In the haggling process the seller sizes up the customer by his dress and mannerisms to determine whether the latter has any notion of the "real value" of the article in question and what he is probably able to pay. The seller then states a price considerably higher than what he expects to receive. The buyer in turn offers an amount considerably less than he expects to pay. Gradually each party raises or lowers the figure, as the case may be, until a meeting point is reached.

Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order a…, loc. 977