Travel Tip of the Week: How to Negotiate

When vacationing, one of the most touristy and let’s admit it – downright fun – things to do is go shopping or bargain hunting for cool finds and souvenirs. And part of that involves a skill some are good at and others could stand to learn a thing or two about – negotiating.

Check out these tips and be sure to use them next time you’re negotiating prices while shopping on vacation.

• Don’t lowball to the point where you insult sellers. While it’s okay to counter with a lower price than originally quoted (that is in fact the root of negotiation), don’t go so low with your initial offer that you imply the item isn’t worth much at all. Most sellers are aware that prices can be negotiated and will often be willing to shave some money off to find a mutually agreed upon price.
• Don’t be afraid to walk away. The truth is, you won’t be able to negotiate every item and sometimes sellers won’t be willing to budge. In those instances, you have to be okay with walking away without purchasing the item. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It just shows the seller that you aren’t willing to pay more for what you think is a fair price and the seller isn’t willing to drop the price any further from what he/she thinks is a fair price.
• Be practical. While everyone loves a good bargain, try not to be swayed by purchasing gimmicks. Only buy when it makes sense to. For example, if a shop has a sale “buy four shirts, get the fifth one free,” consider if this would be a smart purchase for you or not. Do you really need five shirts? If you’re purchasing for various family members, sure. If you’re just shopping for yourself, probably best not to get five!
• Keep your total spending budget in mind. It can be easy to get carried away when shopping, especially if you’re negotiating some good deals! So always have a budget in mind – the maximum amount of money you want to spend total on your purchases. That way you can enjoy all the great deals without going home broke.