How To Haggle When Shopping In Thailand

When you visit Thailand and go shopping, you will find that the prices of goods and services are relatively low compared to western countries, but you can often get them cheaper if you know how to haggle. It is common for people to barter over the price of products and services in Thailand, so you will want to do the same as the locals when visiting. Whatever you are looking to purchase when you are in the Land of Smiles, below are some tips to help you haggle the best price possible.

Have An Idea Of What You Want To Pay

The first step is to have a good idea o what the item you want to buy is worth and how much you are willing to pay. If you are not sure of the prices of things in Thailand, you can do some research using the internet to get an idea of how much everything costs.

Make Sure You Shop Around

If you have something specific you are looking to purchase, ensure that you do plenty of shopping around to compare the quality and price from different vendors. Whether you are looking for wholesale silver jewelery or purchasing clothing in bulk, finding the best vendor is vital to getting the best deal.

Try To Look Disinterested

It is also a good idea to not look too keen on what you are looking to purchase, and you can look around at what is on offer and then move on to somewhere else. If the vendor knows you want to buy it, they will make the negotiating much harder. Go on a shopping trip to find what you want, but treat this as a recon shopping trip so you can come back later on and try and get a bargain price.

Let Them Make The First Move

When you go back to where you saw what you want to buy, let them make the first move on price. Ask them what their best price is for the item, and then you can counter with an offer to them. If you go in with the price first, you may offer too high a price, and the vendor will snap your hand off, while if you go in too low, they may not be interested in dealing with you at all.

Offer A Fair Price

It is vital to keep in mind that the vendor needs to make a profit, so ensure you do not try and force the price down too much. Make a fair offer, and you can often see vendors are willing to come down in price substantially.

Practice Makes Perfect

Haggling is a skill, so you are going to have to practice this art to perfect it. You can also get plenty of tips on bartering online to help you bag the best deals possible when visiting Thailand.