Bartering is as old as time, so why are us Brits so bad at it? Most of us have been on holiday abroad and witnessed some of the world’s most majestic markets – such as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and the Friday market in Cairo – and it’s here that we see bartering working at its finest.
Traders doing a linguistic dance with potential buyers to secure a deal, either using their impressive powers of persuasion or clever use of language to do so. If you were at one of these markets on your holiday, you would be expected to freely and openly ask for a discount to get an item for cheaper – this is bartering.
So why, when back in the UK, are we too British to barter?
Research conducted by the website Gumtree a few years ago found that our very British desire to never discuss money means that as a nation we could be missing out on £6.5bn a year – that’s £500 each!
The research found that nearly half of respondents said they were too embarrassed to barter, 41 per cent thought it would make them sound rude and a staggering 80 per cent haven’t ever tried to. As a person whose entire livelihood is centred around securing the best deal, I was amazed by these findings.
So why are we so afraid to barter? I’m a proud history geek (I wanted to be a history teacher when I was a child and still dream of it to this day), and I believe we can trace this back to the Victorian era when the class system in the UK was magnified.
The upper class, with extortionate wealth, became obsessed with manners and politeness. They would not trivialise themselves with talk of money, most likely as they would deem it crass or even rude. My theory is that middle and working-class people aspiring to move up the classes incorporated impeccable manners to prove they were worthy of the dizzying heights of the upper class – and became too afraid to barter as a result.
I want to get Britain bartering again.
My mum is from the Middle East and I definitely learned tricks from her. Any time she goes into a high-street shop, if she finds something she likes, she’ll ask the person working in the shop for a discount.
If they refuse, she asks to speak to a manager and, with her expert skills, she often secures at least a 10 per cent discount. Seeing the excitement in her eyes and the adrenaline rush she was experiencing in those moments was thrilling. It got me hooked on deal-making.
I too often try my luck in high street shops – as the adage goes you don’t try you don’t get. I’ve tried and successfully used my skills to get lower prices in Zara, Reiss and Hugo Boss.
I use bartering all the time in my pawnbrokers and jewellers. If one of my clients wants a discount, I might agree if they purchase multiple items – the customer still gets what they wanted, and I make a sale. I don’t know anyone who has ever agreed to the first price of a property on the market, so why should we accept the first price we’re presented with for any other item? Especially in society now where we are actively being more sustainable and trading between each other on various platforms and websites, bartering is key to your success.
The most-used environment to barter in the UK would be market places and community trading platforms because these areas of commerce are geared towards bargain hunters. However, high-street shops, websites and pretty much all places of commerce are fair game. The only place I would hold off on my haggling skills would be supermarkets because they have rigid and centralised pricing strategies, although if you find a damaged item on the shelves, the price could still be lowered for you if you use some persuasive skills.
Bartering is merely negotiating a better deal for yourself. Historically, it was used to trade goods or services between two or more people without the use of money, but I think it works in monetary situations just as well. You use it in everyday situations without realising. How often have you offered your child desert if they eat all their vegetables? Or agreed to do the dishes if your partner would watch a programme of your choice on the TV? These are simple methods we use to get what we want, and we should deploy them when buying goods.
One of my strongest pieces of advice is to remove emotion from the situation – if you’re asking someone for a discount on a top you want, you’re not asking for that money to come from their salary. Be polite and courteous with your request and you’ll be surprised to see how far it gets you.
If you find yourself feeling intimidated, try role playing your style with a friend or family member. As the adage goes, practice makes perfect, and the more you use your own bartering technique, the better success you will have. What’s the worst that could happen?
Tasting… lots of delicious recipes in the Air Fryer that my husband Joff bought me for Christmas. It’s revolutionised my life. If you were to ask him about my diet he would describe it as beige, mainly because I love chicken and chips. In his mission to get me eating more vegetables and varied cuisine, he got me the Air Fryer and I’m cooking up feasts. Not only is it fun to find new recipes after a long day at work but also you can do pretty much anything with this piece of kit. I still sneak the odd piece of fried chicken in it when he’s not looking but one of my favourite new recipes is a mouth-watering crispy cauliflower with coriander dip.
Obsessing… over the new TV series, Mary & George. I am fanatical about history so any time there is a documentary or new drama out you can bet all your earnings that I will be watching it. This series is apparently based on historical facts, but the headline reads more like a plot twist from EastEnders. I love everything about it, the costumes, the acting (Julianne Moore is fabulous) and I can’t wait to watch another episode. I often wish that I was born into this era until I remind myself that the average life expectancy was 35.
Walking… through the countryside. I am not the biggest fan of a gym. I have ADHD so my brain gets bored very quickly in that environment but as a man who has passed the 40 mark, I am acutely aware that I need to look after my health more. So, we have started walking as much as possible. We split our time between west London and the Peak District so vary our walks between city or countryside which our Dachshund, Albert, loves. This week we’ve been up North and have been doing some beautiful long walks around Padley Gorge and Hope Valley. I am not a fan of any walks with a gradient, so the challenge is always how to find the flattest walk whilst in the oldest national park in the UK.
Dan Hatfield is the author of Money Maker: Don’t Just Save It, Make It! Available now, published by Catalyst (Hardback, £16.99)
How to get money off - the British way
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0
22.03.2024
Bartering is as old as time, so why are us Brits so bad at it? Most of us have been on holiday abroad and witnessed some of the world’s most majestic markets – such as the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and the Friday market in Cairo – and it’s here that we see bartering working at its finest.
Traders doing a linguistic dance with potential buyers to secure a deal, either using their impressive powers of persuasion or clever use of language to do so. If you were at one of these markets on your holiday, you would be expected to freely and openly ask for a discount to get an item for cheaper – this is bartering.
So why, when back in the UK, are we too British to barter?
Research conducted by the website Gumtree a few years ago found that our very British desire to never discuss money means that as a nation we could be missing out on £6.5bn a year – that’s £500 each!
The research found that nearly half of respondents said they were too embarrassed to barter, 41 per cent thought it would make them sound rude and a staggering 80 per cent haven’t ever tried to. As a person whose entire livelihood is centred around securing the best deal, I was amazed by these findings.
So why are we so afraid to barter? I’m a proud history geek (I wanted to be a history teacher when I was a child and still dream of it to this day), and I believe we can trace this back to the Victorian era when the class system in the UK was magnified.
The upper class, with extortionate wealth, became obsessed with manners and politeness. They would not trivialise themselves with talk of money, most likely as they would deem it crass or even rude. My theory is that middle and working-class people........
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