Australian woman slammed for bargaining at Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar market. Video is viral

Screengrabs from video Instagrammed by @living_the_jo_life

A young Australian woman has become the unlikely target of the internet’s wrath for trying to bargain at Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar market. Ella Johansen – one part of the travel blogging trio ‘Living the Jo Life’ – has been slammed for the high crime of trying to bargain for a green kurti that caught her eye at the famous market.

While Sarojini Nagar is a haven for bargain-hunters – famous not just in the national capital but across the country for selling clothes at rock-bottom rates – Johansen made the mistake of trying to negotiate at a ‘Fixed Price’ shop.

Locals know that while bargaining is expected at Sarojini Nagar (clothes often go for less than half the price initially quoted by the shopkeeper), negotiating at a ‘fixed price’ shop is useless. Here, shopkeepers seldom, if ever, reduce the price of the product they are selling.

Johansen tried to bargain for the green kurti which was priced at Rs 350. A video she recorded shows her saying Rs 350 is equal to only 6 Australian Dollars.

She then proceeds to negotiate with the shopkeeper, offering Rs 250 for the garment. He refuses point-blank – not just once but a second and a third time too. The Australian woman eventually gives in and buys the kurti for Rs 350.

Words can not describe what I’m feeling rn pic.twitter.com/roKb2WALrD

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— rue (@mushruem_) January 11, 2024

When the video made its way to X (Twitter) from Instagram, many people pointed out that the kurti is already priced right and bargaining should be reserved only for overpriced items. Moreover, $6 is barely anything to an Australian, said people, and as such tourists should not be bargaining for small amounts.

I hate that she’s smiling thinking she’s clever and whole time she’s just exploiting minorities

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— ً (@tylerduran21) January 12, 2024

This makes me SICK in dollars this is NOTHING for her, whereas 100 rupees makes a difference to that man who is selling it. https://t.co/Q9EzX0zsHS

— Kohinoor (sleepy girl) (@lilmooncup) January 12, 2024

all the white ppl from western countries who go to countries like this and try to haggle for a lower price even though it’s nothing but spare change for them have a special place in hell waiting for them https://t.co/YO3fZrLZnu

— ylexar (@alphalicent) January 12, 2024

Many agreed that $2 is spare change for a globetrotting tourist but could mean the world to a small shopkeeper.

While most of the reactions of the clip were negative, some sided with Johansen and said they saw nothing wrong in haggling.