Bartering in China's Pearl Market

Meagan Floyd
University of Louisville

In China, no price is really set in stone. It is up to you, the shopper, to earn a fair price for your purchases. Bartering applies to almost every purchase whether it's clothing, jewelry, or electronics. At first I was nervous to barter; I didn't want to fight with people that didn't speak my language over how much they were charging for their goods. In our first weeks in Shanghai, I brought Max into stores with me and whispered prices in his ear so he could barter for me. By the end of the trip I became more confident and ruthless in my bartering skills; by the time we reached Beijing, I could buy a Diet Coke for half the price (which came in handy if anyone knows the volume of Diet Coke I consume). 

Nowhere were our newfound bartering skills put to the test as they were in Beijing's Pearl Market. The Pearl Market is four floors of booths filled with electronics, watches, silk, clothes, and, of course, pearls. During our first trip to the market we decided to play a game: we all drew each others' names out of a hat and, acting as "Secret Santas," had to buy gifts for each other that cost between 30 to 50 yuan (5-8 USD).

After dinner, we all met up in our hotel to exchange gifts; it seemed like Christmas had come early. We exchanged jade jewelry, cheesy tshirts, and even shoes we had bargained for earlier in the day. We laughed as we exchanged stories of trying to find the right gift for the right price in the Pearl Market. I know every time I wear the bracelet from the Secret Santa game that night I will be reminded of my last few days of adventures in Beijing with 9 of my favorite people.

Meagan Floyd, from Louisville, Ky., is a senior McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville and is currently studying in the People's Republic of China. She is majoring in political science with a minor in social change.