How to prevent buyer's remorse

Emeralds in the Caribbean, porcelain in China, handmade carpets in Morocco: Bringing back beautiful items can make a magnificent memento of a place and a trip, especially if the item was a real bargain. Too often, however, must-have purchases turn out not to have been such good deal when viewed in the sober light of home. Here are some simple suggestions to avoid a case of buyer's remorse. If you're thinking about buying some significant item when you're on a trip, research the subject before you go. If, for example, you're traveling someplace with an idea of buying carpets, visit local rug stores. Acquaint yourself with different styles, weaves, fabrics, methods of dyeing, and try to get at least a basic understanding of issues, such as quality and price. Read up on rugs, either at the library or online. When you get to your destination, don't rush out and buy the item in the first store you visit. Never make a significant purchase without at least checking out what the local competition has to offer. Without having at least a basic sense of the prevailing prices in a particular location, how can you tell if an item is a real bargain or even a fair deal? Don't blow your budget. It is always wise to set a spending limit for yourself and then stick to it, even in the heat of negotiation. Don't forget to figure in taxes, shipping costs, currency exchange rates and eventual duty charges. Americans are used to paying fixed prices for things they buy at home, but commerce many places overseas can be more complicated. From the tailor shops of Hong Kong to the street markets of Jamaica, bargaining is basic business. Those who can't or aren't willing to haggle are seen as suckers. While haggling can be a game, don't think you can bargain better than the locals. The merchants almost always hold all the cards and know all the tricks. Too often, travelers who believe they're getting a steal often wind up holding the bag. Instead, strive to reach a fair price for quality goods, one at which both the buyer and seller feel satisfied with the results. While rules of the local game may vary, the basic tactics stay the same. Vendors usually start by asking what you'd pay for an item. If they're interested in an item, good bargainers offer a quarter of what they think the item is worth, and settle for between half and a third of the seller's first asking price. If they're not interested in a particular item or think the price is too high, they simply say thanks and walk away. The best hagglers are both prepared and patient. They avoid vendors near the big resorts and seek bargains where the locals shop. They have a sense of an item's worth and confidently question prices that seem too high or too low. They're never quick to buy or slow to check out a seller's competition, be it a street vendor or upscale store. When they do bargain, savvy shoppers use local currency or small-denomination greenbacks. While paying with a credit card may offer the buyer some recourse if the deal goes bad or items don't turn out to be as they were represented, obtaining satisfaction for foreign purchases can be very difficult, if not impossible. You'll almost always pay a premium of between 3 and 5 percent for paying with plastic. Smart bargainers bring a local friend and are very suspicious of vendors recommended by tour guides and touts. When possible, buy in bulk. The selling price on most items will be lower the more of them you buy. And don't limit your bargaining to souvenirs. In many places, the price of hotel rooms, taxis, even city tours are negotiable. While it's true that you can often get items for far less than you'd pay at home, low price is not the only issue. Beating down a Third World craftsperson to get an item for far less than its real cost of production is repugnant. On the other hand, bargaining in good faith can produce bonus points if you're polite and show interest in the item and how it was made, rather than just getting a rock-bottom price. If it's based on fairness and mutual respect, the bargaining process can be an opening to meaningful contact with local people and cultures, and that can produce travel rewards that go beyond mere monetary considerations. A final point: It seldom pays to have items appraised at home. Buy something because you love it or need it, not because you think you're getting a great price. The best time for cold appraisals is before you make the purchase.
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