We often go to shopping with our moms , pops, uncles , aunts etc, We can observe one thing common in all of them while shopping i.e they accept the printed prices with bar codes but can't get out without hassling at places where these bar codes are missing. By printed prices I mean, the exorbitant brand prices @ shopping malls, big soooper bazaars and all. And moreover the latest marketing tactics make us feel complacent that we are getting far more than what we are supposed to get. But what about he places where these bar codes / price tags are missing. Really pathetic at some places esp. at local vegetable mandis and roadside hawkers.
Though most of us now shop at Spencers and Freshes, it happens for us to buy at least some articles with local veg mandis , shops etc. Have we anytime observed the case at these places. Just look at a conversation between a lady and a vegetable peddler :
(L - lady : P - peddler)
L : what is the price of these tomatoes?
P : 6 Rs / Kg
L : tell me one more price ?
P : at last , i can give you for 5 Rs / Kg
L : Ok , lets make it 4 / Kg and i'll buy 3 Kgs
P : ( huhhh ,,, this lady ...) OK , lets have it ( with a dull sluggish sigh)
L : ( rejoicing her victory in her mind, - yeah i've done it ,as if she saved some tonnes for her daughter's marriage or for her son's education)
Lets get into the facts and numbers . It is very much obvious that these peddlers and hawkers mark the prices a bit higher than the cost price. But they are not as high as we see in super bazaars and Freshes. The same above tomatoes are priced @ 8 Rs / Kg with eight striked and written as 7 Rs / Kg below it hoodwinking us and making us believe that they are offering a free bargain before we ask.And morever these peddlers have to bear the loss of rotten items/wastage , the burden of transport charges to get the things from main markets to their homes, storage charges , moving all over the cities covering large areas from morning till evenings etc. By end of the day , he is hardly left with any coins.
And moreover , let us understand that , in the above negotiation the lady saved 3 * 1 = 3 Rs . it may happend 5 to 6 times a month with 3 to 4 types of vegetables (supposing). So final saving comes to a picayune amount of Rs 60 to 65 per month( in worst case) for a family of 4. The lady here many be our mom, aunt, uncle or we ourselves.We can understand how much this amount is worth for us and how much this is worth to the poor peddlers who toil thru'out the day for few pennies. --> It costs us a big bottle of coke , but for them, it gives them a day's bread for the entire family.
And finally, here comes few words to act. Lez not bargain / hassle with such ppl for few pennies.Its fine doing that once, but not twice or thrice till we win. Let us lose for the betterment of these poor peddlers and hawkers. May be their good wishes may equip us with good fortunes if they are tendered the right amount .......
