Negotiating for Shanghai Bargains

Shoppers looking for real bargains in Shanghai often end up in the Fenshine Fashion and Accessories Plaza in the central part of the city.  The four story shopping zone features hundreds of small booths where vendors offer inexpensive items with brand name labels, such as Chanel, Prada, Boss, Rolex, Converse, Oakley, Coach, jewelry, luggage, etc.  Most shoppers know the items are poor imitations of the real thing.  The quest for shoppers is bargaining with the shopkeepers for the absolute lowest price.  It is this art of negotiation that makes the shopping experience unique.  For example, a shopper looking for a Chanel bag, might hear an initial sale price of 1,200 yuan, but negotiate with the clerk or shopkeeper to lower the price to 150 yuan ($91 US to $11).  Listen to some of the negotiating below.

Audio of negotiation with shopkeeper:
Click to experience this media file | Right-click to download

Bike Repair

Even though China’s auto industry is booming, the number of bikes and mopeds on the road is astounding.  It’s no surprise, then, that there are bike repair shops set up across the city, like this one near Fudan University. 

Costing Out China

By American standards, China seems to be an inexpensive place to live.  The currency in China is called the yuan or RMB.  There are just under eight yuan to one U.S. dollar.  As the journalism group travels around Shanghai, we’ve noticed how inexpensive items appear to be based on what we see back home.  A breakfast value meal at McDonald’s in Shanghai runs about $1.50.  A taxi ride from central Shanghai to the downtown area, about 10-15 minutes, will cost 15-20 yuan, less than $2.00.  A bottle of Tsingtao beer in a bar or restaurant is about $3.00, but the same beer purchased at a small market is about 75-cents.  At the Nanjing Road pedestrian mall, Nike sports shoes were about $28 US.  At a mall, near our Shanghai restaurant, a polo or Izod golf shirt is more expensive at about $90.  Two nights ago, at a Chinese restaurant, our dinner featuring eight different dishes, cost $5.25 per person.  There’s no tipping anywhere in China—not at restaurants, at airports , taxis or other places.

Greetings from The Bund

Ten journalism students from the University of Illinois are visiting China as part of an international reporting class.  On May 18, in Shanghai, student reporter Lauren Thorbjornsen interviewed classmate Elizabeth Murray as they stood on The Bund.  The Bund is a pedestrian walkway along the Huangpu River, just across from the famous Pudong district of Shanghai.  Behind Lauren and Liz, you’ll see the famous Pudong skyline that features the 1,500 foot tall Oriental Pearl TV and radio tower, third tallest TV tower in the world.

Shanghai cab drivers give New Yorkers a run for their money

Our most common mode of transportation is by a cab, and by our third day now, it is a miracle we have not died. Traffic in Shanghai defies the laws of space - these crazy cabs, bikes and scooters will squeeze through anything and honk their way through.