Haggling in the mercado
Typical Guatemalan mercado
A Guatemalan mercado can be an overwhelming experience for the first timer. It is a place of stray dogs, mythical fruits, unknown smells, $5 abrahamcombie shirts, unattended children, live poultry, and anything else that you can(not) imagine.
It is a place where the amount of sweet deals made pales in comparison to the number of gringos that get completely ripped off. After some first hand experience with seasoned professionals (Marty and Carlos), I have compiled this guide to help educate the naive mercado-goer.
How to haggle in the mercado in 20 steps or less
- Walk over to the vendor`s table with a look of complete disinterest.
- Find what you are looking for, pick it up and glance at it for a second. Put it down as if you have absolutely no intention of buying it.
- Out of what seems to be pure curiosity, casually ask how much it costs
- Wait for it
- Wait for it
- Recieve (usually semi-timid) response from la señora del mercado
- Scowl at her (the Marty face is priceless). The more disgusted/outraged you look the better (even if its not a bad price).
- Say (or yell) “Ah la gran” / (basically our equivalent of “oh my god”). *
- Then, depending on the artical that you are intending to buy, offer her more or less half price.
- As she tries to fight it, remember to stick to your guns. She`ll jack the price up to about Q10-Q20 below what she first offered.
- Sternly repeat your offer
- She`ll try to persuade you and tell you that “No, no señor, este es calida-”
- Don`t listen to her. Begin walking away (This is when you have really begun beating the price down)
- She`ll now offer a much lower price.
- Stop for a moment, pretend to consider her offer.
- Turn around and continue walking away.
- She`ll then think she`s lost your business, in one last desperate attempt, she`ll offer very close to you`re offer
- If it is within Q5-Q10 quetzales of your offer, consider taking it. If not, keep up the power-haggling. You almost have her. Remember to look disappointed and somewhat irritated with the fact that she is wasting your time with her outrageously priced goods.
- Repeat your offer again (or even a few Quetzales less)
- 95% of the time she will finally accept. Congratulations, you have won.
* note: Step 8 is much more effective if used in conjunction with step 7. Remember, the faster the response time the better. Keep in mind that these steps are even more effective if used in a group of two, while one person is able to focus on step seven, the other can simultaneously complete step eight.