Photo: Collected

When exploring Ben Thanh Market, many a time tourists find their favorite items, knowing that the prices are exorbitantly high. So, why not try bargaining? For tourists from Western culture, the concept of fixed-priced items is so familiar that bargaining seems to be an embarrassing idea. In fact, bargaining is nothing new in Eastern culture; after visiting a few markets, you almost start to limber up at the prospect of haggling your way through amazing bargains. Here are some tips to help you negotiate your way through the market and make the most of your experience visiting Ben Thanh Market.

Tags: tourist attractions, shopping, markets, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

How To Get To Ben Thanh Market?

Ben Thanh Market is located on Le Loi Street, Ben Thanh Ward, and is situated fairly central in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

The exact directions to the market depend of course on where you’re staying but as long as you’re central in Ho Chi Minh City, you can easily walk to the marketplace. It is definitely within walking distance of most of the tourist attractions in  Ho Chi Minh City so once you start to do some sightseeing, make a note to visit the market.

Source: Scooter Saigon Tour

Shopping inside the market will require you to practice the art of bargaining and, as they commonly deal with unsuspecting tourists, the vendors at Ben Thanh are pros. A common practice is to inflate prices to double or triple their actual value, meaning you must work the price down to get a reasonable deal. A quick tip in bargaining at Ben Thanh is to cruise the outer ring of the market, where all stalls are fixed priced and most items are actually marked with a price tag. This will give you a good idea of what a moderate price will be when you go inside to haggle.

Below are some tips

1. Do not buy the first thing you see

The market is full of a lot of people selling fairly similar things so get a sense of the price in a few places before finally deciding on what you want. If you find a place that particularly catches your attention – make a note of where it is.

Source: Collected

The market is not the ‘biggest market’ but it’s fairly easy to get lost here – which is probably not a bad thing as you’ll most likely end up finding another bargain elsewhere but try to keep an eye out for marker to help you negotiate back to where you need to be.

2. Do not pre-determine a fixed price in your head before you start to bargain

Your price will typically end up either being too high or too low. After checking out a few places, you’ll get a sense of what their starting prices are.

You can typically go lower than that starting price and pay between 1/3 or 1/4 of the starting price.

I’m sure you can go even lower than this but by this point, I figure I’m only saving myself pennies (which would mean more to them than it would to me) so I just let it go.

3. Smile, laugh, and generally be nice

People always respond to positivity here and it makes for a more pleasant experience for both of you.

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It’s a market after all and there’s no need to take things so seriously especially if you’re just visiting as a tourist.

4. Think about your luggage weight and size limits

It’s so easy to get carried away with items that you ‘just had to have’ only to get back to your hotel and find out that it doesn’t even fit into your luggage or is too heavy to take with you.

You’ll just end up disappointing yourself when you have to leave it at the hotel/hostel/airport.

5. Be prepared to walk away from a deal

This actually gives you more power and in most cases, will get you called back by the seller with an acceptance of your ‘lowest offer price’.

Don’t be afraid to walk away – if you get too attached to the item, you lose the power whereas you could just walk a few stalls down and find the exact same item at a much cheaper price. 

Source: Collected

Only walk away when you know that you’re happy with the price you’ve asked for as when they call you back, it’s typically to accept that price.

6. Ask questions

Even if they can’t answer them (perhaps out of not knowing the answer of out of language barriers), the sellers can recruit help from other people to answer your questions.

In any case, this keeps the conversation flowing and helps create a better rapport which can help you get the prices you want to pay.

7. When told the first price; give out a slightly shocked look

Haggling is sometimes like a game or some kind of dance so this surprised look you will wear is all part of it.

Subliminally, it sets the tone and lets the seller know their price isn’t quite right for you.

Source: Freepik

You don’t even need to think about what price it is – it’s always going to be higher than what you should pay so practice your ‘surprised look’ at home before you venture out bargain hunting!

In short, bartering is the way to shop here, so jump right in, offer a price that you think is fair, and have fun. Be extra careful if prices are absent or not clearly marked – that goes for everything, everywhere, every time.

Reference: Vietnam Local Guide, Hand Luggage Only