The art of bargaining?

Bargaining for goods in Beijing too is like a battle of wits between a scholar and a local thud. Or what the Chinese would say “秀才遇见兵，有理说不清”


You really never knew how the fight may turn out to be and which role you are playing.

The prices are marked up extremely high at certain shopping areas such as 红桥 and the Chinese expected you to bargain and yet not lowered the price which would disadvantage them.

An odd paradox but one which stressed me out quite a bit given my lack of skills in the art of bargaining as well as lack of aptitude to quarrel.


Two classic examples below:

Me: Can you show me the item on display? (pointed to a jacket)
Salesgal: What if I removed it and you did not buy? (rudely)
Me: (><).......Never mind then (I thought to myself that I cannot promise I would buy it for sure.)


Me: How much is this scarf?
Salesgirl: 690 RMY (about S$138)
Me: -_- 50 RMY (about S$10)
Salegirl: Are you sick? This quality is so good, how can you offer such a low price?
Me: (-_____-) Never mind then (please, S$138 is also a ridiculous price to sell and really, I would not spend more than S$10 for that scarf)

The right response as my studymate shared after she heard my stories are as follow:

a)
" You did not bring it for me to try so how would you know I would not buy it?"
b)
"No, I am not sick. No need to get nasty. What is a better price you can offer me then?"

It seems that rebuking back is the right way for the bargaining to commence though for me, it appears to be exchanging insults -______-