Price is one of the biggest concerns for visitors when purchasing goods in Vietnam. When the desired item does not have a price tag, foreigners can generally be expected to be overcharged. For those new to the Vietnam shopping experience, it would be beneficial for the shopper to hone their bargaining skills in preparation for their visit.
Here are some bargaining tips that you may find helpful.
1. Walk away
Tell the seller the price you are willing to pay. If they don’t agree, walk away. They will call you back to negotiate if they are really overcharging.
2. Pretend not to like it
Do not show your excitement when going shopping. Ask questions to show your concerns, even focus on the negatives of the product. They will probably reduce the price to encourage you buying it.
3. Know the market price
Try to learn the market price of the product/service by observing or asking local people. Knowing the standard price, you would know how much to bargain and pay.
4. Speak the local language
Speaking local language fluently helps a lot with bargaining. The seller would think you have lived in Vietnam for a long time and would likely to give you the original price or a close one to it.
5. Go to different sellers for price reference
You should go to different sellers asking the price of a particular item before making a decision. With this, you would know where the lowest price is, and how much you can bargain. Normally you can start with a discount of 40% off and work your way up to 10%.
Of course it depends on each situation. Some people would just give you the real price right away. If you continue bargaining, the sellers will be offended. In this case, you have to read their body language or facial expression to identify the situation yourself.
That’s it! Have fun shopping in Vietnam!
