Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kermo]

I'm not keen on the idea of haggling. I like to just accept my rip-off gracefully. Vendors have tried to nudge me a little by offering me "foreigner discounts" or jiggering the price, but I'd rather just walk away at that point.

At a Samsung store, while buying a digital camera, I discovered I had done some haggling quite inadvertantly, and they happily knocked eighteen thousand won off the price. I was just being lazy, in fact, because I still find it a little tricky to find the words for prices with lots of numbers, and "man won" throws me from time to time.

I had decided on a camera (don't hurt me for buying a Samsung camera: the selection in my city is pretty paltry), but had to run to the bank first. Instead of saying "sam ship i man pal cheon won oppsoyo" (is that right?) I just abbreviated it to "sam ship man won .." and the salesman shrugged, nodded and smiled as I ran out the door. I was surprised to see the bill they gave me when I returned, and even more surprised when they loaded my arms with "gifts" of tupperware and paper towels. Yes, yes, I am a newbie to be sure.

I was expecting to haggle in markets, and but told that if there's a price tag on it, don't bother. Instead, shopkeepers give me random "discounts" even though I would have happily paid full price. I'm trying to imagine the look of horror and amusement if I had offered a Future Shop sales-kid less than the posted price back in my hometown.

So, what are your expectations and habits when it comes to buying in the markets or stores? What are your wily maneuvers? When are you satisfied with a price?

Just because it's on topic, I've included a weird little scene from Monty Python's "Life of Brian" on the perils of haggling.

BRIAN: (points at a fake beard. He is in rather a hurry, because he's running for his life, and looking for a disguise)? ? How much? Quick.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? What?
BRIAN: ? ? It's for the wife.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Oh. Uhhh, twenty shekels.
BRIAN: ? ? Right.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? What?
BRIAN: ? ? There you are.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Wait a minute.
BRIAN: ? ? What?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Well, we're-- we're supposed to haggle.
BRIAN: ? ? No, no. I've got to get--
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? What do you mean, 'no, no, no'?
BRIAN: ? ? I haven't time. I've got--
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Well, give it back, then.
BRIAN: ? ? No, no, no. I just paid you.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Burt!
BURT: ? ? Yeah?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? This bloke won't haggle.
BURT: ? ? Won't haggle?!
BRIAN: ? ? All right. Do we have to?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Now, look. I want twenty for that.
BRIAN: ? ? I-- I just gave you twenty.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Now, are you telling me that's not worth twenty shekels?
BRIAN: ? ? No.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Look at it. Feel the quality. That's none of your goat.
BRIAN: ? All right. I'll give you nineteen then.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? No, no, no. Come on. Do it properly.
BRIAN: ? ? What?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Haggle properly. This isn't worth nineteen.
BRIAN: ? ? Well, you just said it was worth twenty.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Ohh, dear. Ohh, dear. Come on. Haggle.
BRIAN: ? ? Huh. All right. I'll give you ten.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? That's more like it. Ten?! Are you trying to insult me?! Me, with a poor dying grandmother?! Ten?!
BRIAN: ? ? All right. I'll give you eleven.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Now you're gettin' it. Eleven?! Did I hear you right?! Eleven?! This cost me twelve. You want to ruin me?!
BRIAN: ? ? Seventeen?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? No, no, no, no. Seventeen.
BRIAN: ? ? Eighteen?
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? No, no. You go to fourteen now.
BRIAN: ? ? All right. I'll give you fourteen.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Fourteen?! Are you joking?!
BRIAN: ? ? That's what you told me to say.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Ohh, dear.
BRIAN: ? ? Ohh, tell me what to say. Please!
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Offer me fourteen.
BRIAN: ? ? I'll give you fourteen.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? He's offering me fourteen for this!
BRIAN: ? Fifteen!
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Seventeen. My last word. I won't take a penny less, or strike me dead.
BRIAN: ? ? Sixteen.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Done. Nice to do business with you.
BRIAN: ? ? Huh.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Tell you what. I'll throw you in this as well.
BRIAN: ? ? I don't want it, but thanks.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Burt!
BURT: ? ? Yeah?
BRIAN: ? ? All right! All right. All right.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Now, where's the sixteen you owe me?
BRIAN: ? I just gave you twenty.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Oh, yeah. That's right. That's four I owe you, then.
BRIAN: ? ? Well, that's all right. That's fine. That's fine.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? No. Hang on. I've got it here somewhere.
BRIAN: ? ? That's all right. That's four for the gourd.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? Four? For this gourd? Four?! Look at it. It's worth ten if it's worth a shekel.
BRIAN: ? But you just gave it to me for nothing.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? Yes, but it's worth ten!
BRIAN: ? ? All right. All right.
HARRY THE HAGGLER: ? ? No, no, no, no. It's not worth ten. You're supposed to argue, 'Ten for that? You must be mad!' Ohh, well. [sniff] One born every minute.

[rapier]

I like haggling. but I wish my korean was better.

[kermo]

Yesterday, I bargained *on purpose* for the first time. I saw a lamp I liked, asked the price and was told 40,000. Since my Korean vocabulary only contains 100 words at this point, I asked him 30,000 in a questioning tone. He thought I had misunderstood him, so he repeated the price. I wiggled my eyebrows, and pointed "down", repeating my offer. He laughed, and then gave me what I was asking for. What, no resistance? No accusations of taking food out of his children's mouths? No, it was a guilt free transaction, and I skipped out of there feeling pretty stoked. Guess I'd better change my vote.

[peppermint]

I don't bother unless the item is over 100,000 won usually, but when I play, I play hard. For things like electronics- check the price on a couple of the websites in Korea, print out the price and bring it with you. As well, if you're a woman- low cut shirts can be useful too.

[keithinkorea]

I bought an MP3 player for my girlfriend not long ago and the guy was blatantly trying to rip me off! I told him that I bought the same one from another guy for 40 thousand less and started to walk away

As if by a miracle as soon as I started to walk away the price dropped to less than I paid for mine

Bargaining is fun.

[I_Am_Wrong]

actually, haggling is quite common in Canada and most retailers will knock off anywhere from 10-15% They want your business, so you usually just ask to talk to the manager. Most will give it to you quite quickly. If they don't, just walk away and say you're going to there competition...they'll give you a discount.

[Bulsajo]

He started at 45 Egyptian Pounds and I ended up paying 3.
Now THAT'S haggling, baby!

[Harpeau]

My wife and I haggle big time. We do a "good cop/bad cop" thing and trade off each other's energy. One of us will usually haggle way down as far as we can. Then we put a spike into that price and hang on it, while the other one of us haggles them down into the abbyss. The secret is to be unemotional and be willing to walk away. There is always another place selling the same exact item. Patience and humor is the key. My wife can haggle a guy way down. It's very interesting to watch her.

One thing to keep in mind is that items from China are extreemly cheap to produce. Point out that it was made in China and give a strange look like they're ripping you off. Look him right in the eye and give a mischevious grin. They'll likely come down for you.

In addition, try and go to the same place and develope a friendship with the store owner. Your loyalty will be rewarded after a while.

All the best,
Harpeau

P.S. I tried the low-cut min-skirt and they all ran like hell.