One thing you should know about Israel is that very few things are absolute and very few things are the same way twice. You may see a fully stocked item at a store one day and return to the same store never to see the item again. You may get on the bus at 9:00 AM everyday for a week and then never see the bus at 9:00 AM again. You may go to a museum at 1:00 PM one day and go inside and then return the next day at the same time only to be told that the museum is closed. I actually had an argument (in Hebrew) about the closing time at the ancient ruins in Caesarea. I was holding the map and our tickets that said the exhibit is open until 4:00 on Fridays in November. The workers closed the gates at 3:00 PM and told me they close early on Fridays. I informed them that their own literature says they are open on this day until 4:00 PM and showed them the tickets. Because they know more Hebrew than I, they won the arguement and we had to leave that exhibit. Talk to anyone in Israel and they will tell you that it is difficult to know what you are going to get from one day to the next but if you are forceful enough you usually get your way.
It is this attitude that fuels the Israeli's love for haggling. At every outdoor market or small neighborhood shop, you are welcome to argue over the price. In the Old City, it is a basic requirement to haggle. The following is the dialogue you can expect when shopping in the Old City:
Storekeeper: You want to buy this hat? How much do you want to pay?
You: I'm not sure I want it....
Storekeeper: It is 50 shekels and that is a good price.
You: 50 shekels? Well, I guess that sounds fair.
Storekeeper: What? You think I am giving you a bad deal? Fine. 40 Shekels.
You: I didn't say you are ripping me off but 40 shekels does seem more reasonable.
Storekeeper: You still think I cheat you? Okay. 30 shekels and that is my final offer. This is how much I pay for it so I cannot possibly go lower.
You: I think you are giving a great deal but I am not even sure I want the hat. I will come back a little later.
Storekeeper: Fine. Give me 15 shekels and the hat is yours. You are a very difficult person. I do not know how I will feed my family with people like you.
At this point. Just pay the money, take the hat, and walk away guilt free. This is Israel and this is how you get a low price even if you never say a word. (It is worth noting that good looking woman like my wife get much better deals so guys should just stay out of the way). It is also worth noting that you may never get that same price again.
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2 comments:
This is not an exageration - I did just have an exchange like this last week! It was for something I would have gotten before leaving Israel at the end of the year but I really wasnt going to buy it that day - I was asked "How much do you want to pay for this?" I told him I would give him such a low price that he wouldnt even want to sell it to me - literally I lowballed him so much just so he would leave me alone. I started to walk away and he ended up giving me the price but was annoyed. :) It was pretty funny!
Reminds me a few vacations I went on trying to buy souvenirs. Except I am not a good haggler.
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