Bargaining isn't bad!


by Jeff Wilson - Date: 2007-06-08 - Word Count: 437 Share This!

When shopping in an ancient city of Morocco, don't be surprised to find a different system of commerce than anything you have ever seen before. There are no marked prices! No pre-printed receipts and certainly no computers in bazaars in the medina. Since you are using a foreign currency and a foreign language...expect a foreign method of arriving at the final price. It all starts with the shop owner naming a price that is higher than he actually expects to receive. If you don't try to lower the price, you haven't gotten the first principle of bargaining. Bargaining is expected and welcomed as part of the shopping experience in Morocco.

Morocco offers a huge variety of unique artistic items that are found in hidden shops that have no published prices. Bargaining for the final price is part of the rich cultural experience while visiting the Arab world. A successful purchase is when both parties are happy at the end of the transaction.

You probably already realize that when a traveler buys an item there are a number of people who share the income from the sale; so the price is very flexible. Since prices are rarely displayed, the traveler may feel helpless and unfamiliar with the bargaining skills which are an integral part of the system. The only way to know what constitutes a reasonable price is to do a little research before hand. Know the product quality you want and check the prices on the web before your trip, especially if you anticipate major purchases. When in Morocco you can also stop first to check the prices in an Ensemble Artisanal, found in most major cities. This is a workshop area, a product display, and a shop (similar to a Co-op) which is endorsed by the government. Shopping around and going into many different shops to compare prices and the quality of the goods offered can help you get a fair price. Remember, you are never obligated to buy...even after extensive bargaining. An attractive offer does not have to be accepted.

In the end, remember money is for spending. Don't be so concerned about the price that you fail to take with you some of the truly fabulous artwork of Morocco. The system may be hard to understand, but it actually works quite well and helps many people. Spending a few dirhams more than the local price is not at all unreasonable. Enjoying the item and forgetting the price enhances the real value! When you buy something in Morocco it comes with the memories of the shopping and bargaining experience and we want your memories to be good ones.

Related Tags: travel, bargain, tours, morocco

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