Let's Make a Deal

By Cara Doronila

July 20, 2008

Back home, I was known to be a shopaholic. Bags, shoes, dresses - these were the great loves of my life. It has come to the point where my closet had become too small to fit my huge addiction. And coming to China definitely has not stopped my shopping habit. As soon as I learned about the Silk Street/Pearl Market, I knew I had found paradise.

I had entered every shopper's dream. Jackets, jeans, jewelry...they've got it all. A whole army of salespeople lined up at every aisle, all wanting your attention. Vendors, left and right, enticing you to check out their products. "Hey, sexy mamas! I've got something special for you."

And they most certainly did. I spotted this knockoff version of a "Calvin Klein" jacket as soon as I entered the market. It was calling me to it, as well as the vendor. "It's very slimming. New style," said the saleswoman. After looking at myself for about five minutes as I try on this "slimming" jacket, I was sold.

But here comes the fun part: bargaining. The tiny Chinese woman whips out her enormous calculator and tells me, "Since you are my first customer, I will give you a discount." I looked at the number she punched in and automatically refused that price. "Ta gui le! (Too expensive)" So I entered my own price, which was ten times less than she proposed. Her response: "Are you serious? Come on. This is expensive coat. New style." But I wouldn't budge. She kept insisting on a ridiculous price and I kept refusing.

So finally told her, "Zai jian (See you later)," and began to walk away. All of a sudden she caved in. I was completely shocked to see how easily and quickly she changed her mind. And the jacket was quite a bargain. If only now I could do that back in the States.