Comments on: Thieves and neighbors http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/ Dispatches from somewhere far away Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:37:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Ben http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-709 Ben Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:18:48 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-709 Most of the fruit you buy on the street anywhere in China comes from the local wholesale market (批发市场). Typically vendors go there every morning, buy fruit, then sell it to you at about a 15-20% markup. I'd would think that the fruit from Walmart and other supermarkets comes from a similar source, but I'm not really sure. As for getting ripped off, the key is just knowing the real prices of stuff. If you don't know what the real price is, you will get ripped off, even if you are Chinese. Ask around and find out what everybody else is paying. Give the vendor a hard, fair, offer. They will probably reject you and tell you they can't make any money if the sell it that cheap. Then you just shrug, walk away, and wait for them to call for you to come back...works every time. And the price you pay for something in the street should ALWAYS be cheaper than you would pay if you bought it inside a building. Most of the fruit you buy on the street anywhere in China comes from the local wholesale market (批发市场). Typically vendors go there every morning, buy fruit, then sell it to you at about a 15-20% markup. I’d would think that the fruit from Walmart and other supermarkets comes from a similar source, but I’m not really sure. As for getting ripped off, the key is just knowing the real prices of stuff. If you don’t know what the real price is, you will get ripped off, even if you are Chinese. Ask around and find out what everybody else is paying. Give the vendor a hard, fair, offer. They will probably reject you and tell you they can’t make any money if the sell it that cheap. Then you just shrug, walk away, and wait for them to call for you to come back…works every time. And the price you pay for something in the street should ALWAYS be cheaper than you would pay if you bought it inside a building.

]]> By: kelly http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-707 kelly Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:13:33 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-707 恩 中国有很多这样的人，但是到超市去买就很放心…… 恩 中国有很多这样的人，但是到超市去买就很放心……

]]> By: China Law Blog http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-705 China Law Blog Sat, 15 Dec 2007 07:22:58 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-705 Do the capitalist thing and buy from wherever strikes your fancy at any given moment. Don't moralize about it. Do the capitalist thing and buy from wherever strikes your fancy at any given moment. Don’t moralize about it.

]]> By: Jessica http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-703 Jessica Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:41:13 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-703 My Japanese neighbors warn me not to buy fruit from vendors on the street because they say they use a lot more pesticides. I'm not sure where they got that info or how accurate it is. Any idea if there's any truth to that? My Japanese neighbors warn me not to buy fruit from vendors on the street because they say they use a lot more pesticides. I’m not sure where they got that info or how accurate it is. Any idea if there’s any truth to that?

]]> By: dezza http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-702 dezza Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:20:11 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-702 how could you get ripped off if you know what the prices are of produce at the supermarket? prices on the street should be 30-50% lower. haggle if you have to. i've found supermarkets in China and HK to have subpar fruit compared to street vendors and wet markets. tell your roommate to haggle, haggle, haggle! how could you get ripped off if you know what the prices are of produce at the supermarket? prices on the street should be 30-50% lower. haggle if you have to. i’ve found supermarkets in China and HK to have subpar fruit compared to street vendors and wet markets.
tell your roommate to haggle, haggle, haggle!

]]> By: Jonathan http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-700 Jonathan Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:20:26 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-700 I am 100% with you, man; I get the overwhelming majority of my everything from street stalls: produce, clothing, yongpin, everything. I've been to Walmart once and Watsons twice, and only when I need to buy shaving cream (cause Gilette really is the best a man can get). I am 100% with you, man; I get the overwhelming majority of my everything from street stalls: produce, clothing, yongpin, everything. I’ve been to Walmart once and Watsons twice, and only when I need to buy shaving cream (cause Gilette really is the best a man can get).

]]> By: san http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-698 san Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:20:14 +0000 http://www.chrisamico.com/2007/12/14/thieves-and-neighbors/#comment-698 i'm lucky to have an honest fruit seller at the fruits & veg near where i live (in beijing) in the cbd zone. my local friend introduced me to her and i don't have to say a word - i get it at a very good and cheap price - all the fruits. but that's all - being a foreign chinese, my accent, no matter how much i've improved - is still, flawed :) i get 99% of my other daily needs at walmart/carrefour or even jenny lou's. like ur friend, less human interaction - less bargaining - less time wasted. everyone's happy... i’m lucky to have an honest fruit seller at the fruits & veg near where i live (in beijing) in the cbd zone. my local friend introduced me to her and i don’t have to say a word - i get it at a very good and cheap price - all the fruits.

but that’s all - being a foreign chinese, my accent, no matter how much i’ve improved - is still, flawed :) i get 99% of my other daily needs at walmart/carrefour or even jenny lou’s.

like ur friend, less human interaction - less bargaining - less time wasted. everyone’s happy…

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