It has been said that people are the same all over the world. Perhaps each have different habits, culture, food, etc but basically, deep down, they all have the same reaction to crisis, survival, family and one of the most basic of all human interaction, buying or selling something.
I found out in Siem Reap that this is not true. Vendors and sellers in Siem Reap are of a different breed, they are unlike the ones in Divisoria or 168. Miles ahead of the muslims in Greenhills, more subtle than Hongkong vendors. In fact I would even say that they are of different species, that came to this planet and built a civilization that was so unique and grandiose and then just disappeared from the face of the earth. But they might have left offspring and genetic traces behind judging from the advanced knowledge the vendors have on the trading business.
Consider this, they know the difference between men and women buyers and will employ different set of strategies to make the sale. They know that Men are from Mars and Women from Venus even before the book was published! They all know that men have a short attention span and do not have the patience, mettle and desire for long give and take rallies you see in Roland Garros tennis matches. Even for men who are inclined to prolong the game will find these vendors hanging on for the last dollar before giving in.
Speaking of dollars, this is the only foreign country that I visited where I have not seen their currency. I was quoted in dollars and given my change in dollars! If they have no change, they ask you to buy some more at a lower price than you originally paid for. Then and only then that you know for sure that you have been had.
The game begins when you see something you like or interested in and ask “How much?”
For the vendor and it is usually a she, the moment she sees you, the game is on. She deploys all her sensors like a spider sniffing and gathering more data on the approaching victim. She is aware of your body language, the gleam in your eyes, products where you concentrate your attention on, how you hold the product. I fact , she will let you touch it, feel it and look for telltale signs that is a dead giveaway that you are hooked. She tells you all the good qualities, “This is 90% silver, will not tarnish, hand made, nothing like it outside Cambodia, not made in China, unique, where are you from? Ahh beautiful country! I have friends there, many filipino buyers, your white hair looks very nice! This is only $50 but if you buy 3 will give it for $140!
I bought 3 shirts for $10 in Angkor Thom after much haggling but felt I came out loser. We went back two days later and in the entrance they were selling umbrellas and plastic raincoats when the sun is shining! Weird people I thought. I even left my folding umbrella in the van to save weight. Bad decision, 10 minutes in and I was drenched with a thunderstorm rivaling anything we have in Manila. Yes, vendors can predict weather. Yes I was the guy walking slowly with my head down in the pouring rain. Patrick kept shouting for me to look at the camera to show my face but my fear of reenacting Rudy’s accident kept flashing in my mind.
Rudy and I had to return to the van feeling wet, cold and in need of dry shirt. Patrick staying behind to shoot some more and at the entrance we were meet with a horde of vendors selling everything and lo and behold! Among them was the vendor that sold me the shirts. We recognized each other and she put on her 500 watts smile, she knew I need a new shirt right away after seeing my wet attire and held up the same type of shirts I bought.
Quoting Mr. Sulu in Star Trek “You fool me once, shame on you, Fool me twice, shame on me!” I was determined to make her pay for my foolishness and stated will all bravado I could muster. “5 shirts for $10!!”
I have to praise her for all the range of facial emotions that she displayed during our long and tedious negotiation that would make Meryl Streep proud. Shock, surprise, sadness, forgiveness, joy, condescending look, shyness, she got it all! I began to think that I was way over my head. Outmatched, she looked like Serena across the net, calm and collected, with a smile that says I’m going to have you for lunch!.
Thinking is hard whenever you are faced with situations like this, but my method is to ask for the worst scenario possible and that is no deal would be made and I would contract pneumonia, but I will not be made to look like a fool again. This is the same reasoning as not asking for directions and risk getting lost and so the die was cast. 5 for 10!
Noooo….I will lose money…5 for $15 ($3 each)
This went on and on for 10 minutes. I was getting tired and mentally exhausted. Where was Patrick? The other vendors perhaps sensing that an epic bargaining battle is going on kept quiet and watched.
Ok, 5 for 14 (2.70@)
No! 5 for 10! sticking to my offer, (Patrick! Please come soon!)
By this time, we are not talking anymore. We were using hands and fingers to show our offer, this goes on for another 5 minutes. We are into 5th set now. No tiebreaker, on the fifth set. I was getting colder every minute and she is aware of it.
Ok, 4 for 12. She gestured. I calculated mentally and it came out $3 each!! She thinks I am groggy and dizzy and can’t think straight!!! I saw Patrick coming out of the exit, she looked and saw him too. We are at the end of this game.
No! 4 for 10! ($2.50@) I raised four fingers followed by ten. Patrick is nearing the van.
Ok, Ok.. 4 for 11, with a pleading defeated look that says you win, this is all I can give.
Ok. I agreed. Patrick has entered the van.
I really should not have looked back. I was feeling great! But like Lot’s wife, I looked back and almost turned into a pillar of salt when I saw her being high-fived by other vendors.
I was devastated and traumatized. I feared going to the market that is very near the hotel. I felt that there were lions and other predators waiting to pounce on victims..er .. tourist like me. The Serengetti migration comes just once a year but in Siem Reap tourists come every day.
But as Louie Abiva would probably say,
“Ohhhh Baby!! Shoppin is so difficult! My advice is to just let your wife to the talkin, the walkin and the shoppin!!!”
Great advice! After all they all came from the same planet, Venus. Me, I’ll just stick to Photography.