Thread: Bargaining with local vendors

Just wanted to check if this still goes on as much as it did when I was on the island four years ago?
I found I could get most electronic/tech goods as cheap or cheaper than I could get them in the US.

For example, on front street, I usually expected to pay roughly 60%, sometimes a lot less than the marked price on any electrical items. Same for jewelry in Maho.
The French side was a little less bargain friendly, but you could still knock of a good 10 - 25% at the right place.

Are you guys bargaining?

Depends. You can do ok on front street, but only if there aren't any cruise ships in port. Back street is notoriously better for haggling, but if it's a slow day, which most are here because of the economy, you should be able to make out just fine.

I saw my fiancee in action in Grand Case and she seemed to do fine. For me, it is an art which I have not mastered.

you can def hustle in philipsburg..... you can get things for real cheap

Okay cool, yeah I expected things wouldn't have changed much

My technique was pretty simple, walk into a store with a pen and piece of small paper/notepad, find what I was looking for, ask a salesman what their best price is then write it down, then look at him and ask again, "is that the BEST local price?". He'd usually go, "yes, best price". Then I'm like, "Okay, I'll be back" and start walking out.

They would quickly realize that I was about to walk over to the competition and do the same thing and compare prices, and hey presto, I'd get an AMAZING discount without the haggling.

Normally I just tell them I live there and I am not a tourist..... then I tell them I go the med school and if they take care of me I will send my friends there.

Originally Posted by WDeSi

Normally I just tell them I live there and I am not a tourist..... then I tell them I go the med school and if they take care of me I will send my friends there.

I used to do that, and then was told about my technique from a guy who had been living on the island for a few years. It got me even better prices. I remember buying a 250gb harddrive on front street for less than I could find it online in the USA!

Originally Posted by WDeSi

Normally I just tell them I live there and I am not a tourist..... then I tell them I go the med school and if they take care of me I will send my friends there.

The bold part above is such a Desi thing to do. Don't get me wrong as I do it all the time and I'm a Desi too....

-ML

just tell what part of india you are from

Originally Posted by WDeSi

Normally I just tell them I live there and I am not a tourist..... then I tell them I go the med school and if they take care of me I will send my friends there.

Are you sure you're not white? I'm white, and I've done that too!! Such a white thing to do...