The shopping spree during this festive season would have been at its peak had it not been for the pandemic. Last Dashain, I had gone to buy a fridge as it is usually the time when there are discount offers. I needed a quality product at concessional rates, and many will have this in mind I am sure. As I was going around the store, I came across a woman haggling over the price. The price she proposed was way more than what I would have given for the fridge. Going by their chitchat, I was sure that the deal was done. Upon her departure, pretending not to know about the deal struck just minutes back, I proposed a further discount on the same item. The salesman readily accepted, and I took one home. I, however, could not be sure about how much others paid for the same item. When two persons buy the same item from two different shops, depending upon the nature of the personnel buying them, the price could vary significantly. It all boils down to one’s ability to bargain smartly. In the past I used to be a bit shy and always went shopping in the company of a friend who was talkative and good at bargaining. There would be no worries in buying items with the maximum retail price (MRP) stamped. But there are several consumer items that do not come with a MRP tag. We buy vegetables, fruits and clothes, which do not generally come with a MRP. Even goods that have a MRP label can be bargained for. A few who know how to seek possible discounts on items, be they with or without the MRP, can bring the prices down, while other are seemingly left to pay higher and feel they have been cheated. There are several forms of discrimination rampant in society based on caste, sex, political belief and ideology, to name a few. While a few of these discriminations have eroded or faded with time, one that is little talked about is witbased discrimination, which has remained here for years. The market discriminates against persons who don’t talk much and do not complain about the asking price from businesspersons. Nowadays, when I need to buy items which can be bargained for, I stand at the entry of the shop for a while and study how the shopkeeper deals with the customers already in. If the shopkeeper looks shrewd to me, then I never enter; but if I feel that I can overdo him in talking, then I am in. I am more concerned by the overcharging merchants rather than what I would probably buy. Because of this, shopping has never been fun for me. I hope the market adopts a policy that is fair for everyone so that no one is cheated for their kindness.