Determine what the item is worth to you. This is a tried and true shopping rule that applies to buying things in general. But it especially applies to bargaining. Many bargainers think that if they can cut the price in half, they've gotten a good deal. But many vendors simply triple the first offer in anticipation of this, which means you'd technically be getting a bad deal if you were to buy. If you know what the item is worth to you, it doesn't really matter how the vendor prices his or her item — as long as you're happy with the price paid.