- Thread starter oldschool
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dominican vs gringo price
The basic principle of capitalism is to make the greatest profit possible.
Often the wholesale price is not related very closely to the retail price.
Whole coffee beans in the US are nearly always significantly more expensive than ground coffee. I imagine that marketing research has shown that people who buy whole beans and grind their own have more money than those who do not.
The best way to haggle is often just to say, "The most I would pay is $X", and then walk away.
Or you can say "All I have is $X" This doesn't work so well if you have no small bills.
Often the wholesale price is not related very closely to the retail price.
Whole coffee beans in the US are nearly always significantly more expensive than ground coffee. I imagine that marketing research has shown that people who buy whole beans and grind their own have more money than those who do not.
The best way to haggle is often just to say, "The most I would pay is $X", and then walk away.
Or you can say "All I have is $X" This doesn't work so well if you have no small bills.
I've heard that travel sites increase the price of your ticket search if you search from a Mac in stead of a PC.
The biggest thing I've had to overcome, is the thought that "this guy is trying to screw me, he is the enemy". It's more like a game, and especially with Dominicans, if you start to get hostile during the exchange, they'll tell you to bugger off even if you go back to the original asking price.
In Newfoundland, Canada we have a two price system for carpentry work, electrical repairs, etc. The regular price and the under the table price. Cash under the table is always cheaper. Money in hand and no taxes involved. Usually accepted by trades people who are on unemployment as it doesn't affect their unemployment income. I worked with the Federal Governmet and saw first hand, the obscene waste of taxpayers money so I don't have a problem with under the table prices. I'm sure the same system exists in all countries.
It's more like a game, and especially with Dominicans, if you start to get hostile during the exchange, they'll tell you to bugger off even if you go back to the original asking price.
You are exactly right. Use your sense of humor. Hold that overpriced lechoza up to your ear, and ask, "?Tiene radio?"
I go to yard sales here in Miami. One often finds Haitians shopping there as well. Some tend to be completely humorless, and never accept even a low price. Typically, they throw the thing down as though it was recently licked by a wino, and offer half or less than half.
This tends not to work with Americans. I have seen Haitians bargaining with fellow Haitians in the Opa Locka Flea Market, and apparently the custom there is for the buyer to treat the seller as a shameless thief, and for the seller to treat the buyer as a desperate beggar.
The merchandise is treated as a barely worthy piece of junk or a priceless heirloom. No one smiles or kids around. Eventually a price is reached and the buyer painfully extends the money to the seller who tends to snatch it quickly, and no one seems to say "merci", or "bonjour".
If you are buying vegetables, the price is negotiable if you buy more than the obvious single pile for a dollar. I don't see much haggling over edible stuff.
Just watching people reveals most of what one needs to know.
If you want to know how much and how to tip and if you should tip, just watch the locals, and when in Rome... forget all that crap they print in tourist magazines.
You cannot blame anyone for seeming to be rude. It seems to be a way of not appearing weak. Every culture has its own customs.
No one will be disappointed if you pay or tip too much. But they might see you as a sucker.
You are exactly right. Use your sense of humor. Hold that overpriced lechoza up to your ear, and ask, "?Tiene radio?"
I go to yard sales here in Miami. One often finds Haitians shopping there as well. Some tend to be completely humorless, and never accept even a low price. Typically, they throw the thing down as though it was recently licked by a wino, and offer half or less than half.
This tends not to work with Americans. I have seen Haitians bargaining with fellow Haitians in the Opa Locka Flea Market, and apparently the custom there is for the buyer to treat the seller as a shameless thief, and for the seller to treat the buyer as a desperate beggar.
The merchandise is treated as a barely worthy piece of junk or a priceless heirloom. No one smiles or kids around. Eventually a price is reached and the buyer painfully extends the money to the seller who tends to snatch it quickly, and no one seems to say "merci", or "bonjour".
If you are buying vegetables, the price is negotiable if you buy more than the obvious single pile for a dollar. I don't see much haggling over edible stuff.
Just watching people reveals most of what one needs to know.
If you want to know how much and how to tip and if you should tip, just watch the locals, and when in Rome... forget all that crap they print in tourist magazines.
You cannot blame anyone for seeming to be rude. It seems to be a way of not appearing weak. Every culture has its own customs.
No one will be disappointed if you pay or tip too much. But they might see you as a sucker.
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"Now what if a place like Disney World in Florida operated like thiis.....how do you think that would be received.....yes Florida residences do get some discounts to enter the park but the price is same for everyone to go on the rides unless there is some sort of special limited time offer." Floridians DO get a special price. It is to boost tourism from the very residents that surround the park. From the Disney website:
"Special Florida Resident Tickets & Passes
Living near the magic has its privileges! Take advantage of your Sunshine State address to experience all the thrills that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer?with Florida Resident Disney Select Tickets and Passes?created just for you!"
"Special Florida Resident Tickets & Passes
Living near the magic has its privileges! Take advantage of your Sunshine State address to experience all the thrills that Walt Disney World Resort has to offer?with Florida Resident Disney Select Tickets and Passes?created just for you!"
I was in torfilco in pop waiting to buy a part for my car, the parts guys kept taking their regular customers before me which I kind o get( being a plumber we get our orders before non plumber) but finally after 15 min. I yelled out for everyone to hear.What am I black, they got a kick out of it and I got some service.
You guys live in a different DR from me..
The abyss between what the average Dominican has available and what the perception of what a Gringo has available is unassailable.
Therefore;
We are charged more when it is possible.
That's the way it is.
Suck it or leave it..
The abyss between what the average Dominican has available and what the perception of what a Gringo has available is unassailable.
Therefore;
We are charged more when it is possible.
That's the way it is.
Suck it or leave it..
And I'll never figure it out. I cannot live on $1000 USD a month, but damn near any Dominican can and does.
Or, be smarter than they are. For instance, the guy comes to the Barrio ringing his bell for the kids to buy his helado. 5 pesos unless I'm going to buy and then it's 10 pesos. So I give some pesos to a little girl that I know and she buys it. I need something from the ferreteria. I know if I go in there I will pay more than if I send my wife's son Jennison, so I give him a list and he goes. I don't have an issue at the barrio colmado or of course at the supermercados but many other shops, stores, and vendors. When I have to go and buy what I need, I know what to expect and I have found that if I let them know up front that if they are going to charge me the gringo price that I will simply walk out and go somewhere else seems to work well enough. No doubt that charging a Gringo price is done all over the DR, but it's not a big deal if you are aware of it and just deal with it.
If I remember right last time this came up on DR1 those who said they knew claimed that Dominicans were charged extra at AIs I didn't believe it at the time and said so.
Der Fish
It's just good business to offer a discount to locals no matter what country. Disney in Florida figures by offering state residents a discount they will come more often since it is much closer for them than say someone from Boston.
Years ago when my kids were little and we lived in Florida we took advantage of it and then I was there buying food and beverages for 4 kids and myself with a burger costing $8.50 or somewhere in that range. Good business move.
I always preferred Bush Gardens (BEER TENT!!!).
Years ago when my kids were little and we lived in Florida we took advantage of it and then I was there buying food and beverages for 4 kids and myself with a burger costing $8.50 or somewhere in that range. Good business move.
I always preferred Bush Gardens (BEER TENT!!!).
Everywhere in the world things like this go on, the aggravating thing is the extreme of the DR, and that a deal is never a deal. In the US if you walk in to a car dealership the first question they will ask you is how much can you spend. My response is as little as possible or best value for the money. I'm not there to spend every penny I have to give it to you. The problem with the DR is everyone is like that car dealership and want all your savings for whatever.
For a photocopy or print out gringo price could be 10 pesos, while 3 pesos to locals. That is extreme, but you can live with that, but that is way higher than American prices. But when you get into the taxi situation, you might as well buy a car. Something that is 300 pesos to a local can be 2000 pesos to a tourist, taking that safe hotel taxi (same guy, same car). Then they will even complain that you are ripping them off for that amount and it should be more.
This makes the DR not a cheap place.
I could make a comparison to Las Vegas these days. People that go and visit and stay on the strip think it is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but if you are local and get off the strip, it is one of the cheapest. Key there is if you are local you then can get the deals, in the DR, it'll never happen, or you can live your life through middle men every time you need to get something at the store, and hope that middle man isn't taking a cut anyway.
I think it is the extreme of the DR that gets so annoying, and really them not caring if they get a good deal, but whether they have one the battle. The goal is for them to be told by others that they pulled one over on the sucker gringo more than any money they get. Also the math skills aren't that great. Often you will find buying in smaller quantities is a discount from the bigger packages, or my favorite, buying 2 half chickens is cheaper than buying 1 whole chicken. They just don't understand the basics of a deal, but boy do they love negotiating.
For a photocopy or print out gringo price could be 10 pesos, while 3 pesos to locals. That is extreme, but you can live with that, but that is way higher than American prices. But when you get into the taxi situation, you might as well buy a car. Something that is 300 pesos to a local can be 2000 pesos to a tourist, taking that safe hotel taxi (same guy, same car). Then they will even complain that you are ripping them off for that amount and it should be more.
This makes the DR not a cheap place.
I could make a comparison to Las Vegas these days. People that go and visit and stay on the strip think it is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but if you are local and get off the strip, it is one of the cheapest. Key there is if you are local you then can get the deals, in the DR, it'll never happen, or you can live your life through middle men every time you need to get something at the store, and hope that middle man isn't taking a cut anyway.
I think it is the extreme of the DR that gets so annoying, and really them not caring if they get a good deal, but whether they have one the battle. The goal is for them to be told by others that they pulled one over on the sucker gringo more than any money they get. Also the math skills aren't that great. Often you will find buying in smaller quantities is a discount from the bigger packages, or my favorite, buying 2 half chickens is cheaper than buying 1 whole chicken. They just don't understand the basics of a deal, but boy do they love negotiating.
As long as I don't feel ripped off I pay the gringo price.
Although being a horrible penny pincher, I know that my means are vastly larger of that of the local population.
I can still live x-times cheaper here than eg in Florida while paying gringo prices, so I am fine paying a bit more than someone who lives on 300usd/month.