I can't haggle to save my life. I don't like to haggle. My mother though can run a certification course on the same. Sadly, I havn't inherited an ounce of that art.
We've been looking for a particular kind of cushin cover for a really long time. Today at CP Mumma found the perfect match. This, after looking through an insane number of covers and trying out different combinations. Then of course came the inevitable
"Kitne lagaogi ?"
"Madam, maine toh aapko theek theek hi lagay hai. 75 ka hai, maine aapko 60 ka bataya hai."
"Chalo 50 ka de do."
"Nahin madam usme toh humara kuch nahin bane ga."
"Arre de do na."
I'm already squriming at this point.
"Nahin, madam"
Chalo theek hai phir, hum aage se dekh le ge
And then the walk away. Now this I've always thought to be the riskiest move. Also, the one that is most likely to get you the best bargains. I mean if you really like whatever it is that you're buying and the guy doesn't relent, you'll end up regretting the walk away.You can't really go back because then the shopkeeper has the upper hand. Or as my five year old cousin would say " Aap ki chop ho gayi " .
Of course, if he does relent and holler for you to come back, you're the lucky winner.
So yes, coming back to my mom's shopping strategy. We walked and she hollered back. We walked a little more and we could hear her scream in the background. So I told my Mom that we should go back and get them. I took her purse and walked back. Now, Mumma thought she'd bargain for 200 (50 *4 ). But when I went back, I some how managed to agree to 220. Mom was furious. But I managed to convince her. The cushion cover lady didn't have change so my Mom got impatient and decided to walk. For twenty bucks. We walked away for twenty bucks.
And this is where my problem with bargaining begins and ends. If you like it, you should get it. That is, if it it involves as little a sum as twenty rupees. Its not a hundred or a grand. Twenty we can afford.
Cushion cover lady follwed us and got the change with her. So we ended up paying 220.My Mom of course, has vowed to never go shopping with me.
My Dad thinks we should have started with 30!
6 comments:
haha!
this post made my day!
do we see a change in the characteristics from generation to generation?
and your dad's climactic comment was the best!
and I guess ,it's not about whether you can afford it or not .... it is about the ethics that one has!
funny one
and thanks for your comment on my post. can you please tell me how you landed on the page, eburf.com - VoF trip?
This is like George's 'walk out' strategy in that dealership episode of Seinfeld! :D
@ Vivek - I don't think its a generation thing at all. There are girls in my class who're even better than Mumma. I just wish I'd inherited some of it.
@Burf - random travelling from blog to blog, led me to yours.
@Eashan - I know!! It was like I was in a Seinfeld episode!!
:)
Update please
nice post! I coudnt have decribed my opinions about bargaining better.
Curiously, I've had almost the same experiences with my parents.
I guess its more of a North Indian cultural thing than a 'generational' thing.
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