7 Jedi Mind Tricks to Help You Haggle Like a Pro Anywhere in the World
Shopping — and bargaining — for souvenirs is part of the fun of traveling. (Photo: Getty Images)
Haggling for goods and souvenirs is one of the joys of traveling. Whether you’re buying spices and silk in India, rugs in Morocco, or towels in Turkey, market culture is part of the experience, and you want the best goods for the best price. If you’re an expert bargainer or a newbie, these seven Jedi mind tricks from negotiating guru and Black Swan CEO Chris Voss will up your bargaining game and get you the price you want.
Jedi mind trick 1: Unwavering confidence
How much are you going to pay for that? (Photo: Getty Images)
Know your final price before you start. Setting the price you are willing to pay ahead of time in your own mind instills confidence in you — and confidence is the ultimate Jedi mind trick when haggling, says Voss.
Related: How to Use Hostage Negotiation Tactics to Get Anything You Want, Anywhere in the World
Jedi mind trick 2: Uncommon connection
Getting personal with the vendor can help. (Photo: Niels Linneberg/Flickr)
Tell the vendor your name. “Everybody and their brother is probably asking the vendor his name,” explains Voss, “then using it to hammer the guy with what they want.” Instead, you introduce yourself, says Voss: “Say ‘Hi, I’m Chris.’” It still personalizes the interaction (in an unexpected way) and makes the vendor feel good about the exchange.
Jedi mind trick 3: Steely patience
It needs to be a back-and-forth interaction. (Photo: Maxine Sheppard/Flickr)
Never bargain against yourself. “The vendor is very good at what he does,” explains Voss. “He’s trying to see if you’ll jump to [the] next offer. You can’t do that until they do.” No matter what.
Jedi mind trick 4: Disarming humor
Who doesn’t love to laugh — it bridges cultures. (Photo: Getty Images)
If a counteroffer isn’t forthcoming, kill ‘em with kindness or humor. Say “thank you” and “hit the vendor with a bunch of compliments, like ‘Your price is more than fair, but I just can’t pay that,’ and be apologetic at the same time,” says Voss. Or make them laugh. Say something like “That’s a good price, but I’m Chris, so what’s the Chris price?” Voss advises. And say it with a smile. “It works much better than asking for the best price. It works every time.”
Related: Haggling After Dark: the World’s Most Interesting Night Markets
Jedi mind trick 5: The strategy of ‘3’
Three is the magic number to get you your price. (Photo: Getty Images)
When the haggling starts, change your price only three times, and each time offer a smaller increase than before. For example, if a souvenir you want to buy costs $16, first offer $7, then go up to $9 (a $2.00 increase), then end at $9.73 (a 73-cent increase). It works.
Jedi mind trick 6: The illusion of the odd number
Don’t doubt the power of dollars with cents. (Photo: Getty Images)
Make sure that the final offer number is an odd number. “This makes the vendor think that you’ve put a lot of thought into the price you’re willing to pay,” says Voss. “Then he’ll believe it’s your final price.”
Related: WATCH: Saving an Adorable Hedgehog from a West African Death Market
Jedi mind trick 7: Informed compromise
Don’t lowball the vendor. (Photo: Keith Chastain/Flickr)
Thirty percent off is a good rule of thumb. “It’s a number that generally both sides can live with,” says Voss.
WATCH: Shopping the Globe
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