TRADITIONAL MARKET PRICE NEGOTIATIONS IN BALI: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF PARTICIPATORY PRICE-SETTING PROCESSES

Abstract

The prices of goods sold in traditional Balinese markets often reflect mutual agreements between sellers and buyers, based on more complex considerations than simply cost and profit. This process adds value to sellers, who can maintain long-term relationships with buyers, and to buyers who feel valued in these social interactions. This study uses a qualitative research design, namely participatory ethnography with a phenomenological approach that aims to understand the practice of price negotiation as a meaningful social practice in the context of Balinese traditional markets, and to map the participatory price determination process (actors, strategies, norms, and institutional context). Data were collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with traders and buyers in traditional markets. The results indicate that, first, prices for basic commodities are relatively uniform among sellers due to unwritten agreements and common sources of production. Second, there are no standard rules in the negotiation mechanism; everything takes place based on an agreement between seller and buyer, which is based on trust and communication skills. Third, despite the rapid growth of modern markets and online shopping, traditional markets remain the community's choice due to their affordability, proximity, and inherent social value. Fourth, bargaining activities are the main attraction of traditional markets because they provide space for active participation for buyers while strengthening social relations with traders. Theoretically, these findings confirm the relevance of the concept of embeddedness in explaining the link between economic practices and social norms, social exchange theory in understanding the reciprocal relations between sellers and buyers, and habitus in describing societal preferences that are formed over generations. This study concludes that traditional markets in Bali are not just arenas for the exchange of goods, but also socio-cultural spaces that uphold the values ​​of justice, togetherness, and trust. Therefore, the sustainability of traditional markets needs to be supported not only through strengthening economic and infrastructure aspects, but also through preserving the cultural values ​​that underpin interactions within them.