Haggling over prices while on a shopping spree is no joke. And women are quite good at it
THE idea of going for shopping with family members and sometimes with female relatives is an ordeal that many male members of our society may have undergone, though without voicing any protest or showing any kind of disobedience. While shopping, women often try and haggle over prices of whatever they are interested in buying. Once they strike a deal to their satisfaction, it gives them immense pleasure. Even if they’re not able to strike a deal to their heart’s content, they leave no stone unturned in sharpening their negotiating skills. Their ability also helps them to tackle domestic affairs with the same alacrity and shrewdness. And if some of them appear to be shy, they show their true colours later on.
My elder sister is an expert when it comes to bargaining. I heaved a great sigh of relief when she migrated to the United States. While accompanying her on shopping sprees, I would observe that the moment she heard the price of an item, she would immediately come down to one-fourth of that price. Many a time I had to rush out of the shop, feeling ashamed and insulted. Many a time I flatly refused to accompany her and she gladly took my wife along. Today my wife is a trained bargainer, and now I avoid going for shopping with her.
Once my wife stepped into a bakery. I followed her in like a loyal husband. The moment I entered, I heard: “Yeh kitney ka hai?” I said to myself, no, not again! Luckily, she came out soon with a dozen eggs and a loaf of bread.
When I was a child, I used to go for shopping along with my mother, sister and grandmother. They usually entered a ladies’ garment shop and remained there for an hour; more often than not, they would step out of the shop empty-handed. They would promise me that I’d get a toy at the end of it all. So, I couldn’t raise any kind of protest and waited and prayed quietly for an end to the ordeal. This is something that many male members of society still follow. Women’s shopping for clothes is still a mystery to many people.
All ready-made garments have a fixed price and it is up to the buyers to select an item as per their choice and wealth. In such a situation the interaction with the salesmen is at the minimum and there is no confusion or grumbling about anything. That is the reason why I prefer to purchase ready-made garments for myself and my family. But on certain occasions, especially for women, we have to look for unstitched clothes in the market. This is an exercise I try to avoid and always come up with an excuse, asking my wife to take her sisters and friends along. I certainly dread such shopping trips and usually get sick on such occasions.
Garment shops in many markets and plazas of the city have a variety of local and imported stuff to attract women buyers from all sections of society. Everyone rushes to these shops, usually for their Eid shopping or shopping for some important occasion. The bright pieces are often claimed to be the latest imported items in the market. Almost all women have a craze for bargaining, especially for items such as jewellry, cosmetics and dresses.
For decades I have been witnessing bargain deals in these shops and have noted that there has been no change in the style and attitude of the sellers and the buyers. Women, normally accompanied by two or three friends or acquaintances, enter the shop and sit on stools. The salesmen pull out the cloth-rolls one after another and after a close look and discussions for about an hour or so comes the price settlement part. The clever salesmen quote a price, say Rs2,000 for a suit piece, which is not accepted, and then begins a series of negotiations, which even members of our National Assembly would be proud of. Believe me, the very same suit piece is purchased and proudly possessed for Rs900 or so. The shopkeepers feel disgusted and often give up and as a result the successful ladies have a meaningful smile on their faces. The achievement is talked about in their circles for quite a while and other women feel it compulsory to take such sagacious ladies along with them on their own shopping sprees.
On the other hand, the shopkeepers and salesmen feel happy and content with their successful deal. The secret being that the suit piece costing Rs400 or 500 has been sold for Rs900. Once, I myself, just to check and verify this mystery, visited one such market. Without a lengthy bargain, the price of a suit piece was agreed upon and I promised to turn up later with my family. I kept my promise and took my wife along to the same market, but entered another shop having the same material and quality. When I asked about the price, it was quoted three times the price that I had earlier bargained. We left and went to the shop where I had earlier struck a deal. We were welcomed and I, for keeping my promise, was treated as a VIP by the shop-keeper. Knowing that even my bargain may be quite a gain for the salesman, I proudly exhibited my bargaining and negotiations skill to my wife.
Men are not fond of haggling over prices, and we don’t indulge in lengthy discussions. Ready-made items are preferred and as the price of most items for men are known to all, the question of any bargain does not arise. Men are only found bargaining for groceries and fruit and normally a short and friendly debate settles the issue for both parties. Educated or uneducated, rich or poor, women relish shopping. The young girls who accompany their mother for shopping get trained within no time as far as the art or science of bargaining goes. In the future, they will make their own children learn the same art.
Haggling over prices while on a shopping spree is no joke. And women are quite good at it
