India Travel

Don’t worry too much about the first quoted prices. Some guidebooks suggest paying a third of the opening price, but it’s a flexible guideline depending on the shop, the goods and the shopkeeper’s impression of you. Bargaining is very much a matter of personal style, but should always be lighthearted, never acrimonious. There are no hard and fast rules - it’s really a question of how much something is worth to you. . “Green” tourists are easily spotted, so try and look like you know what you are up to, even on your first day, or leave it till later; you could wait and see what an Indian might pay first. Don’t start haggling for something if you know you don’t want it, and never let any figure pass your lips that you are not pre¬pared to pay. It’s like bidding at an auction. Having mentioned a price, you are obliged to pay it. If the seller asks you how much you would pay for something, and you don’t want it, say so. In places like Jaipur and Agra where this is common practice, tourists often strike a deal with their drivers - agreeing to stop at five shops and splitting the commission for the time wasted. Obviously if you’re taken to a shop by a tout or driver and you buy some¬thing, you pay around fifty percent extra.