Tips For Shopping in China

Bargaining

Bargaining is the rule in China.  At least, at the many markets and back-street clothes stalls.  Bargaining is an art form. If you are unfamiliar with how to bargain below are some helpful tips.

Do Not say how much you want to pay for an item unless its near the end of the process.  Always try and drop the seller's offering price as much as possible.

Do throw out really low prices like 10 RMB as long as you have a big smile.

Do keep smiling throughout.  The seller is much more likely to continue bargaining with a happy smiling face.  The initial price offered by the sellers is often 40% to even 400% over the general acceptable price.

Do have an idea of what the item is worth. Below is a chart that will give you an idea of what you should pay. Keep in mind pricing will vary depending on the city you are in.

Note: 100 RMB is about 15.00 US.