Culture Shocks: Shopping in Shanghai

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e’ve been in this room for nearly 20 minutes now – four of us in a space not much bigger than the average toilet cubicle – and the market trader who let us in won’t take ‘no’ for an answer to the offer of a ‘genuine Hermès handbag’.

There are two locked doors between us and the bustling Han City Fashion and Accessories Plaza; the most expensive goods are sold behind ‘vacant’ store fronts in order to avoid the prying eyes of undercover spies sent to sniff out counterfeits for sale.
I’ve heard that many stall owners will trade only with foreigners. Doing business with the locals is often seen as too risky, when they could easily be employees of high-end brands paid to snoop.

It’s hot, brightly lit, and for Britons accustomed to personal space, queueing, and being left alone to quietly browse the aisles, it can be both a frustrating and an intimidating experience; at this point, I’m getting ready to leave the trader’s ears ringing with a blast from the personal alarm concealed in my bag.

Be sure you want to buy something before showing more than a passing interest…

Luckily for us (and for our ears), at that moment there is a knock on the door, and the trader leaves to help deal with an American couple who are haggling over a piece of luggage. Confidence restored, we jostle our way out, empty-handed, through the main door before anyone can stop us.

Back in the market, we are again surrounded by entreaties from traders hawking everything from silk scarves to big brand electronics. Be sure you want to buy something before showing more than a passing interest – and certainly before touching it! – or you could find things getting a little more up close and personal than you might like.

If you stand your ground and bargain hard, there are some incredible purchases to be made…

If you stand your ground and bargain hard, there are some incredible purchases to be made. Traders will quote astronomical opening prices, and pretending to lose interest and walk away can secure you a discount of anything up to 90%. I managed to pick up several pairs of comfortable shoes for the equivalent of around eight pounds.

In the end, though, it all becomes too much; tired of being grabbed, shouted at and pushed at every turn by traders and customers alike, we run the gauntlet to the exit and out into the bustle and pollution of Shanghai, vowing never to complain about a checkout queue again.