When you travel to Beijing, the markets are the perfect opportunity to get some little knick-knacks to take back home to your friends and family. However, amid the choice you have to sort out the winners from the binners. Markets are located everywhere in the city and just a short walk away from a subway station and are highly recommended for any Beijing Tour.
Tips & Tricks
Be thorough: Before you start haggling for a product, triple check the product you are looking to buy: Does the bag have a detachable handle? Is the zip secure? Are there any marks? Are there any holes? etc etc.
Shop around: If you see similar products at other stalls, inquire at the quietest stall. A busier stall will mean that the sellers will be less likely to reduce the price. On inquiring about a bracelet at a busy stall, I was offered 180RMB and the seller would not go any lower. Having walked away and went to a quieter stall, I found the exact same bracelet and got it for 25RMB.
Lighter test: If you are ever buying what you think are leather goods, ask for a lighter and preform the leather lighter test. The obvious answer to whether the leather is fake or not is whether the seller will let you do it or not. Just to double check, slowly bring the flame to the product (preferably at the back or at the corner) and move it in a straight line. If the leather is real it will not leave a mark. If it is fake, it will burn.
Be patient: Getting a real good deal on the product will take some time, from my experience it can take anything from 5 to 20minutes to get the ideal price. From own experience, I have managed to haggle a coat down from 4000RMB (£400) to 200RMB (£20) by sticking to my price and only moving the price up in small steps and not very often.
Walk away: Walking away is one of the hardest but one the best things to do whilst you are haggling for a better price. You will always get the seller shouting “hey lady/mister!” at you or going to grab your arm to bring you back to the stall and offering you a lower price. They will come out with all sort of elaborate phrases like “Ahhh! Lady! I make no money! You make me poor!” but match them with their obscenities. My personal favourite is “I am a poor student!”
Group deals: If you are in a group, try to get the price lower by asking for a “group deal”. This has worked for me on many occasions were I can get the price even lower if there are 2 or 3 of your friends buying similar products from the same stall.
Market shopping and haggling is an enjoyable experience that Westerners are not used to. Just a short walk away from your Beijing Hotel, you will find some small market stalls. The most established markets (like the Silk Market and Yashow) are on 6 floors and similar to a department store. Just make sure that you are getting the best possible quality to avoid disappointment!
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