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Q: How do you stop a street seller from hassling you to try to buy their products?
The most aggressive sellers that I have come across in China are street sellers. The one's that can walk freely around the city and attempt to make an offer. But whenever the foreigner tells them 'no' they seem to keep following them and come up with better prices when the answer is still 'no'. So what do you think is the best way to stop a street seller from hassling you to buy their products?
i suggest ,say “i have already bought” . in chinese is : wo3 yi3 jing1 mai3 le1(the numbers here are the chinese tone!). then stare at him and say to him a bit louder ： XIE XIE!
hope it works 
"去你妈“ (qu4 ni3 ma1). Simple and efficient.
kchur:
I used to go with a nice 滚 if they ignored my 不要s but my wife gets angry when I'm mean to people :/
Wear ear buds. They don't have to be plugged into anything. It won't stop all the vendors but will dramaticly reduce the number and effort they use.
I use them in copy markets when I want to get past an area that I don't plan to slow down and look at. Two thirds of the vendors leave me alone and the remaining don't waste the energy of trying more than once if I just act like I didn't hear them.
If they continue to hassle me I punch them in the nose, if that doesn't work then I start kicking them and beating their head off the ground until I can see brain matter splaying out. After that you are pretty much safe to walk by them or walk away.
Do you think I have anger issues?
Michael Thomas, do you really need someone to hold your hand and tell you every little thing you should do? I thought you were a man. From America no less. In the USAF.
You're acting and asking more like a Girl Scout. Except, even the Girl Scouts have common sense.
I find that ignoring them works well. It starts way beyond initial contact. Always be aware of your surrounding, and start the "ignoring act" 20 to 30 feet in advance, which means to never, ever even glance in their direction. Personal non grata is the key, and you convey the message by body language. If they follow you, the rule still applies.
Eventually, they will get tired of being ignored. If that doesn't work, tilt you head in at a skewed angle, stare them directly in the eye, and let a slow trickle of drool come out of your mouth. Or, pucker your lips and start making kissing motions to them. That should do the trick.
Just keep walking and don't look at them. If you look at them it means you are interested in whatever scam they have.
Story No. 1:
It was my first summer living in Guilin, and due to the heat, I shaved my (already sparse) head. Because it was a sunny day, i wore a cap as I crossed this bridge. Anyway, this man tries to sell me a comb of all things. When I insist that I dont want it, I take off my hat and say "mei you toufa" (no hair). That worked fo 8 nano-seconds, and he quickly redoubled the "attack" to buy it for my wife. I said "mei you taitai" (no wife) so he insisted on my girlfriend. Finally, exasperated, I said "mei your qian" and walked away.
Story 2:
I am walking through buxing jie (walking street)when this young man runs aftger me if I wanted "massagee". I continued walking saying "bu yao" (I dont want) but he followed me yelling "pretty girl! pretty girl". I continued to ignore him, but he still followed me reappeating pretty girl and making obscene gestures with his hands like intercourse. Finally, he yells really loud "you want sex?"
Well, I turned around with the nastiest smile I could summon and aske "gen women ichi?" (you and me together?). He stared at me open mouthed, pointed at himself and me and I noded slowly. Then, he took to his heels and I never saw him again.
Best thing you can do is ignore them and not say ANYTHING. If you aknowledge them, they will follow.
