Harvard professor Howard Raiffa called the back and forth exchange of offers between buyer and seller, a Negotiation Dance. Offer and the counteroffer, typically price offer.

Watch the negotiation dance between buyer and seller in a movie clip of The Life Of Brian: Monty Python. Although buyer wants to haggle but this dance is must for seller too, else he feels he left too much money on the table.

Brian How much? Quick.

Harry the merchant What?

Brian It’s for the wife.

Harry the merchant Oh. Uhh, twenty Shekels.

Brian: Right.

Harry the merchant What?

Brian There you are.

Harry the merchant Wait a minute.

Brian What?

Harry the merchant Well, we’re– we’re supposed to haggle.

Brian No, no. I’ve got to get

Harry the merchant What do you mean, ‘no, no, no’?

Brian I haven’t time. I’ve got

Harry the merchant Well, give it back, then.

Brian No, no, no. I just paid you.

Harry the merchant Burt!

Burt Yeah?

Harry the merchant This bloke won’t haggle.

Burt Won’t haggle?!

Brian All right. Do we have to?

Harry the merchant Now, look. I want twenty for that.

Brian I– I just gave you twenty.

Harry the merchant Now, are you telling me that’s not worth twenty Shekels?

Brian No.

Harry the merchant Look at it. Feel the quality. That’s none of your goat.

Brian: All right. I’ll give you nineteen then.

Harry the merchant No, no, no. Come on. Do it properly.

Brian What?

Harry the merchant Haggle properly. This isn’t worth nineteen.

Brian Well, you just said it was worth twenty.

Harry the merchant Oh, dear. Oh, dear. Come on. Haggle.

Brian Huh. All right. I’ll give you ten.

Harry the merchant That’s more like it. Ten?! Are you trying to insult me?! Me, with a poor dying grandmother?! Ten?!

Brian All right. I’ll give you eleven.

Harry the merchant Now you’re getting it. Eleven?! Did I hear you right?! Eleven?! This cost me twelve. You want to ruin me!

Brian Seventeen?

Harry the merchant No, no, no, no. Seventeen.

Brian Eighteen?

Harry the merchant No, no. You go to fourteen now.

Brian All right. I’ll give you fourteen.

Harry the merchant Fourteen?! Are you joking?!

Brian That’s what you told me to say.

Harry the merchant Oh, dear.

Brian Oh, tell me what to say. Please!

Harry the merchant Offer me fourteen.

Brian I’ll give you fourteen.

Harry the merchant He’s offering me fourteen for this!

Brian Fifteen!

Harry the merchant Seventeen. My last word. I won’t take a penny less, or strike me dead.

Brian Sixteen.

Harry the merchant Done. Nice to do business with you.

Brian Huh.

Harry the merchant Tell you what. I’ll throw you in this as well.

Brian, I don’t want it, but thanks.

Harry the merchant Burt!

Burt Yeah?

Brian All right! All right! All right!

Harry the merchant Now, where’s the sixteen you owe me?

Brian I just gave you twenty.

Harry the merchant Oh, yeah. That’s right. That’s four I owe you, then.

Brian Well, that’s all right. That’s fine. That’s fine.

Harry the merchant No. Hang on. I’ve got it here somewhere.

Brian That’s all right. That’s four for the gourd.

Harry the merchant Four? For this gourd? Four?! Look at it. It’s worth ten if it’s worth a Shekel.

Brian But you just gave it to me for nothing.

Harry the merchant Yes, but it’s worth ten!

Brian All right. All right. Harry the merchant No, no, no, no. It’s not worth ten. You’re supposed to argue, ‘Ten for that? You must be mad!’ Oh, well.  One born every minute