What I love about China - Most Things are Negotiable, Nothing is Fixed.
Since I was a child, I watched with both admiration and discomfort how well my parents were playing the bargaining game at markets and shops.
The first price that you get may not be the one you pay in the end and both parties know this very well.
An item for 50 Yuan can be bargained to 30 with the right arguments, or you might even walk away with two for 40.
It is a social play, a fluid dance, a demonstration of skill.
What I wasn’t aware of was how this game goes beyond markets and small shops.
(Obviously, in supermarkets or big chains it’s impossible to bargain.)
But the last place I expected bargaining was in gyms!
The first time I went to a gym in Beijing, my uncle called out to me before I left:
Ask them for a New Year’s discount.
I laughed at his remark. When I finally arrived at a gym I liked and got a tour around the 3000qm space, I jokingly asked about a New Year’s discount for two one-week passes.
What I didn’t expect was that the coach immediately took my request seriously and after a few seconds gave in!!
Another time, in Kunming, I walked into a gym and explained upfront that I’d only be staying for one week. When I asked about a day pass or week pass, I was politely guided to a separate room to talk.
You can imagine my surprise that I wasn’t simply given a price, but a room for negotiation.
Me: Listen, I’m here short-term and just want to know how much a one-day or one-week pass costs. I just want to start my workout. At other gyms it was never an issue to get a price.
Him: Yes, I understand. But if we know more about your needs, we can make you a better offer.
(He continued asking about my length of stay and if I stayed nearby. It was a nationwide chain, which is why I think he tried to assess whether I might buy more.)
Me: I’m a tourist for 6 days and will leave the country afterwards. How much do I pay for one day?
Him: (Talks for two minutes about something else) … Well, minimum is 70 Yuan, but if you bought a 5-day pass, it could be cheaper.
Me: So, cheaper than 350 Yuan? Are we talking 300? Or 200?
Him: Please wait a sec, I’ll ask a collegue.
At this point, at least five minutes have passed since I entered the gym and I still had no information about the price. I was starting to get annoyed.
His collegue, a young woman with a wide smile, entered.
Her: Hi! I heard you’re here only for a week?
Me: Yes, 6 days. How much is a day or week pass?
Her: Well, a week pass will be 199 Yuan. But let me show you around first.
Me (finally, a number!): That seems quite high, in Beijing I paid 200 Yuan for two weeks. I might check out other gyms in this mall.
Her: Alright, but come, let me show you around. And here, have a free bottle of water.
(I call this consolation water. Many times when I tried to negotiate somewhere, had a request, or raised a complaint, I was given a free bottle of water.)
She gave me a full tour, and by the end I was genuinely impressed.
Me: You know what. This looks really impressive. But can’t we do anything about the price?
Her: If you stayed longer, we’d give you the second week for free.
Me: That’s a shame. But can’t I transfer the second week to someone else? I’m here with my dad.
Her: Hm… I think we could do that. How old is he?
Me: He’ll be 64 this year.
Her: Well, we’d need to adjust that - the gym is restricted to ages 16-60. Does he work out?
Me: Yes, he is very familiar with gyms!
Her: Great, I’ll set up the contracts for you. You can start your workout now!
dad caught a cold that week and never set foot in the gym. still, i made a good bargain.
this post is part of the root-seeking journey series