Why the region's eBay copy-cat might not make it in the Middle East
I love buying things online, even though I rarely ever do it. I did buy a lovely, brushed stainless steel teapot from Souq.com, the region's answer to eBay. But, unlike on eBay, Souq.com users don't seem to understand the concept behind auction buying.
Case in point. While poking around on the souq site today, I stumbled upon this exchange:
This is just wrong on so many levels. It's not an auction, it's a glorified rummage sale. Can you imagine, someone asking an eBay seller to come down on the price? And the buyer offering a final price? And what happens to souq.com's revenue stream if the users start haggling like they were standing in the... well, the local souq?
Not to mention, I've seen countless pieces on souq.com concurrently listed on other, local sites as for sale. What would happen if someone won an auction, only to find the seller had unloaded the piece on someone who found it through another channel?
And everyone is missing the point of an auction. It's the opposite of haggling, really. You want it, so does she. You bid. She counterbids. You raise the stakes. She wibbles, but come in with a higher bid. Can you match it? Do you want the piece that badly? And so it goes, til the auction ends, and someone is declared the winner.
But here in the Middle East, the stated price is never the final price, not outside the shopping malls. You walk into a shop, or down to the quaint souq (Arabic marketplace), and you browse. You spot the perfect, genuine pashmina, but you play it cool, fingering five other items, making mildly disapproving faces, little moues that say, "I'm just slumming it, I'm dying of ennui at The Avenue, dahlink, and had to see how the other half lives." You ask how much, and act shocked at the price. You make a counter offer, half the price the merchant quoted, and see what he says. You make a great pretense of leaving the shop and walking towards the next one, hoping the merchant will follow you and shout another, lower price, closer to what you'd secretly hope to pay... and so the dance continues, until you either agree or walk away. But once you agree, do not reopen negotiations. Bad form. Accept a cup of mint tea or a coffee, if offered. Smile. He's made more money than you'd guess at the sale, and you feel you've walked off with a great bargain.
So what will it be, folks? Bid it up, or talk it down? Cause you can't ask folks to bid up and then let them bid you down.
Case in point. While poking around on the souq site today, I stumbled upon this exchange:
Question by kevcapoz(new):
What a geat table- what is the diameter of the glass? March 12, 2006 - 11:45
Answer :
It is 3ft Dia.. March 13, 2006 - 06:47
Question by expatmom(new):
Can you please indicate the price you are looking at (privately to my email if you wihs) and if it suits me I will take it. March 23, 2006 - 12:19
Question by renie(2):
UR PRICE IS BIT HIGH.. CAN U COME DOWN TO TWO HUNDRED FIFTY?? March 29, 2006 - 07:30
Question by renie(2):
i wanna check out the item, can u pls call me on landline (deleted) - dubai. if it is ok i wanna pick up the same today itself. April 13, 2006 - 04:53
Question by veerapinto(1):
can these legs be seperated or are they joined together April 17, 2006 - 08:55
Answer :
Yes u can April 17, 2006 - 09:08
Question by veerapinto(1):
can i just have those 3 men. I dont require the glass. what will be the cost of these 3 men April 19, 2006 - 05:26
Question by stylokaron(new):
Can you please indicate the best price. I am really intrested in it. May 11, 2006 - 12:17
Answer :
it will be higher then the 750.00 if ur intrested then u msg me back for the price May 11, 2006 - 15:13
Question by shoppin_queen(180):
nice table - but can i be cheeky & ask where did you buy the chair in the background as its exactly like what i'm looking for ! thnx May 14, 2006 - 17:25
Answer :
it is not a chair but a part of a 7 seater sofa are u intrested? May 15, 2006 - 18:08
Question by shubha_bhatiya(2):
i can pay 800. final price if condition is good. I am not able to bid more ( limit of 3 bid).
send me an e-mail if you want May 15, 2006 - 18:09
Question by shoppin_queen(180):
hi, possibily interested - i take it that it is for sale then ? can you send me a private answer with details of the set then & the price you would be looking for.
thnx May 15, 2006 - 20:02
Answer :
my final price will be 900 May 16, 2006 - 18:00
Question by shubha_bhatiya(2):
ok 900. but will like to see first. May 16, 2006 - 18:42
This is just wrong on so many levels. It's not an auction, it's a glorified rummage sale. Can you imagine, someone asking an eBay seller to come down on the price? And the buyer offering a final price? And what happens to souq.com's revenue stream if the users start haggling like they were standing in the... well, the local souq?
Not to mention, I've seen countless pieces on souq.com concurrently listed on other, local sites as for sale. What would happen if someone won an auction, only to find the seller had unloaded the piece on someone who found it through another channel?
And everyone is missing the point of an auction. It's the opposite of haggling, really. You want it, so does she. You bid. She counterbids. You raise the stakes. She wibbles, but come in with a higher bid. Can you match it? Do you want the piece that badly? And so it goes, til the auction ends, and someone is declared the winner.
But here in the Middle East, the stated price is never the final price, not outside the shopping malls. You walk into a shop, or down to the quaint souq (Arabic marketplace), and you browse. You spot the perfect, genuine pashmina, but you play it cool, fingering five other items, making mildly disapproving faces, little moues that say, "I'm just slumming it, I'm dying of ennui at The Avenue, dahlink, and had to see how the other half lives." You ask how much, and act shocked at the price. You make a counter offer, half the price the merchant quoted, and see what he says. You make a great pretense of leaving the shop and walking towards the next one, hoping the merchant will follow you and shout another, lower price, closer to what you'd secretly hope to pay... and so the dance continues, until you either agree or walk away. But once you agree, do not reopen negotiations. Bad form. Accept a cup of mint tea or a coffee, if offered. Smile. He's made more money than you'd guess at the sale, and you feel you've walked off with a great bargain.
So what will it be, folks? Bid it up, or talk it down? Cause you can't ask folks to bid up and then let them bid you down.
posted by Goodlife Dubai @ 3:31 pm
2 Comments:
At 8:46 pm,
Audrey said…
This makes me laugh, only because I have actually had people on eBay try to get me to negotiate with them off the block. Not very often mind you, but I've had it happen.
When I used to work in retail I once had a customer come in who told me that he just got back from a stint in the Middle East and he wanted to haggle for our merchandise instead of pay the ticketed price. He was serious too.
At 12:17 am,
Goodlife Dubai said…
Espionage, no, i've never got caught up in the haggling. I've won a few bids, but i've never tried to sell anything there... mostly because that kind of thread, were it to show up on my auction, would probably make the top of my head blow off.
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