barter

A nice story
Thanks for sharing... :)

I know what you mean Joyce I too like to barter and I know we are encouraged to ....I believe the vedors enjoy it as much as we do (or do they?)... one hates to start too low as the wages are so very low and most items are cheap to start with..

Any rule of thumb when bartering in Mexico??

One thing I did learn first trip fast was you do not go into an exclusive store and start bartering.. :) Flea Market..Yes..

The general rule of thumb is that in stores you are not expected to barter, the prices are set. At the flea market or on the cuale, or on the beach, bartering is expected.

And yes, the general rule of thumb I follow is either to offer half the price quoted and start there, or I will sometimes cheat and ask my beach meseros (who are old friends) what the going rate is on something on the beach lately before I start the bartering process...just so I can get an idea of the retail markup. LOL

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Several years ago, we stayed at a condo on Los Muertos. The day was waning into another great sunset. We had an eye on one particular blanket all afternoon. As the merchant was packing up, I handed Donna a $10 dollar bill, and challenged her to make the deal. She ran down to the beach and after much exchange, she got it. The entire condo coktail crowd erupted into applause. Barter is fantastic.

Some of the venders in the upstairs flea market do not like bartering. I was checking prices on address tiles, and asked one of the venders, how much, and then after the usual rally of prices back and forth, I told him it was still too much and started to walk off. He then called us \"cheap Canadians\" I have never even be to Canada. :lol: