The 10 Commandments of Bargain Hunting in China

Shopping—sometimes it seems like China's national past-time. Expats are no strangers to the lure of the bargain either. But, when shopping in China, getting the oh-so-coveted "Chinese Price" (the same price locals pay) can be difficult to pull off, even if your Mandarin skills are off the charts. Not in shopping malls of course, but in markets and small shops, sellers will often charge even non-local Chinese people a higher price than bona fide locals, and fairly or unfairly expats often get quoted premium prices.

To make for a happier retail experience, I've compiled Ten Commandments for Chinese Bargain Shopping. You won't find this Decalogue written down on stone tablets—though you might look at putting it on your tablet PC for future reference.

Photo: blog.traveldepot.com

The First Commandment--Thou Shalt Give Face

In shopping as in any business transaction in China, giving and saving face is important. For example, if you name a price that is insultingly low, some shopkeepers may flat-out refuse to sell, especially if you've been brash, their business has been pretty good that day, or if their friends are watching.  Research what things cost, so you can make sure you don't insult anyone by naming a price that's too low, or lose face yourself by paying too much and looking like a sucker.

You can give face to sellers in a number of ways, mostly by being respectful and calm in all areas of the negotiation, even if it isn't going how you planned. If they offer you some tea or lukewarm water, as much as you might not want to drink it, take it and sit down to chat. This is a good way to give them face—they've got customers sitting in their shop—and for you to think up your next tactics in the bargain.  

However, if you're talking to someone who deals with "rich" foreigners every day, for example if you're in a heavily touristed Beijing shopping street, then chances are they won’t lose face if you immediately go for a small price.

The Second Commandment-- Thou Shalt Not Act Covetous

It's a cruel fact of bargaining, but if something catches your eye and you tell the shop assistant you really like it, you stand the risk of being priced out of owning it. Like wolves smelling fear, sellers in this country can smell excitement and if they get one whiff of it, you'll be either shelling out more RMB than you thought possible, or sadly walking away without whatever cool thing you wanted.  

One time I was trying to buy a polarizing filter for my new DSLR. I'd been in and out of camera and technology shops all morning, and none of them had had one. When I finally did come across one I couldn't stop myself from grinning in triumph— prematurely. Once the salesgirl saw my good humour, she quickly quoted me 500 RMB—much too high for me to make a counter offer without insulting her, and almost five times what I eventually bought it for, straight-faced, in another shop.

The Third Commandment—Thou Should Not Admit It's a Gift

Before coming to China, one of my tried-and-true bargaining tactics was to tell salespeople that I wasn't shopping for myself, but for a friend. Well, in other cultures, this works because it distances you and your feelings from the object in question—you can always choose a different gift, right? 

However, as I learned when buying a jadeite pendant for a cousin's graduation gift, in China admitting something isn't for you can actually up the value. As a Chinese friend explained on that shopping expedition (after I'd just botched the haggling), Chinese people might spend more for something they'll give away—a phenomenon observed in the frenzy of trendy-labelled gift-giving during Chinese New Year.

The Fourth Commandment –Thou Shalt Honour Thy Google, TaoBao, and Fellow Shoppers

Knowing what price to start your haggling is hard if it's the first time you've bought that particular item. A friend who just moved to a new city was as pleased as could be when he haggled a lady at the wet market down to 1 RMB per egg while his other newly arrived co-workers were paying up to 2 RMB. Pleased, that is, until he learned from a Chinese counterpart that the going price was 0.5 RMB.

Electronics like computers, video game players, even printers and modems, can be easily searched for price comparisons on overseas websites, and then on domestic websites such as the giant e-retailer Taobao. Knowing how much a real item costs in your home country can also help you make the decision whether to risk buying a fake product here. After purchasing four dud MP3 players, I finally shelled out 50 bucks for one while visiting the USA last year. It's still working, and I paid less for it than I did for the combination of the other four. 

The next step in this commandment is to go to the market and find someone to shadow. Surreptitiously, without making them feel like you're going to steal their wallet, stand close enough to a local shopper that you can hear or see how much they're paying for things. An afternoon of eavesdropping like this can add up to months of savings.

However, after observation, pay attention to…

The Fifth Commandment--Thou Shalt Avoid Other Shoppers

This varies somewhat with what part of the country you're in, but chances are that if someone else—local or foreign—is also vying for the seller's attention, you won't get as good of a deal as if you go one-on-one. The salesperson doesn't want to lose face by giving you a good bargain, or by having other customers see the foreigner score a deal. Also, at a busy stall, a seller may be less patient with you if your Chinese isn't quite up to scratch than she would otherwise be if she had nothing left to do but play QQ games and gossip with her neighbouring salespeople. After all, when you leave, they can talk about you.

The Sixth Commandment—Thou Shalt Remember Thy Measure Words

This may seem like a minor point to those people who feel like grunts of "na ge" for "that one" and "zhe ge" for "this one" are enough to get their daily shopping done, but it helps a lot to know the correct measure words (also called "counters") for the things you're going to buy. I'm convinced I got Miao silver jewellery for a steal in Beijing only because I knew the earrings were a situation to whip out an "yi dui" for "pair" rather than a pedestrian "liang ge" for "two of." Besides being more efficient, it might make you stand out in a touristy market as being someone who knows her stuff and who deserves a better deal.

The Seventh Commandment--Thou Shalt Give Money to Good People

One time I was looking for souvenirs in a market catering to tourists. It was after school hours and a few small kids were doing their homework on stools in their parents' stalls. I had just gotten the price on a doodad I was eyeing to near where I wanted it, when a boy, about seven, came up to his father, the seller, and asked a question. I didn't catch the question, but body language told me the boy wasn't trying to start an argument. The father turned around, backhanded the kid, and then turned back to me to finish the deal. It was finished; I went to the stall next door and began the process again, with someone else.

If you think that a seller is being rude to you or to someone around you, why give them money? I bet the store right next door has something similar, if not exactly the same.

The Eighth Commandment--Thou Shalt Check Thy Purchases Before Taking Them Home

Zippers, sizes, batteries, warranty cards, cases, even labels—all of these things should be double checked after the deal is made but before money is handed over. If something is amiss, but you're willing to live with it—a small discoloration on a shirt sleeve, a mis-matching brand camera cover to go with your new camera—you might be able to renegotiate a little in your favour. If it's something unacceptable, like a phone battery that doesn't actually work in the model you've just bought, make sure it's fixed before you leave.

The Ninth Commandment—Thou Shalt Buy in Bulk

Try to get out of the Western mindset that you're negotiating for just one object. If all you want is one pair of socks because the ones you're wearing are soaked, then you might not want to package deal (and you might not get a good price if the seller notices your squishy shoes), but if you're shopping recreationally or for non-necessities you stand a better chance to bargain things down if you group several items together.

When I bought a new camera, I also bargained for a few memory cards, a small tripod, two different carrying cases, a screen protector and a soft cloth for wiping the lens. I paid significantly less than the posted price for just the camera. I got this good deal because I'd done my research, found friendly and idle shopkeepers and given them face by being firm but not pushy and by promising them more business in the future.

The Tenth Commandment—Thou Shalt Not Hide Thy Purchases in Eco-Friendly Bags

I hate the clutter of wadded-up plastic bags that tend to come home with me after a shopping trip, an unnecessary and environmentally unsound mess that seems to take ages to repurpose. In fact, if I'm buying things in a fixed-price store, I usually bring along a backpack or a cloth shopping bag. But, when going power shopping in China, having a lot of bags dangling from your every digit can help you bargain. A friend explained to me that, just as you are sizing up the seller and their likelihood to sell cheaply to you, they're looking at you and figuring just how much of a gullible, susceptible idiot you might be. If you've got a lot of beat-up looking bags, they figure you've been shopping all day and that you're adroit at the dance of the bargain. 

A way to do this without feeling guilty about baby turtles dying from the discarded plastic bags wrapped around their throats, is of course to save a few bags up—the black plastic ones that no one can see inside of are best—and re-use them, with a sturdier cloth bag hidden inside to take the weight of your purchases.

And so, China's expats, with these Commandments in mind, I bid thee – go forth and shop.
 

Related links
Bargaining Is Too Hard for Foreigners in China
Bargaining in China: What’s Fair Game?
5 Ways to Behave Like a Local and Save Money