Bargaining makes a lot of first-time visitors anxious, and I understand why — it can feel like a confrontation when really it is closer to a conversation, one with its own rhythm and its own manners. Done well, it is one of the more enjoyable parts of a souk visit rather than an obstacle to get through.
How it actually works
Most items in a souk without a visible price tag are open to negotiation, and the first number a seller gives is rarely the number they expect to receive. A common approach is to counter at roughly a third to half of the opening price and work toward the middle from there, though the right starting point varies a great deal by item and by seller. The goal is not to win, exactly — it is to reach a price you are genuinely happy to pay and the seller is genuinely happy to accept, which is usually somewhere neither of your first numbers.
Etiquette: the tea, and the walk away
Being offered tea while you look at carpets or leather goods is a normal part of the process, not a trap — you are welcome to accept without any obligation to buy. Keep the tone friendly rather than adversarial; smiling, taking your time, and treating the seller with genuine respect will get you further than an aggressive opening offer ever will. If a price genuinely does not work for you, walking toward the door is a completely accepted move, not rude — sellers expect it, and it sometimes produces a better offer as you go, though not always, and you should be prepared for it not to.
What counts as a fair price
A fair price is simply one you would be content with back home, knowing what you paid — not necessarily the lowest number you could theoretically extract. Getting a small handmade item down by a modest amount is a reasonable, satisfying negotiation; squeezing an artisan on the price of something that took real skill and hours of work to make is a less admirable kind of "win," even if it is technically achievable. I would rather a guest pay a little more and feel good about it than haggle hard over what amounts to a few euros.
When not to haggle
Fixed-price shops and government-registered artisan cooperatives are exactly that — fixed. These often support women's or artisan collectives directly, and the price on display is the price, not an opening offer. Bargaining hard in one of these is not just unnecessary, it can come across as genuinely awkward. Look for a visible price list or ask directly whether prices are fixed before you start negotiating — most sellers will tell you plainly, and it saves everyone an uncomfortable exchange.