25 August 2005

It's original!

My wife and I were on high spirits last weekend as we were eager to put our negotiating skills to the test in the ukay-ukay stalls of Baguio. We have grown so accustomed to each other's quirks that when we are quoted a high price for something we know should cost a lot less, we would exclaim WHAAAAAT!? in sync with wide eyes, and has gotten a lot of mixed reactions - mostly funny - from the vendors.

But last weekend definitely tops the list. And it wasn't funny at all. We were in one stall looking at designer bags. My wife then asked for the price of one she liked: a Prada.

"350", came the response.

We nodded in satisfaction. We can still have a few pesos shaved off that. After a bit more browsing, we visited the next stall. We saw another, smaller bag with the same brand and we casually asked the vendor how much it was.

"1,500", said the vendor without batting an eyelash.
WHAAAAAATTTT!
"Original yan!", she butted in.

We didn't care to negotiate. We were disgusted because everybody knows they get their goods in bulk. In huge boxes. And the rate of one box is just about the same as the other, regardless of whether there are Guccis and Pradas in there. And how could she know if what she's selling is the real thing? She's the designer bag expert all of a sudden?

We'd have loved to give that vendor a piece of my mind. But have something better in mind. We'd go back to the other stall, buy the bag, then go to this other vendor, ask her price, and flatly tell her how much we got the much nicer bag we have. And it's original. Yes, we're experts :-)

14 comments:

  1. When someone quotes me a high price, I usually ask, "Where's the gold plating?" and pretend to start looking for it.

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  2. like cherry said... its spam galore!!! time to clean up....

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  3. did you know that ukay ukay is actually illegal.... importing used clothing is illegal unless it will be used for relief or donation to DSWD. otherwise its unlawful to buy used clothing... as ussual mahina ang enforcement natin e... i once bhought a leather jacket for my then girlfriend turned wife for 100 pesos.... with maching leather mini skirt... ayun nabulok lang....

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  4. Second time is a charm. I will have to enforce the additional keyword-input feature. So sorry everyone for the inconvenience, but getting spam is not cool.

    Hello Mr. Abbey! I think that's what we have in common! We also ask if there are diamonds in it or precious metals.

    G, actually the government was actually planning on enforcing taxes on these goods to make it legal. Pabagsak na nga economy natin, mawawalan pa ng trabaho ang mga tao. Used clothing is a practical and thriving business. But as always, enforcement is a problem.

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  5. ang ginagawa lang naman nila dyan is declared it as personal effect at customs... lusot na.... but customs is now planning that personal effects will be limited only to one box per passenger... 3 balikbayan boxes e sobra sobra para pananamit ng isang tao....

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  6. Anonymous8:39 pm

    Spam is horrible. Good thing may word verification thing na ang Blogger. I hope it keeps the spammers away!

    I just nuked 460 spam a while back on my WOrdPress blog, actually. Hehehe. Thanks to the SpamKarma2 plug in, it's easy to nuke 'em spam!!!

    Anyhow, lupit ng price na binigay for the other bag. Nakakabadtrip yung ganun.

    Congrats pala sa first words ni Jolo :D Coolness. My sister didn't really speak until she was two years old or something...

    By the way, check out http://jactinglim.blogspot.com - yung Pilya 19 :D Heheheh

    At punta ka rin sa Software Freedom Day at Linux World Conference ;) Nandun kami nina Jerome.

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  7. Bargain experts pala kayo! :) I have no bargaining skills whatsoever.

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  8. lotsa lotsa spammers in here at least yours are quite wholesome, i've been attacked by spammers promoting adult site.

    now that you've mentioned bag i got a sudden itch to buy one.

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  9. whoa, spammer on the loose!

    the vendor's price is way too far trying to smart-ass you...hehe.

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  10. hi watson! i cant wait to go ukay-ukay shopping on october.. hehehe!! of course, this just a bonus kc m gona meet jo-lo for the first time!

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  11. spammers sa blog? sobra naman sila .... anyhow .. nakakatuwa kami rin ng barkada ko nang punta kami baguio. nagukay-ukay din kami nakabili ako ng branded board shorts sa halang 20 pesos lang. lupet nyo pa lang tumawad. ingat lang baka matulad kayo dun sa balitang nasaksak sa kakatawad...

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  12. everytime magbabakasyon kami sa baguio noon, ang pinakaimportante sa itinerary namin ay ang ukay-ukay. araw-araw andoon kami. haha. i miss ukay-ukay.

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  13. Actually G, iba yung alam kong source ng mga goods na yan. Secret!

    Hi Clair! Grabe nga ang spam. At grabe rin ang ibang sellers. We visited another store last weekend and they were selling bags as high as 3,500 pesos each! Aaargh.

    Hi Toni! Kapag hindi kami nakapag-bargain, nagwo-walk out kami. hehehe

    Hi Amie! I think Blogger's word verification works!

    Hi Jeff! Utakan lang yan! Unless you really want to buy, give in ka na rin hehehe

    Hmmm... kaya siguro kayo magiging early ano, dessagirl? shopping galore muna hehehe

    Ay Airwind, hwag naman sana, kahit inaaway namin yung mga nagtitinda...

    Tara Abaniko sa Baguio, at mag-ukay-ukay!

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  14. nick,

    delete mo naman ang spam :)

    anyway, samahan mo kami sa ukay!

    G,
    a leather skirt and leather jacket in Philippine weather?! :)

    ReplyDelete

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