Americans have a high comfort level when negotiating over price. They consider it to be a sign of assertiveness, resourcefulness, and business acumen.
comfort level
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Unnecessary disruption
In post-World War II Germany, the Wirtschaftswunder (economic miracle) established a sense of economic stability and order. The retail sector embraced fixed pricing as a symbol of reliability and transparency, contrasting with the more volatile economic environments in other countries. This cultural backdrop reinforced the idea that fair pricing was predetermined and not open to negotiation. Germans came to view price bargaining as an unnecessary disruption to the established order.
Effi Briest
In Theodor Fontane’s Effi Briest, characters engage in structured, formal interactions, where price discussions are avoided to maintain social decorum and politeness.
Good Bye Lenin !
In the film Good Bye Lenin! (2003), set in East Berlin before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the protagonist’s mother, a staunch supporter of the socialist regime, views Western capitalist practices with disdain, including price bargaining. The film highlights her discomfort with the perceived commercialism and transactional nature of post-reunification Germany, contrasting it with the perceived fairness and transparency of fixed pricing under socialism.
Play hardball
Play hardball. To be aggressive or tough in a negotiation. This approach involves leveraging power or applying pressure to achieve desired outcomes, demonstrating assertiveness in American business culture.
“Back to square one”
“Back to square one.” To start over from the beginning. Americans value momentum, and having to restart a negotiation can be seen as a setback, prompting impatience or frustration.
Feilschen
Expressions such as Was kostet die Welt? (What does the world cost?) convey a dismissive attitude toward price discussions, implying that serious and respectable people should not concern themselves with trivial cost negotiations. Additionally, the term Feilschen (to haggle) often carries a negative connotation, suggesting pettiness, desperation, or a lack of class.
“Run it up the flagpole”
“Run it up the flagpole.” To test an idea to see if it gains support. This iterative, informal testing of positions reflects a flexible, exploratory approach common in American business culture, often when in negotations.
Social Order
German cultural norms prioritize order, transparency, and fairness in business transactions, leaving little room for price bargaining. Historical influences, literary depictions, cinematic portrayals, and everyday expressions all reinforce the notion that negotiating prices is undignified, unnecessary, and even untrustworthy. The emphasis on fixed pricing reflects a deeper cultural preference for predictability and social order, making price negotiation an unwelcome practice in many German settings.