Here everything is so cheap compared to America. It is awesome. One yuan or 17 cents for one bottle of water that would usually cost about 2 dollars. It seems traveling in China is not as expensive with taxicabs costing at most 20 yuan or 3.3 dollars. Also no taxes here gives you the opportunity to buy more. The only thing about prices is the bargaining sometimes. It is definitely fun but also a little stressful. On Silk Street which is not a street by the way. It is actually a 5 story building full of fake items. The prices are far from the real prices but not the amount you want to pay for something fake. Here is a little how to on bargaining.

HOW TO BARGAIN IN CHINA:

Example Situation: Trying to buy hello kitty bag

Step 1: Walk in and browse a little. Touch some stuff to tease them a bit. They might follow you around or just watch you like a hawk.

Step 2: Ask how much “Duo Shao Qian?” then they will give you a price that is crazy for the thing you are thinking about buying. Let’s say they offer the hello kitty purse for 60 yuan or 10 dollars. That’s too much and you should probably want it for 25 yuan or 4 dollars.

Step 3: To get the price you want. Lowball them and ask for a much lower price. “Too Much, 10 yuan” you say. They will probably respond “Impossible” and pull out their handy dandy calculator and quickly calculate a different price that is much lower than original but still a lot. “40 yuan” they’ll say.

Step 4: Now you repeat “Too much” or “I don’t have that much money” and you’ll say a higher price than your original offer. “25 yuan” you say. Then if they still won’t come down in price. You walk away. Yes you walk away. Left or Right or forward or backward as long as you walk away.

Step 5: Keep your ears open as you walk away and you’ll hear an “Ok”. Success you have just bargained with a Chinese person trying to get the most money out of you but instead you have your hello kitty bag and your money to put it in.

 Panda Themed Store in Silk Street