Bargain Shopping

I, like any self respecting male, hate shopping. I hate bargaining even more. I feel like everyone is out to get me. Unfortunately, bargaining is a big part of traveling, especially in China. China has its own rules when it comes to bargaining, the 50% off rule doesn't apply although vendors will be more than happy if that is all you ask for.

If something catches your eye and you ask how much it costs, counter immediately with a 80% discount to the sellers price. Harsh as it sounds, at most you'll get a disgusted look on the vendors face or, like the knife vendor in Kashgar, he'll put his hand on your forehead to see if you are suffering from high fever which is making you delusional. Most of the time though they won't blink an eye and counter with a lower offer and then you'll know your in the game. You'll get your item for less than 50%, I got a bag that started at 200 yuan for 30, but only after a lady before me did the haggling for the same type of bag.

Also, it turns out that my trying to pick out honest from dishonest vendors just by looking at them doesn't work. I once bought a cup off pomegranate juice and got charged 10 yuan for it. I paid thinking I got ripped off, the vendor was a shifty person with a pencil thin mustache but it turns out 10 yuan is the fair price for it - honest vendor. Then I dropped into a store of a homely looking muslim women who right off the bat gave me a fair price for some beads I was looking at 8 yuan, only for her to attempt to shortchange with a 1 yuan bill and another bill equivalent to their 10 cents. Only when I stood there looking at her as if to say "Really, you're going to shortchange me 90 cents. And we were off to such a good start", did she demurely take back her 10 cent note and give me the proper change - dishonest vendor.

I must admit, it feels good when you feel like you got yourself a bargain.