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Walk around the market or the Grand Bazaar first and survey the scene—don’t purchase anything immediately. If you’ve skipped my advice just above, this is the next best thing you can do to educate yourself. It doesn’t take very long to see that a lot of vendors sell identical merchandise, much of it kitschy and probably of interest only as gifts for children and wacky friends. Look for distinctive items, and identify those vendors you want to revisit.

If prices are not marked, ask what they are for the items you’re interested in, but don’t linger and explain that you’re just looking. What you’re trying to do is ascertain the average going rate for certain items, because if you don’t have any idea what the general price range is, you won’t have any idea if you’re paying a fair price or too much.

If you do spy an item you’re particularly interested in, don’t reveal your interest; act as nonchalant as you possibly can, and remember to be ready to start walking away.

It’s considered rude to begin serious bargaining if you’re not interested in making a purchase. This doesn’t mean you should refrain from asking the price on an item, but to then begin naming numbers is an indication to the seller that you’re a serious customer and that a sale will likely be made.

Politeness goes a long way in bargaining. Vendors appreciate being treated with respect, and they don’t at all mind answering questions from interested browsers. Strike up a conversation while you’re looking at the wares: ask about the vendor’s family, share picture of yours, or ask for a recommendation of a good local restaurant. Establishing a rapport also shows that you are reasonable and that you are willing to make a purchase at the right (reasonable) price.

If you don’t want to be hassled by vendors as you walk around, make sure any previous purchase you may have made remains hidden from view. To a vendor, anyone who walks through is a potential customer, but someone who has already spent money is even better. From a vendor’s perspective, customers who have already parted with their money are interested in parting with more, if only they are shown something else they like. If you have purchased a rug and you decline an offer to look at some more by another merchant by saying you’ve already bought one, you may think you’re saying, “No, thank you, I’ve already bought a rug and don’t need another,” but the vendor doesn’t translate it the same way. He will (probably correctly) assume that you like rugs and will definitely be interested in purchasing another if he has an opportunity to show you some. A rug is hard to hide, but I always carry a tote bag for whatever else I’ve accumulated. A lot of items fit easily in the bag, and no one but me knows they’re there.

Occasionally, I feign interest in one particular item when it’s a different item I really want. The tactic here is to begin the bargaining process and let the vendor think I’m about to make a deal. Then I pretend to get cold feet and indicate that the price is just too much for me. The vendor thinks all is lost, and at that moment I point to the item I’ve wanted all along, sigh, and say, “I’ll take that one,” naming the lowest price from my previous negotiation. Usually, the vendor will immediately agree to it, as it means a done deal.

Other times I will plead poverty and say to the vendor that I had so wanted to bring back a gift for my mother from “your beautiful country—won’t you please reconsider?” This, too, usually results in a price reduction.

If you’re traveling with a companion, you can work together: one of you plays the role of the designated “bad guy,” scoffing at each price quoted, while the other plays the role of the demure friend or spouse who hopes to make a purchase but really must have the approval of the “bad guy.”

You’ll always get the best price if you pay with cash, and in fact some vendors accept only cash. I prepare an assortment of paper bills and coins in advance so I can always pull them out and indicate that it’s all I have. It doesn’t seem right to bargain