Bargaining

A few weeks ago, I went to a local market. It was so crowded in the market. Some people were buying vegetables. Some people were buying clothes. Some people were buying some food. There are just so many things to buy in that local market.

 

And there were some interesting scenes in the market. Some people were bargaining. While seeing those people bargaining, I just recalled a story of traveling in Beijing.

 

It was my first trip to Beijing. Before the trip, some friends indicated that bargaining could be an interesting thing to do. One afternoon, we were in a market, where you could find many clothes and bags.

 

I was just thinking about buying a bag there and just walked around. Suddenly, a bag drew my attention. I just asked a vendor how much the bag was. Well, the first price he told me was outrageous. Of course, I didn’t accept the offer. Then, the bargaining process began.

 

I offered a price that he didn’t accept and I said no to the vendor about the price he offered. We went back and forth. Then, I felt tired and decided to leave. Suddenly, that vendor was trying to stop me. He asked me how much I would like to pay.

 

Well, I didn’t want to buy anymore and just wanted to leave. But the vendor seemed to be so unhappy.

 

Later that day, my friends and I were chatting about bargaining experience that day. A friend mentioned that if I decided to bargain, I had to buy. Hence, that might be the main reason why the vendor was unhappy. It’s the unwritten rule. After the conversation, well, I didn’t bargain again. Bargaining could be fun. For some people, they like the process of agreeing to a deal. However, it’s important to understand the local culture about bargaining first.