Team Buying

In China, the newest shopping craze is tuangou, or team buying, and it uses the  aggregating power of the web and creates flash mobs focussed on creating bargains.  Here’s a taster:

Typically, shoppers looking for the same items find each other online, then band together offline to negotiate special deals on electronics, home furnishings, and automobiles. Some team buyers approach store managers beforehand, others simply show up and flex their collective muscle.

Bargaining is a way of life in China. Shoppers treat sticker prices as a starting point for negotiations, and it’s a point of pride to strike a tough bargain or walk away if unhappy.

Chrsitian Science Montor article