Negril Beach, Jamaica

photos and tips -shopping

The name of the shopping game in Jamaica is "barter". Try to have an idea what you want to pay for an item before you begin the process: it's often acceptable to ask another traveler, "how much did you pay for that?" Or enter a few stores and ask prices very casually, as reconnaissance.  

• don't actually begin the barter process until you intend to buy. 
• the more items you buy from one store or vendor, the better you can barter.
• don't obsess about getting the best price. 

Feeling a bit wearied with the barter game, I decided to try a fixed-price store to buy souvenirs for family members at home. We headed to the new Times Square shopping mall, across the street from the beach...

... only to find that bartering was very much still required, even in  proper stores in a modern mini-mall.  Oh well: the battle was at least a good-humored one!

  All Images (c) 2002 by Teresa Plowright. 

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