Last week I went to the Union Square street fair and wanted some earrings. I tried to barter and the seller wasn't having it. What gives? I thought the whole point of street fairs was bartering. Were my skills just not up to par or are there legalities involved?
-Cheap in Manhattan
It depends on the vender. Think of each vender at a street fair as a different store that sets their prices however they want. There aren't any legalities that Gothamist is aware of; if a vender doesn't want to negotiate, then he doesn't have to. If he is willing to give you a pair of earings for $10, then you got an awesome deal.
Street fairs can be an excellent place to get some cool things fairly cheaply, especially now that the weather has started to improve. See also Ask Gothamist's advice for participating in one as a vender, or if you end up in Union Square, be sure to walk through the Greenmarket Farmer's Market.
