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Q: Have you become adept at bargaining?
In open air markets and the like, there tend to be three prices: one price for the locals, another price for the Chinese who are not local, and one very egregious price for the foreigners. Have you become good at bargaining? Do you speak enough Chinese to be able to bargain successfully?
Though i am a native,i am not good at bargaining at all.So i usually take my friends with me when i go shopping or i just buy clothes and appliances on net.
Chenchan, thank you for your comment. Some of my Chinese friends also tell me that they are not good at bargaining (I am not good at it at all). However, my other Chinese friends take me to the market and I observe how they do and I think that I have learned a little from it. Still, it requires almost a special skill set to bargain correctly and one that I am still learning, slowly.
Lots of my friends told me the same skill,cutting the price in half that sellers ask for.
Usually, I find a few sellers who sell the same stuff, and compare their price.After I know the offer,I pick one to cut price. Normally, cut the price one-third.
I am TERRIBLE at bargaining! Even though my Chinese language ability is getting better, Iwill bargain using the calculator that they usually have. I once in trying to say 14 (shi-si) I ended up saying 40 (si-shi!)! From the original price of 20 yuan!
HugAPanda:
o.o Did you get the item? Or two? You can bargain with me!!
I'm good at bargaining. I'm not good at Mandarin. It'll be interesting. And fun!
Maybe I should hijack GuilinRaf and take him with me!
I think the ability to speak Chinese is of no consequence when bargaining. I'm not interested in having a conversation with the vendor. I have my price in mind, usually 25% to 30% of their initial offer. I can say "How much?" and "Too expensive!" in Chinese. I understand the prices they quote me. That's all I need. They can either take it or leave it.
Bargaining is an art, not a science, thus it is hard to make or follow set rules. To me, in my mind, when I see something I need, like or want, I do find out the asking price. Then I figure how much it is really worth for me, or how much is the top price I am willing to pay for it.
Then, the bargaining process starts. Normally I bid about 20 % of the asking price. Counteroffers fly back and forth, and in many occassions since my top figured cost is not reached, I do walk away. Many times I am called back with another offer.
When I see I can't get them low enough, I do give them my card with phone number on it, and ask to be callled when they ae willing to really sell the item. You will be surprised, I do get a few to call back with and agreement.
In Guangzhou, once at Gomz, I saw a flat 3D TV 52" LG TV on sale, and fell in love with the picture quality. They wanted 13,999 Rmb for it. We bargained back and forth and got them down to 11,000, but it was still too much for me, so I left. A few days later, I walked by the store and was called in, and told that they were willing to sell for 10,000, and I still said no, too expensive, and left again. About two weeks after I went back with 7,000 Rmb cash on me, and showed them the money, they said NO, not enough, I said fine and turned to leave when I was told to wait, they made a phone call to some manager and asked me if I will buy inmediately for 7,000 Rmb. I showed the money again and told them yes, and they agree to the sale. I do have that TV today, and I think I had a bargain.
I guess that for major purchases you must do your homework first and do not act on impulse. I do check price in Internet, do find comments of others who have purchased it, and then decide if I do want it or not.
My next item to get is a Nikkon 3D digital camera with a zoom lens, maybe a 75 to 250 mm. That thing sells for close to $ 1000 US dollars on line. We shall see what I can get it for......
I've gotten better over the years. When I first came here and heard they had these markets that sell cheap stuff I was excited. But after they offered me a toy car for 100 dollars and I knew I could get that same car back home for 6 dollars I stopped going there. I have gotten good deals on a chess set and those types of things are the only thing I would probably go to a market for nowadays. I don't go there for clothing anymore which I use to before. Now I will only go to get some nice chess sets which I trust the outside markets more than the one's in those fancy buildings. I got a chess set for like 15 to 20 kuai outside and I went to the market indoors they were offering to sell it to me for like 800 kuai. What a joke!
just go to silk market several times the sales girl there piss u off like hell nd you'll develop the bargaing skills on ur own....
I ask the price , halve it then bargain down from there , if they dont like it , I walk , easy
If I know the EXACT price, I'll ask it directly, then walk away if the seller refuses (which usually suceeds). If I don't know the price but absolutely want the product, I'll bargain a price under 50. But if it's something I need and I don't want to get angry for nothing, I'll just go on Taobao or use guanxi's.....
Not even close, friend. I've become adept at not finding clothes that fit!
I simply can't do it. I just get too embarrassed by the whole ordeal. So I always get ripped off. Even if I do get the price down a bit, I walk away feeling SO uncomfortable. Hate it.
Thank goodness I don't like shopping much.
Yes, bargaining gas become a fun hobby of mine. The only places I don't bargain is where I cannot - supermarkets, department stores, malls, movie theaters, etc,
icnif77:
She can't 'hear' you! My 'metadata' showed, she was ben-ned in 2012.
