Documentary Project Proposal

 Their Right

Synopsis:

There are people amongst us who suffer economically, we hardly notice their situation and bargain with them when it comes to buying from them.  We do not even try to help them financially. 

Research:

Brand perception is the combination of a consumer's feelings, experiences, and thoughts about a product or service. It is what people believe a brand represents, rather than what a brand says it represents.

 

When it comes to shopping women bargain with lower-class shopkeepers at a higher rate and they bargain even if the product is already at a cheaper rate.

 

The salesmen also love to exploit the bargaining power of women by starting with a (visibly) increased asking price. But, in my observation, this behaviour varies from place to place. Likewise for the customers. Anarkali, Baghbanpura, Ichhra Bazaar, and Sadar are good places for haggling. The elite is mostly confined to the DHA malls where it is not possible to bargain because the retail prices are fixed. The smaller the shop/stall, the easier it is for the customer to engage in a bargaining argument.

 

When there is Ramzan, Eidul Fitr can’t be far behind. No wonder, preparations for the festive religious occasion gather steam over the final days of the holy month, and women are the eager buyers here.

 

Over time, many traditions are forgotten. However, some women keep alive the art of bargaining by offering to pay less than even the cost of production of an item would be. This makes me wonder if a woman could be a better economist than a man because most women ransack one market after another to make a healthy comparison of prices before buying a single item. They also know how to apply price and quality filters to get a better deal. On the other hand, the clever customer knows that the delaying tactic will help him/her get their way.

 

The funny part is that both the customers and the salespeople are equally aware of the game's tricks. And so, the show goes on. There are adventurous -- as well as talented -- ladies who would haggle over the prices even where these are fixed. Surprisingly, they often come out victorious. (This is one occasion where I believe the salesman deserves applause for showing patience.)

 

Interestingly, women are easy prey at cosmetics shops where the salesgirls would sell substandard local products at high prices. It is all about how they present it to you.

Beware: when a salesperson has earned your "trust," it is even easier for them to ‘rob’ you.

The Plan:

I will be going to the stalls in Rawalpindi, showing the atmosphere at the stalls I will be documenting the work lives of jewellers and how their customers treat them and bargain with them. Then I will film in a mall and will show how people buy expensive products and most of them do not bargain. This will show how people should not misuse those that are unprivileged.

In my documentary, I want to show how people mostly women bargain in stall shops and get the product at half price, while they go to malls and easily pay the cashier an expensive amount. When it comes to how I will shoot the footage, I will also take interviews of the stall keeper(s) and the customers, I will also go to a mall and film footage there as well, the interviewee would be the staff members. I will gather data on how much the cost of the product and how much are they sold. Basically wanted to show how unprivileged people do not get their rights when it comes to economical state and how they are not treated equally to those the mall store workers.  

 

Inspiration: 

(I was inspired by this documentary because of its cinematography and direction)