Somewhere, deep in the interior of some market teeming with tourists of all origins, a stout woman is standing next to a stall piled high with colorful trinkets and unusual knick knacks. She is counting her money, and she is grinning widely. A tall tourist, also grinning, is browsing only a short distance away.

1. How to Bargain in China?
source：http://trip-per.com/blog/index.php/how-to-bargain-in-china/
Somewhere, deep in the interior of some market teeming with tourists of all origins, a stout woman is standing next to a stall piled high with
colorful trinkets and unusual knick knacks. She is counting her money, and she is grinning widely. A tall tourist, also grinning, is browsing only a
short distance away. He has recently left her stall after unwittingly paying too much for one of those trinkets. This scene is common in nearly every
one of China’s major tourist cities, as haggling is one of the most highly recommended tourist activities in China. But bargaining in China does not
have to be as lopsided as in the instance described above. There are some very basic tactics that can be used to great effect while haggling over the
prices of goods sold in China.
Firstly, in order to bargain, you need to speak. So the first key to any sort of success in bargaining in China is to learn useful Chinese phrases like
“duōshao qián?” (how much?), “tài guì le!” (too expensive!), or “kěyǐ piányi yīdiǎn ma?” (can you make it a little cheaper?). You should never
expect a Chinese vendor to speak much English beyond numbers and simple sentences. In fact, the less mutual understanding there is between the
two of you, the better it is for them. If you are fluent in Chinese, or can speak at a conversational level, you have a huge advantage over those who
can speak little to no Chinese. So the more you can communicate with them in their own language, the more convincing they have to do—and this
often results in lower prices.
But merely knowing a little Chinese won’t guarantee that you will get good deals. You must strategize. Before you name your buying price, you
should try to get the seller to reduce the price they are offering you, waiting as long as possible before stating a number. One strategy is to
scrutinize the item in question, pointing out any flaws it may have. Throughout the process it is important that you maintain an indifferent attitude
toward the item in question so that the seller believes that they have to induce you—through reducing the price—to purchase it.
Before engaging a seller about any of their goods, you should already have an ideal price—or price range—in mind. One of the biggest difficulties
with coming up with an ideal price is that you don’t know the market, and you are probably still thinking in terms of your home currency. One way
to circumvent this is to experiment with different sellers by bidding extremely low and watching their reactions. In many cases you will find that if
you bid too low, the seller will simply wave you off and refuse to engage you anymore. At this point you can move on and raise your starting price
by small increments until sellers begin engaging you again. Then you know you’re in the ball park of the actual price. If you already know what
you are willing to pay for a particular item, bid lower than your ideal price first and work your way up.
Throughout the course of bargaining, many sellers will try to win your sympathy or convince you that you are friends and they are giving you a
special deal. Ignore this or you will end up paying too much for whatever you buy. There is no reason for you to feel sorry for them, so you should
stand firm and try to get the very best deal possible. Never relent, because these people do this every day, and many of them are good at getting
what they want.

2. While haggling in China, one of the best strategies anyone could use is to be easygoing and affable with the sellers. A friendly exchange will
always produce a better result than a hostile one. There is no reason to feel hostile toward them because you feel that they want to cheat you.
Remember, they want to maximize their profits just as much as you want to minimize your losses. So be friendly and smile often while showing
yourself to be a worthy haggling adversary.
Before venturing out to bargain in China, you should make sure that you are well stocked with small bills and change. By always paying the exact
amount that has been agreed to, you eliminate the opportunity on the part of the seller to request that you round out the number. Time of day
sometimes plays a role too. The morning can be a good time to get a deal, as some vendors believe that it is good to give the first customer of the
day a bargain. In the evenings, just before closing, many vendors will be less aggressive and give in faster. Some of them may be tired after a long
day, while others may simply be eager to make a few more quick sales before they go home.
Tripper, your assistant guide in China, will be always available there for any questions you have whether it is What’s the Cheapest Way to Sleep in
China? OrWhat is Hitchhiking like in China?
Posted in Travel Tips. Tagged with bargain, China, tips.