The Economist has an article highlighting Chineese websites (http://www.teambuy.com.cn , http://51tuangou.com) that specialized in bringing together mobs of people that want to buy a particular item, with the intention of bargaining with a store owner to make a group sale at a discount. This has a similar feeling of flash mobs, which have taken place in the US but for more to create humor and commentary than to purchase anything (one example was when at a particular moment large groups of people walked into a bed store and collectively laid down on all of the floor models, or another time when masses showed up at a Best Buy in blue shirts and kaki pants).
While some store owners might feel pressured and intimidated into selling products below listed price, others are enjoying the opportunity to liquidate an entire inventory at once, making money through the larger quantity sale despite the lower margin.
"Team buying turns haggling, a tradition in China, into an art-form" - The Economist
If you want to check out the websites, give Google Translate a try.
Technorati Tags: china, commerce, flash mobs, team buying, shop mobs, google translate, teambuy.com, 51tuangou.com, social networking
