[Cole_Robbie]

I went to a small town farmer's market today. It is a smaller crowd, with a lot of senior citizens. Everyone is looking for a bargain, and most customers buy from whoever has the lowest price. I know this from going there last year, where I lost out on a lot of sales, because I tried to get just marginally higher rates for a premium product. That works when you have customers who come to spend money, like at the other market I go to in a larger town.

Tomatoes were $1.50 a pound at the larger market four days ago. Mine all sold, but not as fast as I would like. They are the first of the year, and it takes at least a week to get repeat customers. I had a lot that I needed to sell today; heirlooms don't have much of a shelf life. So I priced mine at $1.50.

Apparently, everyone else at the market, all selling hybrids, still had theirs at $2/lb. I don't know this for sure, because I don't walk around and scope out everyone else's prices when I get there. I feel rude doing that. At my other market, I can see the tomato price on the sign of a large vendor across from me. I'm always very close to the going market rate.

The reason I suspect I had the lowest prices is that one of the other vendors, an older gentleman, late 60's maybe, accompanied by what I'm guessing is his 8-10 y/o grandson, came over to my table and literally started screaming at me:

You mean to tell me you are going to start tomatoes off at $1.50 a pound?

"Really? You're this mad over fifty cents?"

You're g**d*** right!!! You're gonna kill this g**d*** market!!!

"Price fixing is illegal. Every vendor is free to set their own prices. I've been selling all week at this price."

He was wagging his finger at me and continuing to scream more profanity, when my step-dad, who happens to be huge, walked over and told the guy, "This conversation is over. Get out of here."

Then the guy went back around to all the other vendors, told them again what I'm sure were some fine compliments about me, and then sat at his booth and sulked for the rest of the market, pouting like a little kid while I sold everything I brought. I didn't see anyone else sell a tomato. I'm sure I did kill their tomato market.

I don't know how this man made it this far in life with his schoolyard bully approach to problem-solving. That's not how to get your way with people, and I think it's a horrible example to set for his grandson. The kid being there is the only reason I mention him cursing at me. I'm no saint; I curse like a sailor, but not in front of kids, and not as an example of how adults solve their problems. The child being there is what made me be so calm and professional with the guy. Someone needs to set an example of how adults are supposed to act.

In retrospect, and here is the biggest point of this story, if he had just been reasonable and acted like an adult, I would have been reasonable, too. I'm sure it would technically be illegal price collusion, but I would have offered to make mine $1.75 and let them drop theirs a quarter. I'm ok with having the same prices as everyone else, because I'm selling pesticide-free heirlooms, and they are selling hybrids. I think I have a better product.

So, to learn from my fellow vendor's mistakes today, anger is counter-productive in negotiations. If any other vendor at market makes you mad, not necessarily about prices, but anything in general they do, give yourself the chance to cool off before approaching them, and give them a chance to be reasonable and compromise when you do talk to them. Being mad doesn't get you anywhere. I never was mad at that guy today. I'm still not. If he's there next week, and wants to come talk to me like an adult, I'll listen.