Here in Greece the shopping experience has been different than any place I've been before. Normally we shop in malls or outlets. But here the stores are all boutique style, located in romantic corridors and not bustling city centers. And most importantly the key to shopping here is one word, bargaining.
Mykonos Boutiques (Taken by: Michelle Ricciardi)
In the states we have set prices and the word bargain is only used in the context of sales (discounted prices) or shopping at cheap stores. In Greece, bargaining means to negotiate a price you feel is appropriate for the item. And bargaining is best when you're paying in cash not card. For example, in Athens I saw a pure linen tunic that I tried on and fell in love with. The price on the hanger was 50 euros but through talking with the store owner and telling him I was paying with cash, we agreed on 35 euros. In another situation a customer wanted a leather tote. The price written was 100 euros. The store owner discussed a lower price at 75 euros but only if paying with cash. If paying with card it would stay at 100 euros. This method of bargaining also works when buying multiple items. This is really when you hit the jack pot because you pay a better price for all the items than you would buying just one.
In the states if a shirt says $50 and a leather bag says $100 that's the price you pay unless you have a coupon or it's on sale. Negotiating and whether you're paying with cash or card doesn't matter.
After my time here in Greece bargaining, I think I like their system more than ours. Of course it still has to be a reasonable price in order to be a successful purchase but even $5 off is a deal from an original price. With bargaining you basically always have a coupon for each store.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Mykonos Island, Greece
I really didn't do that much shopping on the islands so I didn't have a chance to bargain much, so it's cool to hear about it! Bargaining is pretty crazy when you think about it, because we come from an environment where that's unheard of. And then we can think about how to Greeks, not bargaining is what's strange. You did an awesome job explaining the process and the little shops, and if people read this before traveling they'll definitely be ready to bargain.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had known about the bargaining method in Greece earlier on in this trip. I think it is very interesting that so many other places let customers bargain a best price and that their is so much fluidity when it comes to shopping and in our country there is no negotiating. I wonder if it has something to do with the different economies or why it is set up this way. Also, I love how you describe the small, winding roads of places like Mykonos as "romantic corridors." Great job!
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