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Haggling

United Kingdom
Level Contributor
35 posts
1 review
Haggling
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When travelling I have found that most places expect you to haggle the prices down when buying in certain areas, is this the case in cancun or do the people get really offended by this?

love a bit of banter when haggling!!

Cozumel, Mexico
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59,056 posts
169 reviews
139 helpful votes
1. Re: Haggling
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It depends on where you haggle. The small shops and souvenir shops expect it. But you don't go to stores in the mall and haggle. I don't shop where you need to haggle so can't tell you much about it. But you can be sure who the winner will be---the shop keepers are the experts.

I often see the same in Cozumel. The largest tourist shop is Cinco Soles . I have often taken friends there who were proud of items they had haggled to buy and they found it cheaper at Cinco Soles--a fixed price store.

Amherst, Canada
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100 posts
8 reviews
8 helpful votes
2. Re: Haggling
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In the hotel zone there's a market up around the Hard Rock. Heavy haggling but a lot of the items are really overpriced compared to fixed stores and not worth the haggle. I'd advise to go to a fixed store first to get an idea of how much things cost.

United Kingdom
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35 posts
1 review
3. Re: Haggling
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I agree! going to the fixed price shops to get a feel for the price and i feel i want to buy something there and then, i wil. I love a good haggle though, and having a laugh and joke with the shopkeepers is always a bonus. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to offend anyone.

Toronto, Canada
Destination Expert
for Cancun, Playa del Carmen
Level Contributor
2,200 posts
25 reviews
13 helpful votes
4. Re: Haggling
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There are two markets in Cancun, one is in the hotel zone and it is called "Coral Negro" (Km 9), the other one is Mercado 28 downtown. The first one is a tourist trap and should be avoided at all cost. Mercado 28 is pretty cool over 200 booths of everything made in Mexico, a must see and this is the best place to haggle. I suggest that you go to the "Plaza La Fiesta" stores and look for the items you would like to purchase. They have fixed prices,. Then go to Mercado 28 and get a better deal. Plaza La Fiesta have two locations, both in the hotel zone. One is close to Plaza Caracol at Km 8.5, just on the other side of the street and the other one is at the La Isla shopping mall (km 12). Happy bargain hunting!

Edited: 9 years ago
Poughkeepsie, NY
Level Contributor
527 posts
165 reviews
193 helpful votes
5. Re: Haggling
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Loves to " haggle". Short story: Wife wanted some SPF 50 T shirts, so we can go snorkeling and not burn. She said it was close to 60 bucks per in the States. Well, me believing her, I saw an op to get SPF 50 T's near hte Flamingo Mall for $30 each. Wow I did great! Coming home, Hanes has them on sale for $15 each. Duh. Still love the art of haggling. Christian had some great ideas. Or on the beach haggling. Even better.

Edited: 9 years ago
Boston...
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3,200 posts
31 reviews
65 helpful votes
6. Re: Haggling
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You are expected to haggle in Cancun. Anywhere. Everywhere. Club. Restaurant. Tiffany's. Excursion. Room upgrade. I've successfully done it all in Cancun. YMMV.

Cozumel, Mexico
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59,056 posts
169 reviews
139 helpful votes
7. Re: Haggling
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I disagree. You are not expected to haggle everywhere. Some tourists believe that and I have seen it cause embarrassing situations and even confrontations. And my local friends often ask me, why do tourists think they can do that. Of course it is expected in some places. At others you will come across as the ugly American, ugly Brit or whatever.

United Kingdom
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35 posts
1 review
8. Re: Haggling
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I definitely agree that on the beach is a great place to have a bit of fun with it

Minnesota
Destination Expert
for Cancun
Level Contributor
12,378 posts
11 reviews
82 helpful votes
9. Re: Haggling
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I've never "haggled" in any of the shops in the malls but I have asked for a better price if I purchased two or more items and been offered a "discount" for purchasing multiple items. Haggling is something you do in the market. Negotiations for a discount for multiple items is something you do in stores. Does that help?

Cheryl

Cozumel, Mexico
Level Contributor
59,056 posts
169 reviews
139 helpful votes
10. Re: Haggling
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Good explanation by Cheryl. Much depends on where you are doing it. Do it in upscale stores like Liverpool or Chapur and they may call security ! But like in the US, you can do it in appliance or electronics stores, etc.

I recently saw an example of this in one of the Dante bookstores in Merida. Some American tourists were being very insistent , if not rude, to the cashier in insisting on a discount. And they were buying books that had already been deeply discounted. My Mexican friend who was with me wanted to know why they were doing that. Told her, sorry, it is just some of the " ugly Americans". (she probably thinks I fit that description at times!)

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