It's a bargain

Malaysia, unlike Japan, is a country where lively bargaining was promoted to an art form. From a tender young age, children taken by their mothers to the wet market learn unwittingly the art of bargaining. Until a few years ago, before the government decided to 'help' consumers who lack this survival skill by making shop owners display pricetags on all goods, some people actually enjoyed their shopping. Such a conversation would go something like, "10.45" says the shopkeeper, "wah! so expensive, 5 lar" comes a reflex response from mom, "5 cannot lar, tell you what, round to 10 just for you-lar" replies the shopkeeper instinctively, "like that dun wan-lar". "OK, auntie, 8, final offer?, And mom would reach for her purse and the deal is sealed. Usually, the bargaining process can extend longer that that. Then it would be a power or stamina struggle. To see who gives up first. It can be quite fun watching the process.

Nowadays, lively conversation like that is nowhere to be found. Of course, you hear stories about customers from hell that bargain with street peddlers just for the sheer fun of it, but I think there is a lot to be learned by knowing how to making your verbal-sparring partner agree to your point of view. I know that bargaining is still pretty wide spread in some other Asian countries. Thailand and China for example where you can practice your persuasive skills. In countries where shopping are done in supermarkets and huge hypermarkets, you get a bargain only when there is a sale going on. Come to think of it, bargaining may not be a lost art form. In Japan, I heard that big deals still go through some form of bargaining. But then, they call it business negotiation.