Bargaining

To properly bargain in Beijing is truly an art form, and the techniques for achieving the lowest possible price are endless. The recipe of a good deal is a nice mixture of charm, confidence and patience.

When and where?

In all markets where the majority of the costumers are tourists, you must bargain a lot. But also at the other markets, be prepared for some real bargaining, especially if you in any way can be considered looking wealthy. You should not try to bargain in malls, supermarkets, taxis where meters are used, or at restaurants. But these are exceptions; you can almost always negotiate about the price on everything from hotel rooms to bananas, if needed.

How much?

It's impossible to say that "a quarter of the starting price" or a tenth or anything else, is the price that you should pay. On the other hand: if it was that easy, bargaining would lose a lot of its charm, wouldn't it?

Before you get in the fight you can try to get an idea of what others have paid for your attempted goods. Ask friends, locals or hotel staff what they think. Of course you can take a shot at what it's worth and start bargaining directly, but if the salesperson gives in too quickly, it's a sign that you're paying too much. Remember to always start with a price a bit lower than what you really have in mind.

Don't worry about disappointing someone. In the big markets, the salespeople are good at using the tourists' insecurity and they often pretend to be disappointed whatever the price suggested is. Try to be cheerful, smile and joke a little, then everything usually works out fine. If the salesperson would really lose money by accepting your offer, he/she wouldn't even discuss it with you.

An example of what it may sound like:

Usually the bargaining is actually performed on a pocket calculator, to avoid misunderstandings.

Bargaining page 2