Thursday, January 6, 2011

GNINIAGRAB (Reverse bargaining)

My wife has got a new ‘New Year Friend’ and she is supposed to buy a surprise gift for that person. The common consensus is that the worth of the gift should not be less than Rs 200.
Now she drags me along and steps into this fancy and curio shop and checks out things one by one. She recalled that the person whom she is handing over the gift to is a fan of fancy jewels and walks into that section. After (what seemed to be) hours of searching she pointed to a set of chain with a horrible looking locket and a pair of matching ear drops. She asks for the price. “Rs 165” says the sales boy who has now become obviously bored, and was attending to only because there were no other customers in the shop.

She examined the chain-ear drop pair and looked at me for approval. I said ‘Excellent, this should be just fine”. But she had a second thought, as she remembered the unwritten rule (The rule of Rs 200). She said she could make up for the difference by also choosing a set of bangles which goes well with the set. She then began searching for the bangle and by good grace she discovered one without much delay.

“This seems good and matches with the set” said she

“Yes, very well”, said I, looking at my watch

“Ok, so we’ll take this, but what’s the price for the bangle” she asks the sales boy

“Rs 30 for the pair” says he

Now comes the punch.

“Oh is it. (after a moment of thinking)..Can we make it Rs 35?”, asks my wife

!!! – me

!!!!! – sales boy