Shopping, Beijing

When you are shopping in Beijing, you have to be extra careful with the price you have to pay. Before paying any cash, confirm the price and avoid giving more cash than the price as you may not get back the rest. If you go to a restaurant, ask for a menu. Local street vendors try to cheat you if you find a chance. I was charged 15 Yuan for a skewer costing 5 Yuan only. The convenience stores usually don't have price tags on any item. A snickers chocolate bar can cost you 25 Yuan in these places.

Unique Suggestions: Ask the price, confirm before you pay.

Fun Alternatives: If you are careful and you know the usual price, you can avoid these scams.

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Again I would mark this as a tourist trap since you will be enticed to buy stuff inside since you are eating in their restaurant called Golden Palace but however, unlike sales person in other countries, they will not pester or force you to buy what they sell. Most tours of the Ming Emperor Tombs and Great Wall (whetther Badaling or Juyongguan or Mutianyu or Simatai) will pass by here since they have the largest restaurant in the Chang Ping Area so be ready to be overhwhelmed by the sheep beauty of ceramics (the chinese invented ceramics and improved on cloisonne ok!). I you are a ceramic lover or a cloisoone lover, this is paradise however I am not a ceramics or cloisonne lover hence this is a tourist trap for me.

Unique Suggestions: a simple ceramic plate cost 30 RMB, for exquisite plates at RMB 50 and other ceramics like jars cost 500 RMB for small ones, pls see my pics.

Fun Alternatives: just look around and don't buy if your not a ceramics lover

When you have a guide in China as I did, they do bring you to places like a tea store, a silk store, a Traditional Medicine Clinic, a pearl store and other places…However, be aware that when you enter such stores, the sales people can be very aggressive in trying to make sure that you buy something.

They were particularly aggressive with me since they were thinking I had money to splurge since I had my own personal guide and a driver too. I did buy some expensive silk, but I did refrain from buying other stuff like in the tea store (I just bought a $10 tea) and the saleslady was not too pleased! Sorry, Madam, I just buy this $10 tea, okay?

Oh well, I guess they are just trying to get the most out of you but just be aware that, as in other touristy areas, you have to learn how to say “no” when necessary.

Unique Suggestions: Just say, "No More Money". She-she (thank you...)

Fun Alternatives: Have your tourguide (if you have one) tell salesperson you are not interested...

IF U BUY FRUITS ETC JUST WATCH THE SCALE WHEN THEY WEIGH ,some sellers give u less and charge a lot,,close to BLCU west gate fruit shops does this often instead of 500 gram they will try to give u 450 etc,,

Unique Suggestions: dont buy and return the fruit

Fun Alternatives: buy from department store supermarkets

I want to buy banana, so I go to small supermarket in the wangfujing street.
The shop girl weight the banana, calculate the price (using calculator) and say the price: 36 yuan in chinese (I cannot understand chinese, but I see the price from calculator). I am really surprised with the price, for 5 pieces small banana almost 400 yen?? So I ask again in english: how much money?
the shop girl recognized me not a chinese, and say 45 yuan. So I cancel to buy....

Be careful, in small shop, even for banana you have to bargain.
If you don't want to bargain, please go to big supermarket or dept store that has fixed price for everything.

I actually think this place is fascinating and fun. I've spent a couple of interesting afternoons at the Silk Market recently buying a few things (shirts and shoes) and practicing my Mandarin with the shopgirls. The majority of them are very kind and interesting, but, yes, of course they are trying to sell things. It's their job! There's a network of them that come up from Anhui Province. I had bad experiences with a few of them who wanted to rant against Americans once they found out where I was from. But overall, they were great. I'd strongly suggest, however, taking this place in small doses. It's VERY intense. The other option is to fly through as if you are on a mission and mean business. If the vendor is playing too many calculator price games with you, go to a nearby one and say "Give it to me for blank kuai" as if you are going to leave in seconds if they don't say "OK". I actually bought two shirts today using this method and didn't have to bargain at all (I'd done the bargaining a few stalls down). Finally, almost everyone suggests responding to their high price with your own low one and then meeting somewhere in between. Twice today I bought items at a rock bottom price by refusing to budge at all. I had bought a short sleeve polo shirt for 50 kuai and a girl I'd met a few days earlier saw me and complained that I should buy one from her. So, I told her to give me the long sleeve version of the same shirt for 40 kuai. She couldn't believe it! I used their own tactics by saying, "Look, I don't want this shirt. I'm only buying it because I like you." And held my ground until her price finally lowered to mine.

Unique Suggestions: People, BARGAIN! I had two women tell me a 600 renminbi price for a (pretty good quality) backpack. Since I'd been speaking with them for awhile, the ridiculous price really irked me and I just walked away. The last price I heard them shout out was 80 renminbi! Bargain, but don't be rude (especially Americans...they really seem to think we are exceptionally rude). Having said that, there will be times when you just have to physically bust out of a stall with a young girl hanging on your arm. I'd suggest that the best way to avoid this is not to look at things you aren't interested in buying. If you want to buy it, then buy it. I promise you, you can get them down to a price you are happy with. However, check the quality carefully. It's easy to tell (at least with clothes), how well made (or poorly made...as the case is more likely to be) they are. It's not worth paying even $5 for a shirt that's going to unravel the first time you wear it. Look at the stitching especially. Turn the sleeves of jackets inside out, etc. If it's bad quality, show them and walk away. It's the simplest exit strategy.

THOSE MARKETS ARE TOURIST TRAPS THEY WILL TRY TO SELL U THE THINGS TEN TIMES MORE EXPENSIVE THAN NORMAL PRICE,,AND THEY WILL TRY TO PULL U TO THE STORES USING HANDS ETC TOUCHING YOU ,HARRASING ETC,,!!!

Hi there, if you want a bargain I would steer clear of electronics in China unless from a reputable dealer. China are the worlds best at copying. Everything on the outside looks fine.... Have a great trip.

Unique Suggestions: If you need to buy electronics in China then ensure you are buying from a dealer who can prove his status and provenance of the goods he is selling.

Fun Alternatives: Clothes, and accessories are "best buys", luggage, ladies handbags and accessories. I bought a wheelie suitcase for some extra purchases and one of the wheels fell off before I got home - you have been warned.