We don’t bargain around here
It must be very special to shop in parts of the world where prices are fixed in advance. Anything I’ve ever read about markets in areas where the buyer and the seller have a relationship that goes beyond the “pay this or else” model mention that prices are open to negotiation. Not here.
I went off to the local flea market this morning, alone. Other family members categorically refuse to accompany me. The word “Bougon” (reference to a CBC TV program) is used. Cheating. Thieves. Fleas. I am immune to such profiling, so I locked my wallet into an inside pocket and made my way inside.
One store had an article that interested me, and I asked the price. I promptly counter-offered (it is a market, right?), had my offer refused, and left. Then, I walked around aimlessly for a few minutes, returned by the store and was not taken inside to further discuss the pricing. Guess we don’t bargain around here.
I couldn’t go home without trying harder, so I went to a tradional store that had what I wanted. The price was clearly marked, but I offered much less, had my offer accepted and made my way home a satisfied consumer. Go figure. Markets don’t bargain, stores do.
Unless it’s a grocery store. I had to buy food for the weekend, and all prices are carefully marked. They do fluctuate, constantly, but there is no bargaining. You want to eat, you pay. Pretty clear and simple rule.
So, in review. Nothing is free. Offering less money doesn’t mean a sale, but it can’t hurt. Price tags are traditional.
