From the pearl factory we went to the market, and it was time to shop, shop, shop. In China there are many big markets with just about anything sold from little booths. Many of the things are knock-off brand clothes and bags. There are also many Chinese souvenirs, all real of course and only one in China. We went to a more mild market where vendors couldn’t leave their booths and follow you and weren’t that aggressive. Then we went off to the Silk Street Market, which is much more crowded, busy and fun.
The best part of these markets is being able to bargain, haggle and negotiate the price down to a fraction of their original asking price since their original asking price is absolutely ridiculous. It’s a big game that’s really fun to play. You joke with them and they joke with you. They insult you and you insult them. You walk away and they yell after you telling you a cheaper price. They insist that they’re giving you the best price ever with the biggest discount ever and you say heck no, too much.
I had heard about these markets from friends who have been to China with the Young Ambassadors. They would tell me all about the special prices like “best friend price” and more. I even used this in some of my haggling asking them for a best friend price. Another fun thing to do in the market is look at the labels for horrendous mistakes like the following Abercrombie & Fitch shorts or to find the most interesting things like these little figures of famous people like Obama.
My favorite tactics were when they would say “that’s only five yuan difference, and I need ice cream.” I responded by saying “yeah, it’s only five yuan, and I need ice cream.” They would laugh and tell me I’m fat and I would respond saying “yes, I am.” One vendor felt my forehead for a temperature and told me I’m crazy. I just smiled and agreed. The haggling game is so much fun and I’m excited to continue play when I get a chance.
