Many travelers shop in Asia because they often find better bargains there. It is true that honest salespeople abound in Asia. But like elsewhere, there will always be a few ’sales-predators’ who try to overcharge misinformed tourists.
If you paid $5 for a $2-scarf, your only damage would probably be some teasing from your travel companions. But if you were to pay $600 for a $300-camera, would you still remember your Asian vacation fondly?
Here are 3 steps to identify a sales-predator and counter his sales tactics. These are especially useful if you plan on getting big ticket items.
1. Create a list of desired models, and check their prices back home.
Just how does one get ripped off while shopping in Asia? Well, simply turn up without knowing the specific items you want, or their market prices. Unethical salespeople love tourists who walk into their shops and ask vague questions like:
a. “Do you have a point-and-shoot camera that is …?” or
b. “Could you recommend a portable hard-disk …?”
Sales-predators know they could mark up prices on these customers, who are unlikely to know if they are being overcharged. So knowing what you want and the market prices helps. Do your homework. Before arriving in Asia, check the prices of items online or at your neighborhood store.
2. Bargain on your territory, not on the salesperson’s.
The moment a sales-predator knows that you have done your research, his next strategy is to take the ‘battle into his territory’. How does he do this? He will say something like, “Well, we have finished selling that model, but let me show you something much better …!”
At this point, you ‘enter his territory’ because you may not know the market price of the item he is going to show you. And if you like the item enough, he might just quote you a price to his advantage.
To counter this, go down your checklist and ask if he sells the next item on your list. If he repeatedly says he doesn’t have the items you want, it is time to leave the shop. There is always another shop down the road. So don’t feel the pressure to say ‘yes’ too quickly.
3. Identify the ‘upsell’ strategy and don’t fall for it.
Often, after a price has been agreed and the payment imminent, the sales-predator will try to ‘increase his margin’. “You know, we’ve got a fantastic pair of woofer speakers that go superbly with your MP3 player,” he would say. “Let me show you how nice they sound.” He whips up some audio equipment, mutes all other devices in his shop and plays a hypnotic tune using the device you have just agreed to buy.
If you really, really like the add-on, by all means buy it. But take it from me: the add-on is likely a brand you have never heard of and marked up quite substantially. Beware of this upsell tactic. If the item is truly that great, nobody will need to try so hard to sell it.
I have been burnt before and I know that dishonest salespeople are capable of doing the things mentioned above. But now that you have got the inside story, go and beat those sales-predators at their own game. Then pay it forward by sharing your wisdom at online forums. You can make shopping in Asia a wonderful experience. For yourself and for those visiting after you.
Archive for the Category »Asia Travel «
This mountainous country, filled with natural beauty is often referred to as the Switzerland of Asia. The Tian Shan Mountains cover more than 3/4 of the land and furnish endless hiking and mountaineering opportunities.
The remainder of country is varied, with the subtropical, fertile Fergana Valley in the southwest to temperate foothills in the north. Kyrgyzstan’s diverse geography and the hospitality of the people make it a wonderful tourist destination.
The capital and largest city is Bishkek, located in the north, near the border with Kazakhstan. In centuries past it was an important stop along the Silk Road and many historic sites have been preserved among modern Bishkek’s wide, tree-lined boulevards and well-cared-for Soviet-era gardens. The nearby Ala Too Mountains provide a gorgeous backdrop as well as a cool respite from summer heat and many alpine winter recreational activities.
To the city’s east is the world’s second largest mountain lake, Issyk-Kul. Though surrounded by snow-capped peaks of the Tian Shan, the lake never freezes, hence its name, which in the Kyrgyz language means “warm lake.”
Along the way, a stop at Cholpon-Ata lets you take in the open air art museum, said to date from 500 BC. Here, you see stone carvings depicting wolves, goats, long horned ibex, horses and snow leopards along with sacrificial and hunting scenes.
South of Issyk-Kul is the Jety-Oguz gorge, a lush valley with striking red sandstone formations called the Seven Bulls, from which the gorge takes its name.
Traveling further southwest you come to the small town of Kochkur where Kyrgyz felt carpets are made. Nearby is the beautiful Skazka Valley. Here, centuries of wind and melting snow have sculpted the limestone cliffs into magnificent arrays of columns and crags, ranging from bright orange to deep red in color.
Kyrgyzstan maintains its nomadic, independent traditions and more than 2/3rd of the population still live in rural areas. Many still make their living as shepherds and livestock herders, moving their flocks higher in the mountains during summer and back into lower valleys in cooler months. The simple, efficient yurt hut so common throughout Central Asia makes for good overnight lodging anywhere in the country.
The hospitality of the Kyrgyz people is legendary and any stranger will be invited in for a cup of the national drink, fermented mare’s milk and, more of ten than not, a full meal of Kyrgyz home cooking. The other national passion is horsemanship and horseback is the preferred mode of transportation in many rural areas.
Kyrgyzstan’s second major city is Osh, located in the southwest part of the country. It is reputed to be some 3000 years old, older than Rome, as locals proudly proclaim, but its position along the Silk Road assured it a place of prominence through history. Located near the fertile Fergana Valley, Osh is dominated at its center by Sulaiman Too (”Solomon’s Mountain”), which is the burial place of the Muslim prophet Suleyman Sheikh. Since Mohammed is said to have once prayed here, the Osh has become one of the holiest cities in Islam and many come here on pilgrimages.
The city’s archaeological-cultural museum houses artifacts discovered in the city’s surroundings. On the banks of the river that flows through the city lies one of the largest and most picturesque bazaars in all of Asia and the largest mosque in Kyrgyzstan, the Shaid Tepa Mosque.
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