The 10th Episode : Prices made by haggling
[November, 1982 Yangshuo, China]
Many people were at the tourist areas but most of them were tourists. The Chinese people still seemed to have no room for sightseeing elegantly. Actually I saw many local people but they were souvenir sellers for the tourists. They spread sheets on the red clay ground beside the streets to put souvenirs.
Some came to my side with souvenirs in their hands without waiting at their shops, and constantly tried to sell the goods. Speaking in Chinese but no way to make tourists understood. Even if I turned them down, sellers came one after another. I found interesting goods and asked the prices, as prices were not shown at all.
I did of course ask to make the prices down then they refused my offer at first, but I was tenacious to negotiate. Then it got down and down. Half price was ordinary, it got to one third and some were to one fifth. What a rough business! What was the first offered price?
I learnt we definitely need to negotiate not to lose money.
