Bargaining in Colombia

Rubito says on May 30, 2007, 00:51:

They don't name it as such But the concept is still there.

And unless you are going to some place that has barcodes and a checkout counter, the price is ALWAYS negotiable.

That's just another reason why you should use the plazas del mercado.

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Cerealkiller says on May 30, 2007, 01:10:

Well Man T, in Colombia you dont bargain unless youre in the flea market or buying stuff on the streets.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

Rubito says on May 30, 2007, 01:54:

You bargain at San Andresito and Unilago ---Violence is the price of freedom.---

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Tammy says on May 30, 2007, 08:53:

I bargain everyplace except Exito or one of the large department stores. Drug stores especially. Yesterday I bought artificial sweetner at the Drug store. Price in Crystal was 12,000cop. AT the drug store it was 10,500. I gave him 10,000 , said thanks and left. You might not get much of a discount, but usually you get something. If not, go someplace else. I also only pay 2,000 for most of my local taxi rides (the mimimum fare here is 2,400). I simply ask the driver if he will take me to .... for 2 mil. I have only been refused once. (You do need to know the fair to where you are going. This obviously won´t work if you´re going on a 10 mil ride!). I also don´t pay the ¨Carga¨for the weekends, holidays, or early, late hours. I simply ask if he will take me to where I want to go without the extra charge. I haven´t done this in Cali so I don´t know how it would work there. I figure the worst is he says no, but I would then just ask the next driver. I don´t do this in the rain or 5 pm when you can hardly get a taxi. Great on Sundays and holidays when no one is taking Taxis. Sometimes I am going very short distances that only register 1,500 on the meter.
Lots of ways to get discounts. Just smile and ask. Sometimes I tell them I don´t have any more money.(Be sure and have small bills in the exact change!).

Mr. Hollywood says on May 30, 2007, 09:53:

Wow Tammy I bet over the course of a year you must save enough on cab rides to buy a new pair of shoelaces.

Rubito says on May 30, 2007, 11:04:

Why are you being sarcastic? She's giving good advice.

Tammy, your advice is greatly appreciated by others.

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

---Violence is the price of freedom.---

Cerealkiller says on May 30, 2007, 11:24:

I think its so much easier to do that in smaller towns, where people are still quite informal about bussiness...In bogota if you pay a taxi driver less the best thing that can happen is that he laughs at you. Mind you 100 or 200 pesos isnt a big deal, but over 500 people start getting uneasy. Rubito is right, san andresito, unilago or corabastos are places in which you are supposed to bargain, but thats because once they see youre a gringo or appear to have the means, they will inflate the price to whatever they think youre willing to pay.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

griffbos says on May 30, 2007, 11:44:

when I am in Colombia I ask the price of someting I like, if is what i think it should be I buy if not I say thank you and leave, I did this at one place and the guy come chasin gafter me asking how much i was willing to pay, I knew he jacked the price big time on me so I told my friend I was with to tell they guy I not interested in doing bussiness with him. my friend asked me after we alked away why I did that, and I told him he jacked the price because I am gringo, if he had said a price close to honest i would have bargianed with him,( the item was a necklace and they guy said 12.000 pesos in cartagena I found the same one in Barranquilla for 4.000 pesos)

toneloc24 says on May 30, 2007, 12:25:

From my experiences Bargaining is common in the aforementioned circumstances, including with taxis. Especially those who don't have change, and for whom I have little pity.

While I learned the art of street negotiations in NYC as a kid, in Colombia, I refined those skills with Colombians with me. It is widely done and observed locally. It has absolutely nothing to do with being cheap or stingy. Just real life free market economics at work. The people that first showed me this in Colombia, were Colombian strata 6+ dwellers.

There's a big difference between being regarded as a normal person in Colombia...and a bottomless wallet. I used to think that somethings are so miniscule that it's not worth it, but my mind's been changed. Those who can get taken for more, WILL have it happen to them. Tammy gave great advice.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

toneloc24 says on May 30, 2007, 13:40:

Tinto I agree to some degree. Some things aren't worth the effort of negotiating, but when you KNOW someone's trying to get over on you, there are ways to handle it. One being pay YOUR price.

Haggling with a taxi over 500 pesos ain't worth it.

Haggling with a bar/restaurant over 10.000 pesos in bogus charges....ain't about the money. Either someone screwed up or is trying to get over on you. It needs to be addressed.

Haggling with some street vendor over the interestingly "marked-up" price of something you'd be interested in buying, when you enter the marketplace, you negotiate the best price available to you, or you leave the merchandise.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

toneloc24 says on May 30, 2007, 14:14:

LOL!!! We're not in Kansas anymore. Gotta adjust to the local customs.

"Don't tase me, bro!!!!"

gringoloid says on May 30, 2007, 14:42:

In the coastal cities, bargaining is pretty difficult. My colombian friends make me stand back from the curb, preferably hiding somewhere while they negotiate with the taxi drivers. Any one over the age of 3 can 'make me' as a gringo, 6'3", blonde/blue. If you have the complexion with the connection you will be able to negotiate better.

Mr. Hollywood says on May 30, 2007, 14:47:

Sarcasm Why am I sarcastic? Because I think it's muy tacaño to haggle 20 cents off the STANDARD price of a taxi ride.

I bargain for things where that's a normal part of the transaction, like at the Farmers' Market or buying handicrafts or something. And in a place like Cartagena I always ask for the fare to be defined up front. But I think it's pretty tacky to be asking people who work as hard as cabbies for as little profit as they make to give you a discount. If it's so close, walk, or if you're so poor, take the bus.

Sam Salmon says on May 30, 2007, 21:10:

Muy Tacaño! Si verdad!





' a la orden!'

' a la orden!'