What's fair?

Americans can be objects of derision. We don't speak Chinese, or if we do, we speak it poorly. We are very easy to cheat, for we do not bargain.

In certain settings-- small stores and fabric shops-- bargaining is expected. But Americans usually don't. So when they see us coming, Chinese merchants know they're going to make a huge profit. I, however, have figured out how to bargain. I use a calculator. I get them to enter an initial price. I reduce it by 50%; the merchant makes a counter offer, and we eventually wind up somewhere in the middle. I usually get them to knock 25% or so off the initial price.

Other day, I went shopping with my colleague's sister. People keep offering to take me shopping. They seem to think I'm helpless. The sister seemed not to be bargaining. I began to feel she was representing the merchants' interests more than mine. So, using the calculator technique, I bargained. Everyone seemed surprised. And the merchants reduced the prices. But they seemed furious. I guess they'd counted on making out like bandits.

I learned to bargain from my Austrian Jewish grandmother. And I've always thought it's proper to do where it's the custom. On the other hand, these people seemed poor. Undoubtedly, they needed the money much more I. Mostly, I bargained to show I wasn't an idiot. Because of the lopsided exchange rate, there is little an American cannot afford here?. Was I wrong to bargain?

Above: A market in downtown Weihai