b is for bartering.

Bartering in South America was an experience, to say the least. I struggled quite a bit because I didn’t speak Spanish and every transaction required the help of one of friends. There is definitely a pricing difference between bartering and non-bartering situations. You really get a hard look at the standard of living that they experience. In some situations, I found myself giving up on bartering just so that they could have a little extra. I mean, I had the money so why not?

Bartering will almost always get you cheaper prices than a shop. We learned various tactics to use in bartering situations. A lot of the time we offered them deals where we bought more than one item. I noticed that they were more willing to lower the individual price when they knew that there would be more sales. Also, if you make an offer and they refuse you can try walking away. Every vendor is different. I encountered some that would have you name the price and then there were some that would stand firm no matter what.

I was really impressed by the quality of the products. While some were a bit dingy, there were many that had a lot of talent expressed in the goods. The art that they sell are original pieces and there was a woman who carved figurines out of matchsticks. There was also lots of leather, metal work, and hand woven work. Regardless of my purchasing decision, I would always compliment them on their work.

At the end of the day, it’s hard to barter because you know that you are the only thing that stands between that person and your money. You know that they may not have sold anything that day and that they may have children at home that rely on their income.