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Bargaining tips required, apply within

 
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Swiss James



Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:28 pm    Post subject: Bargaining tips required, apply within Reply with quote

I'm going to Yongsan and Nagwon at the weekend to buy some moderately expensive stuff. Has anyone got any tips for succesfully knocking down prices? It ain't my strong suit.
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wylde



Joined: 14 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cash

find the price and go away and come back.. get what you want to offer and put it in your wallet..

go back into the store and tell the guy that you have cash but not quite enough.. pull out your wad and try to count some of it..

and ask will this do? i don't have more i thought i would come back in and try to do a deal with you before heading back to gwangju.. ya can have this or we can't do business.

dont beg.. if he is not interested just walk out.

come back in an hour or so and say you have found a little more cash, still not enough..

if he still doesn't want to play.. it is then your call..

best i can do, good luck

if ya really want it go back and get it
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Seoultrader



Joined: 18 Jun 2003
Location: Ali's Insurgent Inn, Fallujah

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most of the folks in Yongsan usually seem to keep their markups pretty much within a reasonable range, so don't approach them in Arab/Chinese fashion and counter with, "$200" after the guy quotes $400.

Example - I bought a top-of-the-line copier/printer/scanner the other day for 350K (his first quote was 370K, other shops varied by no more than 30K, so they're not out rip you).

A friendly, "jjom ggak ga chu seyo" oughtta net you a small d/c in the 5% range.
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wylde



Joined: 14 Apr 2003

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Seoultrader wrote:
Most of the folks in Yongsan usually seem to keep their markups pretty much within a reasonable range, so don't approach them in Arab/Chinese fashion and counter with, "$200" after the guy quotes $400.

Example - I bought a top-of-the-line copier/printer/scanner the other day for 350K (his first quote was 370K, other shops varied by no more than 30K, so they're not out rip you).

A friendly, "jjom ggak ga chu seyo" oughtta net you a small d/c in the 5% range.


yes.. i agree.. a small discount is easily obtained. ask nicely and you should receive..

you need to adapt your approach depending on the product and the price
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Harpeau



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Coquitlam, BC

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with Seoul Trader. Another good idea is to find a really cool shop and do all your business with them. I do that with Nagwon because I bring this guy lots of business and he gives me a pretty good deal.

In addition, keep a smile on you face. Joke with them and be pleasant. Have fun!
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dogbert



Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At Yongsan, one tactic that usually works when you have more than one item you want to buy (that you can get at the same merchant) is to just ask the price for the one item and then say something like, "how about you throw in (item 2) for X won?"
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eamo



Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 8:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Harpeau wrote:
I agree with Seoul Trader. Another good idea is to find a really cool shop and do all your business with them. I do that with Nagwon because I bring this guy lots of business and he gives me a pretty good deal.

In addition, keep a smile on you face. Joke with them and be pleasant. Have fun!


I agree. Keep a smile on your face when haggling. Seoultrader is also right. Yongsan is so competitive already. They really can't come down more than say 5%.

Getting acessories for whatever you're buying as 'service' is one way to get a deal.
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peppergirl



Joined: 07 Dec 2003

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Bargaining tips required, apply within Reply with quote

Swiss James wrote:
I'm going to Yongsan and Nagwon at the weekend to buy some moderately expensive stuff. Has anyone got any tips for succesfully knocking down prices? It ain't my strong suit.


Find out the cheapest price on E-nuri. It's all in Korean, but you should be able to find the search box (top right). So you know how low you should be able to go. This is the technique of one of my colleagues here, he gets the price as low as the cheapest online price from e-nuri, then tries to get some extra free accessories Wink
Good luck!
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Swiss James



Joined: 26 Nov 2003
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cheers folks- all good advice, seems like I haven't been too wide of the mark already in Yongsan. I'm always amazed at how similar the prices are even when you check with 5 or 6 stalls
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dogbert



Joined: 29 Jan 2003
Location: Killbox 90210

PostPosted: Thu Mar 25, 2004 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Swiss James wrote:
cheers folks- all good advice, seems like I haven't been too wide of the mark already in Yongsan. I'm always amazed at how similar the prices are even when you check with 5 or 6 stalls


I don't know if there's an organized cabal of merchants agreeing on price levels, but it is near nigh impossible to get one seller there to undercut another significantly.
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JackSarang



Joined: 28 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2004 1:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck in Nakwon. Thats where I bought all of my stuff and had some issues there. Some of the guys either simply refused to deal with me as a foreigner or just ignored me even after I approached them. I was throwing down major cash that day and after I asked one guy how much a particularly item was he seemed more interested in getting on with his internet baduk game then continuing to deal with me.

You need to pay in cash, #1. Second, I found most guys weren't willing to budge too much and all their prices were very close to each other, varying only by 20-30k won. Other guys high-balled me so badly I just rolled my eyes and walked out.
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phaedrus



Joined: 13 Nov 2003
Location: I'm comin' to get ya.

PostPosted: Fri Mar 26, 2004 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dogbert wrote:
At Yongsan, one tactic that usually works when you have more than one item you want to buy (that you can get at the same merchant) is to just ask the price for the one item and then say something like, "how about you throw in (item 2) for X won?"


This is good advice. They would much rather sell two things than dock money off one. More money at the end of the day. I have good experience with having stuff thrown in for free if I don't ask for a discount. They feel guilty and giving me stuff is better than receiving less cash.
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Yesterday



Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Location: Land of the Morning DongChim (Kancho)

PostPosted: Sat Mar 27, 2004 8:20 pm    Post subject: take it seriously Reply with quote

I don't believe in friendliness, happy laughter when I am out to buy something

- when i wish to buy a few things - I first check out the prices at a few shops -

then very seriously i choose a couple of shops that are selling what i want

I walk in and tell them - I want this, this and that for (the price quoted to me at the other shops less 35 percent)....

If they balk, have to think about it to much etc - or try to give me that sleezy "but I am your friend I can help you -we are the best" deal I just walk away - and do it at the next shop....

Usually after 3 shops - I get what I want at how much I want to pay.....

try it - takes a few hours - but you get what you want at the price YOU want to pay....
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