Bargaining information on Shopping in the Markets of India

by Nisha Parmar SEO Executive

Enjoy bargaining, but keep your perspective. While bargaining is normal, and many people will think you are foolish if you don't, it's silly to carry it to extremes. Is it worth haggling for half an hour to get the price down by a few rupees?

Many Westerners get worked up about being overcharged. Unfortunately, the Indian government fosters overcharging in a big way by charging foreigners exorbitant prices for entry to major tourist attractions (usually 20-25 times what Indians are charged), so merchants then feel it is their right to charge foreigners more than locals. Unfortunately, the government doesn't realize that this attitude—especially because it is taken to such extremes—really puts people off, and it actually hurts the economy more than it helps in the long run. The government tends to think of nothing but short-term gains in this matter. At any rate, merchants etc. are often reluctant to give foreigners the local price because of it, particularly in tourist areas. However, if you have some idea of the correct price, you can often bargain them down. Or you can ask an Indian friend to help. Often a local can talk a merchant into adjusting the price.

Some tourists will pay whatever price is asked because they feel that bargaining is somehow demeaning, but this is not the case in India. Bargaining is simply part of life here. Sometimes you can bargain without haggling by maintaining silence when the price is mentioned, looking at the merchant knowingly, then waiting expectantly. If the price really is too high, this can occasionally work to bring the price down without having to say a word.

By doing as the locals do as much as possible, you're respecting the local economy and helping to keep it balanced. Paying too much artificially inflates the going rates and thereby creates hardships for local residents who cannot afford to pay as much as you can. It also fosters greed, envy and corruption.

If you don't bargain, you may end up paying as much as 10-20 times the going rate, or even more, since prices escalate if people notice that you are an easy mark. However, if you refuse to bargain, you should expect to be seriously overcharged and put up with it gracefully. Indians haggle constantly, although even they may be taken advantage of when they are away from their home area.