Typical Interaction With A Dominican

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
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95/5% isnt good enough. It must be 99/1% with you conceding all you have with no reciprocation at all...and you should be glad to have had been hustled too.

actually, if you give away 19 from a 20 pack, another chica will have no problem asking you for the last one. 5 will tell you thanks.
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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What I find strange is that when you refuse the sky high price they quit negotiating. If you stop trying to inject logic and common sense into the equation its just normal Dominican. Honesty issues are not on the radar. You are rich and they need the money. If you prefer to deal with people that quote you an honest price on the first request you will not do much business in the DR.
 

Lobo Tropical

Silver
Aug 21, 2010
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Not the point. Was giving this person a chance to be honest. I can get the Dominican rate elsewhere and I don't need this person. This was a general future conversation for me to consider using her. She showed glimmers of honesty before, but this just killed all future dealings.

No give her what she derives and don't ever reply again.
She still won't understand, you'll be taca?o your fault.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
What I find strange is that when you refuse the sky high price they quit negotiating. If you stop trying to inject logic and common sense into the equation its just normal Dominican. Honesty issues are not on the radar. You are rich and they need the money. If you prefer to deal with people that quote you an honest price on the first request you will not do much business in the DR.

this is not like certain cultures where haggling over prices is cultural, and expected. some people from certain countries automatically start with a ridiculous price, because they expect you to counter. it is part of the sales experience, and they are disappointed and deflated if you don?t respond and turn it into a game of sorts. the Dominican paradigm is different. they size you up, and try to charge you based on what they think you can bear. it is not like the Eastern reverse auction. they would charge a fellow Dominican 100 pesos, but they look at you and say that because you are a gringo they want 1000. then, when you balk, they don?t bother to think that they would take 100 from a Dominican, so they are ahead of the game even when they ask you for 200. they just terminate the transaction there and then.
 

keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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My take is that they (many Dominicans) have no "logic skills". You can argue until the end of time, show them all the proof , receipts, etc..and they still will try and run their game. And then they are insulted when you walk away from negotiations. There is no thought on their part of what the consequences may be. I even see this with many Dominicans who live in the US. To be fair I am sure many others have these faults but with Dominicans it just goes to another level. I have seen Dominicans try and cheat other Dominicans. They just up the ante when it is time to cheat a gringo. Again not all are like this but the ones who do this out number the ones who don't. And as far as the "class" of people who does this, it is poor, working, rich, educated, uneducated. As I said before the only difference is the way in which they do it.
 
Apr 7, 2014
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Actually that might be interesting. We could classify the different behaviors individually. It sounds like we have Chica at the bar done. I'll give the latin name in brackets
How about:
Dominican on Politics (Politicus Stupidus)
Dominicana on relationship (Relationshipus stupidus)
Dominican on immigration (Evilus retardus)
Dominican on Business (doublecrossus illogicus)

Sure we can come up with more. Feel free to define.
Please don't just put "see Bob Saunders" that won't be productive.

Relationshipus stupidicus? Im curious about that one.

Yodel Gruelsohn, Organ Meatmaster
 

davetuna

Bronze
Jun 19, 2012
1,071
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Cabarete, Dominican Republic
I guess valentines day didnt go so well for some of you guys, very bitter postings........local girls just play the short game here because you are probable going home soon. western girls play the long game........take the house and half or more of everything...........same game, just a different speed.
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
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A carpenter I used several times, always quotes on the high side, I negotiate with him and we get to an agreement. I could get it cheaper elsewhere, but he works good and fast, and tells me the day he will deliver at the moment he takes the job and delivers on that day or before.

One time I made a mistake and told him: quote me the right price the first time, I am not going to ask for a discount. Result: he quoted sky high, and I didn't negotiate (and didn't give him the job).

Then I needed some fixing done in the kitchen. No material involved except from maybe 500 - 1000 pesos of wood and 2000 pesos of 'bisagras'. The job was putting back two wooden doors in the kitchen that I had tried hanging several times, but always come done (using the wrong screws apparently) and fix a cupboard in the back kitchen.

He sends me the quote by whatsapp: RD$18,000. I reply that's not even close to what I thought I would be spending on that. HE comes back: the biggest discount I can give you is RD$7,000.

I told my wife to remind me to never call him again for any job.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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I see what u all mean and can, to a certain point, agree with what it said.

BUT only away from home, ie diffrent citie, vacation........
Couple of real examples.

#1. I buy quite a bit of stuff every month in an agrovet in a nearby village. Dog food, corn for chicken, ant poison......
Lets note first, I go there for cheaper prices. The same brand of dog food is 200/300 pesos cheaper than lasirena.
Anyway, after the second month, one of the employees ( who is a real nice guy-----other reason I go there and not elsewhere) says to me, the boss ( a nice elder lady ), gives u a 10% discount on brands ( like pedigree pal,.....) and 15%on non-brand ( corn, alimento....).
I never asked for anything, I just shopped there cos they are nice and fair priced.

#2. An occasional maid, whom I would pay by the day, wondered if I could employ her full time ( well my wife and her "ganged up" ).
I explained that no only could I not afford to pay her. She then quotes 3000 pesos a month. I explain to her she would earn just the same working only 6 days. "No importe, that way I have a fixed income to count on"........

#3. Took my parents to eat fish at "el castillo" beach. The lady had redecorated, with those taino/haitian colourful paintings. My parents wanted some, so asked where we could buy them. So address, phone and price ( 400 pesos ) and all......
She comes back to serve the food and tells me we can buy them off her and she will get 2 more off the painter. I expected a ridiculous price...... but no she says 400 pesos.......... in the end of course we left her a nice tip.....

So same as back in europe, I shop in certain places and avoid others. Use certain workers/services and avoid others......

Also I noticed that my parents will get quoted one price and me another in touristy places..... but we are all white and blond and speak broken spanish....the diffrence in my opinion....... shorts and flip flops dont cut it here, neither do flashy western type clothing....... just saying.
 

Cdn_Gringo

Gold
Apr 29, 2014
8,670
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As long as they feel they feel they have come out on top, you can make progress.

The other day I was supporting a local purveyor of cerveza and the local shoe peddler arrives as he does every week at the same time. I don't need a new pair of sandals but his keen eye spied my Tevas and he produced a similar pair. Proceeded to insist that I try them on, but alas, they were too small.

He returns with a nice pair of Rockport leather sandals. I still don't need a new pair of sandals but after trying them on they were indeed comfortable and eventually I will need a new pair. I asked how much. $1200 RD was his suggested retail price. I countered 800. He protested way too much. I said no. Told him to see me next week if he still had them. Over the next hour he came over at least 4 times. Eventually he asked for $1000. I countered 900. He left. He came back, 900 + a cerveza. I countered 900. He countered 900 + a coke. I was going to counter with 900 + 1 cigarette but in the end 50 pesos is a $1.10 and not enough to stress over so I have a new pair of sandals that I like and at a price that was better than where we started.

The moral of the story was not so much the end price, but that the coke was the extra win in his mind.
 

william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
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Buster... nice work... 900 + a beer is back to where you were.......

they need to get up earlier to beat Buster Blowhard....


and Buster would rather give up a Coke than one of his beers.............. hahahaha

The cig was a good offer..... but just smoke, no mirrors
 
Oct 13, 2003
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Must say my experiences are more in line with Malko.

It also helps to ask more than one quote from more than one supplier, letting them know you are shopping around (without telling them where).
 

DRDone

Member
Sep 29, 2014
293
2
18
I countered 900. He countered 900 + a coke. I was going to counter with 900 + 1 cigarette but in the end 50 pesos is a $1.10 and not enough to stress over so I have a new pair of sandals that I like and at a price that was better than where we started.

The moral of the story was not so much the end price, but that the coke was the extra win in his mind.

I think you're in the double sucker camp because you paid 50 pesos for a Coke too ;)
It is amazing how this mentality sucks one in as well and you end up wanting to walk away over a buck or 2. I just had enough and realized that either I will turn into what I hate or I needed to leave. Now I find myself getting pretty upset in the U.S if I feel I'm being ripped off a few cents. My DR scars are still healing.
 

Berzin

Banned
Nov 17, 2004
5,898
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Dominican on Politics (Politicus Corrupticus Come Solo-us)
Dominicana on relationship (Relationshipus Pega Cuernicus)
Dominican on immigration (Yola Maximus Puertoricanus)
Dominican on Business (Todo-us Parami-cimus)

Changed 'em a bit to see if you agree.

Carolus Linnaeus would have been proud, seeing as he never did manage to make it to the DR to catalog his findings.