Points2Ponder: Why Do We Bargain?

How Much Do We Gain When We Bargain with the Strain?
Philipose Vaidyar

Bargaining is an everyday practice in markets worldwide, but have you ever noticed where we draw the line? While we don't hesitate to pay full price in high-end stores, we negotiate fiercely with street vendors who need help to make a living. This piece explores the disparity in how we treat the rich and the vulnerable, urging us to reflect on our actions and their impact on those trying to survive.

We often bargain to save a little money or get a better deal. But have you ever noticed who we usually bargain with? We don't negotiate at fancy clothing stores or jewelry shops, where we spend thousands, sometimes even lakhs, without a second thought. Yet, when we meet a street vendor selling spinach or a scrap picker offering to buy old paper, we negotiate for a few extra rupees. Why?

Imagine this: You buy a beautiful silk saree, spending tens of thousands without bargaining. The next day, you purchase gold for your daughter's wedding—again, no bargaining, trusting the big store and their fixed rates. But when the street vegetable vendor comes your way or is seated at the square, you argue for a lower price on a small bundle of spinach, saving only a few rupees. Why do we feel comfortable bargaining with someone struggling to make a living, but not with larger, wealthier businesses?

Social and Economic Gaps

This behaviour reflects a deeper issue in our society. Small vendors, like the vegetable seller or the scrap collector, are often from vulnerable backgrounds. Their livelihood depends on the little money they make every day, yet we pressure them to lower their prices. We don't question or bargain with big stores because they seem established, respectable, or too formal for us to haggle with.

But when we bargain with those who are struggling, we fail to see the hardship behind their work. That street vendor who pulls a cart or sells vegetables from early in the morning may be feeding her children or paying for their school fees. Yet, we don’t think twice about spending on luxuries like clothes, food, or outings where we never consider bargaining.

The Bigger Picture

This pattern shows how often we underestimate the efforts of the poor. Bargaining with them is not just about saving money—it’s a reflection of how we value them and their work. We might not realize that every rupee matters for these small vendors. In the end, when we save Rs. 2 or Rs. 5 through bargaining, are we really thinking about how much it costs the vendor who sold us that item?

A Call to Compassion

In the city where we lived, I used to keep recyclable trash, instead of disposing of it with the daily garbage, and selling it whenever possible. It often fetches some money. Several times, I left scraps together outside the street for the rag pickers to take away. Once, back home in Kerala, I had dismantled an unwanted shed with a tin roof. The roof sheets weren’t reusable, so I wanted to dispose of them. I didn’t want to dump them somewhere, moreover, there was no place to dump them. A few days later, a scrap buyer came by on his scooter. I wasn’t sure if he could carry those sheets on his scooter, but I showed him the items. He folded, pressed, and packed them, then pulled out his scale to weigh it all. It was a heavy load for him to carry on his scooter. While he was calculating, I told him he didn’t need to pay; he could just take it away. All I thought about was his need to make a living that day. I could see he was hard-working, perhaps unable to do other types of jobs because of an internal injury he might have suffered years ago.

As he was about to leave, it began pouring rain. He had to wait, so I invited him to sit in the porch instead of under the shed outside. I didn’t have to believe every story he told, but I listened as he shared parts of his life until the rain passed. I saw him a few more times in the area. He would wave his hand, grinning, or stop by, just to say hello. That small gesture from that rainy day must have lifted him, even a little.

The next time we buy from a street vendor, let’s pause and think about their situation. Bargaining may save us a few rupees, but what does it mean for the person selling? Let’s show empathy and remember that the money we save at their expense might be money they desperately need for survival.

We don’t have to stop bargaining altogether. But we should be thoughtful and fair, especially with those who are trying to make a living in difficult circumstances. Let's treat everyone with the dignity they deserve, whether they own a big shop or sell vegetables on the street. In doing so, we reflect the compassion and justice that God calls us to live by.

Here are a few Bible verses that may be relevant in this connection:

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done." — Proverbs 19:17

"Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life." — Proverbs 22:22-23

"And if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." — Isaiah 58:10

"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" — Matthew 25:40

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." — Luke 6:38

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." — James 1:27

"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith...? But you have dishonored the poor." — James 2:5-6