Apart from being passionate about travel, I love shopping. Not many of my friends think of me as a shopaholic, but believe me, if I was a billionaire, I would have had a shopping mall of my own. I love shopping anywhere, in the mall and on the streets. Mumbai’s Colaba area is one of the places where I used to hang out with my friends and now with Sarah.
Located in South Mumbai, Colaba is the place where you will find a string of heritage buildings and street shops lined up to lure shopaholics like me. Also, some of the best hotels are located here which means you’ll find a lot of foreign tourists walking the streets. Back in my college days, I had this passion for lockets for men. My college was just a couple of blocks away from this shopping street. So, whenever I get some spare time I walk to this street to shop for some lockets I could add to my collection. I finally found a dealer who provided me with some of the best locket designs. I soon became his regular client.
One afternoon I was at the shop when a foreign couple walked in. As usual, the dealer attended with utmost politeness asking what exactly they were looking for. The foreign couple took a good look at all the lockets hung around just over their head. They finally pointed towards a particular locket and the dealer said, “This is for Rs. 500.” I quickly took a look at the locket and instantly knew this locket cost not single paise more than Rs. 50, but the dealer was quoting them ten times the actual price.
Lockets & Bracelet I wore during my college days
Deep down I felt this was wrong. I understand we all love to make money and tourists are easy targets, but charging ten times the price was too much. I wanted to help, but how? At that point in time, two college girls walked in and the dealer diverted his attention to those girls.
Without wasting a second, I took that opportunity and quickly went to the couple and whispered, “This locket cost is Rs. 50, so don’t buy it at Rs. 500. If he doesn’t give you at Rs. 50, walk away and he’ll give in.” They were quite amazed. I quickly came back to my position and acted as if I was busy looking around. Soon the girls walked out and the dealer returned to them and the couple said they want this for Rs. 50.
The dealer got on with his verbal skills to convince them that Rs. 500 is the fair price and that he would make a loss if he sells it at Rs. 50, but thankfully the couple stuck to their guns. After a lot of bargaining conversation, the dealer gave in and they bought the locket for Rs. 50. I bid goodbye to the dealer and quickly walked out of the shop. I was happy that I could help them in a small way.
A few minutes later while I was strolling in another shopping lane the couple once again bumped into me. We were so delighted to talk to each other only for few minutes before we parted our ways heading back into our own lives.
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In the world of negativity and hatred, We Are the World Blogfest is a tiny step forward to promote positivity and humanity. It focuses on stories and true events that highlight compassion, love and the never dying human spirit. I wanted to be a part of this blog fest earlier but couldn’t because of tight deadlines, but I am glad that I am finally a part of it. This is the fifth month of the blog fest and I am joining hands with some great bloggers to spread the message of love, hope and humanity. #WATWB is a blog hop on the last Friday of every month. I also thank Simon Falk, Roshan Radhakrishnan, Inderpreet Uppal, Damyanti Biswas and Sylvia Steins for co-hosting the blog fest this month.
If you love to participate in this blog fest click here to know the rules and click here to participate and add your link.
20 comments
Every small bit helps. Thanks for sharing this bit of positivity, Sharukh.
You’re welcome, Damyanti. I’m glad that finally, I am able to participate in this blog fest. Thank you for hosting it.
You’re s good person. 10x is too much. We are often faced with situations we know are wrong but where we don’t know how to help. I’m glad to hear that you took the opportunity to help.
Well, this story is not about me being good or kind, but about the urge that made me take a stand. In that flash of a moment, I knew it was wrong. I could have argued with the retailer, but would that have made the difference? I don’t think so. So, when those girls walked in I saw a window of opportunity and I made optimum use of it. I travel to many places and often I have paid a higher price, but I make sure someone who goes there after me doesn’t pay the price.
This is probably a widespread issue with those who don’t know fair market value of what they are purchasing. We have a show here on public TV called “Antiques Roadshow,” where people bring in their antiques for appraisal. Some are fortunate to have found a valuable item for little cost. Then there are others who are taken in by someone disreputable, who paid a fortune for something worth little money. It was a good thing you did, Sharukh, and I’m sure that couple thanks you every time they look at their purchase.
Thanks for participating in #WATWB and spreading positive news.
You’re welcome, Mary. I am so happy to finally be a part of this blog fest. Yes, this is a widespread issue with regards to travel. At times, Indians don’t spare Indians and charge a higher price for something that cost very little. So, when I am travelling with Sarah I do a lot of research before we actually travel especially the cab fares and accommodation rates.
That was so good of you to do. Sadly, fleecing tourists is the norm in many places but that couple was lucky to have you there. I’m so glad that you were able to join us for #WATWB! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
As a travel blogger, I would love to visit places and write about the experiences, but often travelers and tourists become easy targets which I hate. At that point in time, I just did what I felt was right. I am so glad that I was able to join the #WATWB blog fest this time around. You too have a great weekend.
I am so glad that you were able to gain an opportunity to show kindness. I hope this inspires others to do the same. Thank you for sharing your story and for being a part of #WATWB
You’re welcome, Lynn. Yes, I hope all the retailers, cabbies, shop owners stop fleecing tourists because it creates a bad impression. The country’s reputation is at stake here.
This did not surprise me at all, either about the seller or about your kindness Sharukh. I don’t think it fair to try to squeeze way more money put of unwary shoppers than it is for shoppers to try and push a seller down to bare bones prices either. We have seen this from both sides while living in Costa Rica but most sellers there are fair with foreign shoppers. They did have amny who had different prices for locals than tourists. I still can’t see your photos on mu ipad. 😕
With your living experiences in Costa Rica, I’m sure you must have seen this situation so many times. I completely understand that retailers love to make extra money by charging a different price to the tourists than locals. However, in this case, he was charging almost ten times the actual price which I believe is not fair which is why I took the necessary step. With regards to the images, I can’t do much because I believe the design of my site is not compatible with iPad. At the moment, all I can say is you can read my blogs on your laptop. Maybe somewhere down the line I will change the theme of the site and resolve the issue.
Well done, Sharukh! I see similar pricing issues in Ecuador. Before I go to buy something I have not purchased before, I ask a local friend how much I should expect to pay. The quoted price is sometimes exactly what they say and sometimes many times more. Without my local friends, there is no way I would know what the going price should be.
Emily | My Life In Ecuador | Orphanage Teens Learn to Express Themselves Through DJing #WATWB
I completely understand that, but what do you do when you are traveling to a place where you have no one to tell you the local price?
Hi Sharukh – sadly we, as tourists, can be taken in – especially if we’re not used to bargaining … but you did the right thing and I hope they bargained down for future purchases. Mumbai must be a marvellously interesting place to live … so diverse and with so much history .,.. cheers Hilary
http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/we-are-world-blogfest-5-beachy-head.html
Yes, I hope they did because before we departed I did tell them to bargain for future purchases as well. Yes, Mumbai is quite an interesting city and if you follow my blog or even just read it you will find plenty of posts on Mumbai food, history, culture and so on. What can you expect out of a Bombay-boy?
Yes, it’s always a good idea to help people without getting in trouble.Very nice of you to help the strangers #WATWB
Thank you, Amrita.
Good for you, Sharukh. Thanks for your honesty and for sharing Simon’s Still Stanza #WATWB
You’re welcome, Simon. Thank you for co-hosting the blog fest.