I always look forward to shopping when I'm outside the country, but this shopping experience at Beijing's Silk Market or Xiushiu Market is totally different, if not the most unpleasant. Don't get me wrong, there are loads to be had, mostly stuff that you don't need, and although I am quite adept at the negotiation, their crazy pricing somehow makes me feel like I walked away not knowing if I got the best price.
The Silk Market is a 6-storey shopping mall housed in a 35,000 square meter complex. What used to be a traditional market style complex has been demolished, and all tenants are now in a modern building, with rent ranging from 4000 Yuan (P28K) to 40, 000 (P280K,reportedly on the coveted ground floor). The basement is littered with luggage, bags and shoes,while the ground up to the 3rd floor has winter clothes, sports jackets, t-shirts,pants, kid's clothes, women's clothes. The upper floors house the silk shops, jewelry, watches, various accessories and the last top floors have the calligraphy,other Chinese souvenirs, and electronics.
Before
The New Silk Market
Originally I wanted to buy a new pair of badminton shoes, but the ubiquitous counterfeit goods scared me away. So I accompanied a colleague who was set on buying a pair of luggage for her US trip next year. We went to a young woman's stall selling (fake) Samsonite and Swiss Gear luggage. The price for a midsized luggage is 550 Yuan, and a small one is at 250.
"No," my friend says.
"Lady, how much you want?" I was surprised at this, but later found out that this was their standard spiel. How weird to be asked how much the product is worth to the consumer!
"My price for the big size is 250 and the small one for 150.""Ridiculous. Why are you asking for such a ridiculous price? Crazy!"
This went on back and forth, with my friend not budging. She is asking for a price of P1750 for a mid-sized Samsonite luggage in a grey, houndstooth design, and a price of P1050 for the weekender luggage. I watch, since my cheap luggage from Taiwan, which was half price at Tesco's was worth P1500, and the luggage I brought in the US for a 2-week trip, bought in Robinson's was worth P2000. And that was very cheap.
Later on, the Chinese lady's voice sounds louder, and she basically shoos my friend away, in spite my friend's offer to buy 3 luggages.
"You crazy, you go to your friend's shop." This was because my office mate tells the lady that she can get the price that she wants in another stall. She is lying of course, because this is our first stop.
I was only a bit shocked because I know the prices of the luggage, but I was also wondering how low the prices can go. Remember that this was our first stop. The Chinese girl kept saying that her luggage quality is good. As if she was saying,
"How dare you! My products are of good quality, even if they are fake!"Unperturbed, this office mate looks for the next stall to negotiate with, and already I feel tired. They kept calling to me, hissing
"You want Louis Vuitton?", pointing to my bag.
"C'mon I will show you the same. Very good quality."
At first I answer
"No, this is a real one." I thought that would shut them up. But they always have an answer.
"I give you a really nice one. Quality the same! Price lower!"
"No," I shake my head.
"You want to have another one?".
"No, thanks"
"How about for your friend?" Honestly, I did not see that coming.
While my friend was busy negotiating for her luggage set, finally settling for a Swiss Gear (imitation of the Swiss Army/Victorinux brand), I notice how they entrapped her into their stall, cornered her with four of them, and kept touching her arm, pleading with her. I slide away, but I could still hear their pleas.
"Lady, why are you so difficult?
"Are you a businesswoman? Why do you make it so hard for me?
"I sold this to a White tourist for 800!"Finally they come to an agreement of 600 Yuan for 3 luggages. P1225 for the small luggage and P1750 for the midsized one. Add the hustling and the harassment: she with her winter clothes on, in a heated stall, in a heated argument,alone and cornered by four merchants, block-balled and on a standstill for an hour or so. Priceless! I found it unbelievable. I was at a distance because I warned her, but my friend obviously wanted to engage. The funny thing about all this is she did not wise up to the Chinese who plus-sold her a Louis Vuitton purple Vernis wallet worth P700!
While doing this post-sales transaction, one attractive young Chinese was eyeing me and in a hush hush tone was inviting me, as if to her secret compartment where all the good stuff is. She educated me on the fake A-grade purse, and the triple A grade fake.
"See, " she tells me, "
you can see the difference in the color and the texture. I touch it too, and I seem to agree. I almost wanted to buy, almost believing it is just like the real thing, you know what I mean? They were that good!
After that experience my friend didn't want to shop anymore.
Pinawisan na sya eh. And I told her I still want to shop, and she can go home if she wanted to. I was always confident I can find my way back to the hotel, whether via the MRT or via taxi, but this girl would not want to come home alone. So we shopped some more. Tshirts (Billabong, Abercrombie knock-offs) were originally priced at 300 Yuan. We bargained and got it for 40 Yuan.
This is their spiel:
"Originally, for the tourists
(the caucasians, she means) I would price this at 300 RMB. Then if you bargain, this would be my price
(she then inputs the 150 price in her calculator). But with you, since I like you, you say you do not know the price of the original item and would not know what price to ask, I will sell this to you for 100. Ok?"
Then if you stood your ground, and would stick to your price, then walk away if she would not budge, she will give it to you.
However, I could not get over the fact that they would grab, not just touch, but grab your arm and tell you, "You need this!" I almost slapped a guy who grabbed my arm, egging me on to buy t-shirts. Acting on reflex, I yank his arm off of me and tell him,
"Don't touch me!". While I was at the silk floor, an American guy was squeezing out of a stall grabbing onto something. His wife was stuck within the confines of the sellers of that stall. He says,
"Let go of my wife!"
both in jest and incredulity. The wife was laughing. It was both enjoyable and unpleasant. My friend who bought a silk comforter, with 2 bags on both arms, was unable to move because they were holding on to him, so he used his other bodily part, his rounded tummy to nudge them to let him go.
My guy officemates had a lesson or two too. When the first guy bought an oversized man- luggage, he got it for 300 Yuan. When 2 other guys from our group went to the same stall, they got it for 250. They were negotiating for a shirt in front of me, a Paul Smith shirt, and a Miss Sixty shirt (similar to the one I bought), they were given a price of 100 Yuan and they were ready to buy. I signaled that I got it for 40, and they got it too. Otherwise, these guys would have bought their girlfriends and kids an overpriced T-shirt.
But still, I wonder if I could get it at 30 Yuan(P200 pesos), because prices in Greenhills are at P300-P350 for a shirt. My pink cardigan was bought for 100 Yuan, with its original tag of 987 (price for American tourists). Now who wants to haggle like that? How long til you reach a negotiation with one tenth of the original price? Two of my officemates, women who are known shoppers, gave up and said they would rather shop at 168. Frankly, I would rather spend the rest of my time reading a book. (On hindsight, I spent less because of the money spent shopping for this trip, hehe).
