I hate it enough when I walk into an art or antique shop, in the U.S., and there are no prices on anything.  Then, I know that the dealer will try to assess my knowledge and net worth before he gives me a price on anything.  Here, in China, there are prices on very few things in very few stores, the exception being larger international brands department stores and supermarkets.  Worse, still, is that everyone already categorizes me as a foreigner and, therefore, rich because my foreign money has a great deal of Chinese buying power.  Of course, my business has been knowing markets for many years in many different circumstance, and my starting point for price knowledge is that things in China are priced in terms of the buying power of the Yuan.  Thus, we begin our dance from different sides of the dance floor, and negotiation begins. 

Another factor that enters this dance is that all the sellers are buying relatively cheap, but some are trying to get rich quick.  Thus, even my Chinese associate can and will negotiate.  Since we are both experts in mapping out markets, we know what the prices can and should be.  In the end, we come to mutual terms with some seller, while we simply do not buy or deal with those people who are unreasonable.  If you are dealing, in China, on business, on vacation or at a distance, be sure and know the proper market prices.  Don't be a fool just because something seems cheap or reasonable, in foreign currency terms: those are not the proper terms to deal in, here.