Image by John Picken.

Those on Turkey tours will quickly realise that haggling is a way of life when it comes to visiting markets and bazaars throughout the country. Many people find haggling for prices a real hassle, but that’s no reason to dismiss it entirely while you’re shopping for souvenirs, and many people discover a real enjoyment to the social aspect of haggling. Here are a few tips to help you haggle comfortably.

Shop around first – it’s important to ensure the product you’re going for is the one you want, but it’s often a good idea to play it cool in front of the vendor. Decide on what you want as a souvenir of your tour in Turkey, but feel free to browse other items. Revealing your enthusiasm will only make the price slower to go down!

Let the seller make the first move. The shopkeeper’s price will certainly be higher than what they expect to receive. Let the shopkeeper bring the price down without naming a price. Ask them if they can be flexible on price, look at other items on offer, begin to walk out of the shop, but don’t offer a price until you get a feeling of how low the shopkeeper is prepared to go. Do it with confidence. If you’re buying small items in bulk on your Turkey tours, such as souvenirs, it’s reasonable to expect a discount.

Don’t be afraid to turn your back and walk away, especially if the shopkeeper is proving to be unreasonable. There’s also a lot to be said for returning after walking away. A shopkeeper may jump at a second chance to sell and lower their price accordingly. Remember that there is no obligation to buy souvenirs of your Turkey tours during the haggling process, even if shopkeepers go to great lengths to ensure a sale. Once you have decided it is something you really do want, only then offer a price that you are willing and happy to pay. An agreed price is a verbal contract between shopper and shopkeeper to buy.