Berkley Center

The main difference that I have noticed between shopping in America and shopping in Jordan is that it is necessary to haggle in Jordan. In and of itself, haggling does not sound too difficult: you merely offer a price slightly lower than what you think you should pay for the item while the shopkeeper offers one that is slightly higher until you both meet in the middle at a fair price. In practice, haggling is considerably more difficult. First, it is necessary to have a general idea of what you think the item is worth without actually knowing its value. Second, you must look assertive enough for the shopkeeper to take you seriously. Third, if the price they insist on is higher than what you would like, you must have the gumption to put the item back and walk away in the hopes that the shopkeeper will offer you a lower price in order to complete the sale. Additionally, we were warned at the beginning of our program that many shopkeepers ask slightly higher prices of shoppers who appear to be tourists.

As an American who had never haggled before, my first time felt extremely awkward. I was attempting to purchase a bracelet in a shop downtown and had no idea what a fair price for the bracelet actually was. The shopkeeper told me that it was one bracelet for three Jordanian dinars or two bracelets for five Jordanian dinars. With it being my first time haggling, I decided to try to get one bracelet for two and a half Jordanian dinars. When I went to actually purchase the item, the shopkeeper told me three dinars and I told him two. He insisted on three while I continued to insist on two. He then brought the price down to two and a half dinars and I agreed. While I was able to get the price I wanted, if I had had more experience with haggling and this had not been my first time, I probably could have gotten the price down to two dinars. 

In my shopping experiences since then, I have improved my haggling skills considerably. In my latest purchase, a small jewelry box, I was able to purchase the item for half of the shopkeeper’s asking price. I have found that the best way, as someone who looks very American, to get a reasonable price is to ask the shopkeeper how much something is and then clearly decide that their price is too expensive and simply put the item back down. I have had a few different shopkeepers pick up the item after I have put it down and ask me what price I would be willing to pay. When I give them a number, they respond by stating a number slightly higher, but I do not increase the amount I will pay. Eventually, they agree to my price in order to secure the sale. 

Haggling is an extremely important skill to have in Jordan. Shopkeepers will most likely continue to ask slightly higher prices from me because I look American, but I have learned how to use their system in order to get fair prices for the items I am interested in, making me feel more at home in Jordan.