Traditional Crafts - Jordan - page 570

GETTING A GOOD DEAL
Jordanians are committed shoppers and they make an art form out it, promenading the main street and popping into
a shop to vex the owner without any intention of buying. Buying, meanwhile, is a whole separate entertainment, fo-
cused on the business of bartering.
Bartering implies that items do not have a value per se: their value is governed by what you are willing to pay
balanced against the sum the vendor is happy to sell for. This subtle exchange, often viewed with suspicion by those
from a fixed-price culture, is dependent on many factors, such as how many other sales the vendor has made that
day, whether the buyer looks like a person who can afford an extra dinar or two, and even whether the vendor is in a
good mood or not.
As with all social interaction, there's an unwritten code of conduct that keeps negotiations sweet. Here are a few
tips for making it an enjoyable experience.
» » View bartering as your chance to decide what you are willing to pay for an item and then use your interpersonal
skills to see if you can persuade the vendor to match it.
» » Understand that haggling is a sociable activity, often conducted over piping-hot mint tea, so avoid causing of-
fense by refusing hospitality too brusquely.
» » Don't pay the first price quoted: this is often considered arrogant.
» » Start below the price you wish to buy at so you have room to compromise - but don't quote too low or the
vendor may be insulted.
» » Never lose your temper: if negotiations aren't going to plan, simply smile and say goodbye - you'll be surprised
how often the words ma'a salaama bring the price down.
» » Resist comparing prices with other travellers; if they were happy with what they paid, they certainly won't be if
you tell them you bought the same thing for less.
» » Above all, remember that a 'good deal' in Jordan generally means a good deal more than just the exchange of
money. It's a highlight of travelling in the country.
Added-Value Craft
Several NGOs such as the Noor Al-Hussein Foundation
( www.nooralhusseinfoundation.org ) and Jordan River Foundation ( www.jordanriver.jo )
have spurred a revival of locally produced crafts as part of a national campaign to raise
rural living standards, improve the status of rural women, provide income generation for
marginalised families, nurture young artists and protect the local environment. For a good
example of how these projects help in social regeneration, see the boxed text ( Click here ) .
If you want to spend your money where it counts, then you may like to buy from the
outlets of the following community-based income-generating programs:
Beit al-Bawadi ( 5930070; www.beitalbawadi.com ; Fawzi al-Qawoaji St, Jebel Am-
man; 9am-6pm Sat-Thu) Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development in Ab-
doun runs this ceramics showroom, a weekly farmers market (Souq al-Ard;