# How to shop at an Uzbek bazaar

> Food and produce have fixed fair prices — no bargaining. Handicrafts and souvenirs are expected to be negotiated; start at 50–60% of the asking price and settle around 70–80%.

**Two categories of goods have different rules.**

**Fixed-price goods** (don't haggle):
- Fresh produce, meat, dairy — the prices per kilo are established daily and displayed on chalk boards.
- Bread (non) — a fair price is well-known locally.
- Tea and dry goods sold from open sacks.
- Restaurant meals and chaikhana orders.

**Negotiable goods** (haggling expected):
- Ceramics, textiles, suzani, ikat, carpets.
- Silverwork, miniature paintings, painted wood.
- Karakul hats, silk scarves.
- Tourist souvenirs at Bukhara trading domes, Khiva Ichan Kala, Registan shops.

**Bargaining flow**:
1. Ask the price. If it's the first thing you've asked about, expect a tourist-inflated quote 2–3× locals' price.
2. Counter with 40–50% of that number. The seller looks pained.
3. Meet somewhere around 60–75% of the original ask. Both parties should feel it was a real negotiation.
4. Walking away is a normal move; you'll often be called back with a lower number.

**Etiquette**:
- Smile, laugh, take your time. Uzbek bargaining is genuinely social.
- If you name a price and the seller accepts, honour it — don't back out.
- Cash (Uzbek som) is preferred; card is accepted at larger stalls but the exchange rate on card is often worse than cash.
- Tea may be offered. Accept even if you don't intend to buy — refusing outright is rude.

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Keywords: bazaar, shopping, bargaining, haggling, Uzbekistan
Updated: 2026-08-15
Category: experiences
URL: https://uzbguidedtours.com/kb/kb-experience-bazaar-shopping