How to Barter in China

 

How do you barter at a Chinese market in China? I have heard that in the North (Beijing) you will pay 50% of the initial asking price. I have also heard that in the South (Hong Kong – Macau) you can begin by offering 10% of the initial price, with an ending price of 10-30% of the original asking price.

I have also heard that much patience is needed in bartering. It’s a necessary step in making purchases, and one that cannot be hurried through. It’s expected to be slow and take time.

Step 1:
Once you’ve decided what you want, canvass the overall market and see how many vendors are offering similar products.

Step 2:
Inquire about the opening price from a number of different vendors. They will all try to keep you in their shop. Be strong, but friendly, as you move along quickly.

Step 3:
Choose the shop you would like to do business with based on the friendliness of the operator and one that is not so busy. The shopkeeper doesn’t want others to hear how low they are willing to go.

Step 4:
Ask first before handling objects. If it is difficult to reach, the shop keeper will be happy to do the necessary acrobatics versus risking any mishaps in a crowded place.

Step 5:
Offer 10 percent of the asking price. If the price is 100, offer 10. This will garner much laughter and scoffing from the shop keeper as they try to shame you into thinking your offer is ridiculous. Match them smile for smile and if they are not coming down yet, ask for their best price.

Step 6:
Respond that it is still too expensive and feign disinterest and begin to look at other items half heartedly. This is an iterative process.

Step 7:
Offer cash as you get closer to the price that you find acceptable.

Step 8:
Chat with your companions about other things. If alone, work on small talk with the shop keeper or practice any language skills you may or may not be learning.

Step 9:
Prepare to exit the shop or stall without the item, but exit slowly and casually. When they know you are prepared to walk away, that is when you will generally get your best price.

ANOTHER APPROACH

1. Look around the market and choose what you want to buy. To ask what something is in Chinese, ask what’s this, or ‘chih (as in chew) shih (as in shirt) shen ma?’ (this is actually Zhe shi shenme? in Chinese)

2. Ask the price. Even if you think the price is cheap, it’s not. If you look like a foreigner, the vendor will automatically offer a price several times greater than the price offered to locals. You should pretend to be surprised or outraged.

3. Offer 1/5 the price. They might be angry or pretend not to want to sell it.

4. Don’t worry. Just leave. They will call you and offer a middle price.

5. Offer the same price one more time. They might offer a lower price than before.

6. Do it again and again. You could offer a little higher price. After the haggling you should be able to buy it at half off, or more, of the first price.

Tips

• When you offer one-fifth the price and pretend to leave, if they don’t call you, you can’t buy it with that price. You should offer a higher price in another shop.
• The Chinese unit of currency is the yuan. In Hong Kong, it is the Hong Kong Dollar.
• Shop around. If you go down one of these streets that has hundreds of small shops, you will most likely see the same thing over and over and those that sell it nearest the entrance will most likely sell this item for the most. What you need to do is go down the street and ask every one that sells this item how much they sell it for. (You will need to remember the lowest selling price.) After you have made it to the end than turn around and head back up this street. Try to find the one that is selling it for the lowest, but if you can’t find them, don’t worry, just find someone else and start your haggling at one-fifth or one-forth of this lowest price. And if they won’t go down, point to another vender and say he is selling it for ___ Yuan.
• If possible, you should have a firm grasp of Chinese phrases such as “How much?” and “That’s much too expensive!” The more Chinese you know, the more successful your haggling can be.
• If this is all new to you, practice on a lower priced item which you don’t care that much about. This way you will get the hang of how this works before trying it with an item which you strongly wish to buy.
• If you find yourself assaulted by vendors shoving products in your face and insisting you buy, just ignore them and keep walking. Alternatively, a nice way to say that you are not interested is bu yao, xie xie. This is pronounced boo yow, shie shie (in that phrase, the word “yow” is stressed).