Haggling in UK
I once had my 1st cousin visit in the UK and that’s when it really hit me how much I’ve integrated into living here. It was a funny experience when you see a newcomer and you see yourself from a few years ago struggling with fitting in a new environment but my cousin was something else. We went into a sport shop and he was looking at getting some trainers:
Cousin: Hey Tobasco these look nice. I think I am going to get them.
Me: Nodding *anything to finish shopping quick*
Cousin (to shop attendant): How much this? (in broken English with Arabic accent)
Shop attendant: Its 65 quid
Cousin: What 65 quid? What you mean?
Shop attendant: 65 pounds
Cousin: Okaay. How much last?
I start to smile because I think I know whats coming and I am going to stay quite and enjoy myself.
Shop attendant: *gives weird look* huh?
Cousin: Last how much? You know?
Shop attendant: You mean price.
Cousin: Yes, how much you give me last I take
Shop attendant: I am sorry I can’t its fixed prices here
Cousin: No I give you 40 for this
Shop attendant: *getting frustrated now* No you don’t understand its fixed prices here I can’t.
Cousin: What fixed no fixed khalas I give you 45 for this no more or I go.
Shop attendant: *looking in disbelief with mouth wide open probably thinking WTF I don’t get paid enough for this*
Then I couldn’t hold it anymore and I put the poor shop attendant out of her misery, explaining to my cousin that you can’t haggle in UK shops like we do back in the UAE. He was embarrassed a bit but then starting laughing. It probably hit home what the shop attendant was trying to say to him all along.
Good times.
Cousin: Hey Tobasco these look nice. I think I am going to get them.
Me: Nodding *anything to finish shopping quick*
Cousin (to shop attendant): How much this? (in broken English with Arabic accent)
Shop attendant: Its 65 quid
Cousin: What 65 quid? What you mean?
Shop attendant: 65 pounds
Cousin: Okaay. How much last?
I start to smile because I think I know whats coming and I am going to stay quite and enjoy myself.
Shop attendant: *gives weird look* huh?
Cousin: Last how much? You know?
Shop attendant: You mean price.
Cousin: Yes, how much you give me last I take
Shop attendant: I am sorry I can’t its fixed prices here
Cousin: No I give you 40 for this
Shop attendant: *getting frustrated now* No you don’t understand its fixed prices here I can’t.
Cousin: What fixed no fixed khalas I give you 45 for this no more or I go.
Shop attendant: *looking in disbelief with mouth wide open probably thinking WTF I don’t get paid enough for this*
Then I couldn’t hold it anymore and I put the poor shop attendant out of her misery, explaining to my cousin that you can’t haggle in UK shops like we do back in the UAE. He was embarrassed a bit but then starting laughing. It probably hit home what the shop attendant was trying to say to him all along.
Good times.
Labels: haggling
posted by tobasco at 11/24/2008 04:17:00 pm
2 Comments:
lol! that's hilarious! although u cant haggle in the mall stores in the UAE!
You're right you can't haggle in the new Malls in UAE but shopping Malls are relatively new in UAE (if you go back ten years). There were only a handful at the time and didn't have designer wear. They still exist and are worth a visit to see what bargains you can grab.
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