! Haggling prices is part of a long tradition that is thousands of years old, and it also the best way to shop. Egypt is very inexpensive, so it is cheap to begin with.
It is wrong in Islam to overcharge and since most Egyptians are Muslim, this is a guideline handed down from the Prophet Muhammed .
"“May Allaah have mercy on a man who is easygoing when he buys, when he sells and when he asks for payment.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 2076, 2/81, from the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah, may Allaah be pleased with them both)"
So it is mostly up to the buyer as to what they want to pay and that it is a FAIR price.
2006-11-27 06:28:24 · answer #5 · answered by Full of Life 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Bargaining is part of the culture. The asking price is always higher than what they will actually accept!
2006-11-26 07:30:48 · answer #6 · answered by AnnieD 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi,,, you sure that you are from here,,, sounds like you have your sentence structure all backwards....
You Barter...for things... haggle for the price,, that is the way that it is done there!!! That's why...
good luck
2006-11-26 07:31:40 · answer #7 · answered by eejonesaux 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋