By Nicole Sivan
Everything in Israel is a negotiation. Never accept the first offer. This is the number one rule of bargaining. Shying away from the negotiation process in a shuk (open air market) and accepting the first price stated would actually be an insult to the shop owner. Don’t deny him the most exciting part of his day. If the shop or stall keeper tells you “two for 20” immediately counter with “two for 15” or “three for 30.” Only shake on the price if it is a good deal. The worst thing one can become in Israel is a “friar” or a sucker. Be ready to walk away from the negotiation. Don’t show desperation. Once your dueling partner knows you are sold on the item it will become near to impossible to negotiate the price. Never reveal enthusiasm. Pretend to be indifferent even if you are dying to make the deal.
At the same time, if the shop keeper really makes an effort to offer you a “good price” and pursues the sale in a “generous way,” there does become an unwritten obligation to buy. Don’t start a negotiation for the fun of it. Really choose an item you will be happy with, especially if you get a low price at the end of the bargaining process.
On my mother’s first trip to Israel, she wandered into a jewelry shop in the shuk and admired a pair of earrings made from beads and replica Roman coins. The shop keeper immediately quoted an exorbitant price: $70. Not really interested in making the purchase and running late for a lunch, my mother politely refused and turned to leave. The price came down to $50. Genuinely in a hurry and still not sure she wanted the earrings, my mother walked towards the door. Unaware that she had entered the delicate back and forth of bargaining, the price came down again. In the end of the negotiation, one in which mother never even understood she had entered; she walked away with the earrings for only $15.
Learning to negotiate in Israel goes well beyond bargaining at the shuk. If you need to deal with any government office or customer service representative (hotel, car rental, etc…) follow the philosophy “whoever yells louder wins.” It’s a battle of endurance. Whoever stands his ground longer and proclaims louder that he is right will be the winner. Don’t take no for an answer. Regulations, policies, and prices can be altered based on who you talk to and how you talk to him. As a matter of courtesy, start by making your request politely and calmly. If you see the process beginning to sour then pull out your big guns: a loud and aggressive voice, lots of arm gestures and the refusal to go away.
If you succeed in getting the answer you want, be sure to get it in writing. What was said today might mean nothing tomorrow and you may end up talking to someone else next time who has an entirely different answer on the matter. Officially document all responses, unless it is the response you didn’t want to hear. In that case, return another time and talk to someone else. Tell your new representative that the previous person told you it would be okay, or that the price would be so and so. Since someone else already “approved” your request or the price, you might actually, at the end of these strenuous efforts, be able to get what you want. You know the saying, “nothing in life comes free and nothing is easy.” This should be the national motto in Israel.
If all else fails then play dumb. “I don’t understand,” repeated often enough in a single conversation will drive your counterpart to surrender. I call it playing “dumb American.” It has worked for me many times in the past and has often gotten me what I want. Of course, let’s face it, some of us, including myself, often won’t have to play this game very hard.
Israel can be an exciting place to begin an adventure and can sometimes feel like the final frontier in the Wild West. While sometimes these unconventional processes are exactly what you need to circumvent any prices, rules and regulations blocking your way, there are other times when the process of having to fight for every inch of ground in a negotiation will drive you to tears. I often say that everything I love about Israel is also everything I hate. The country is my Catch 22 and my feelings of love or hate often depend on whether or not I’m in the mood for negotiating.
Follow News from JerusalemShare this page with your friends
Leave a Reply