Around the world, it’s common to find small, clandestine souvenir shops with no prices on any of their items. And China is no exception! That’s right. In Chinese tourist traps, you’ve got to barter!
The Chinese assume that Westerners have incredible buying power—and to a certain degree they’re right. After all, one yuan is about 20 cents Canadian. So you can expect merchants to quote you grossly inflated prices. Shopkeepers even keep calculators on hand to aid with the bargaining process.
For instance, I was interested in decorative chopsticks sold at a Shanghai kiosk. The seller initially quoted 135 yuan (approximately CA$27), but I managed to talk him down to 100 yuan! But then one of my colleagues pick up a pair for half of what I paid. And another person in our group got some for 10 yuan!
What’s the lesson? Don’t be duped. Compare prices and barter for the lowest possible price.