Tourist Stuff

"Shopping in Shenzhen – Getting around to what you want" 

Article written and submitted by Nick Kellingley, 

 

Shenzhen is considered by many to be a shopper’s paradise, as long as you know what you want and where to get it from – otherwise it can be a nightmare. Getting there is simple just use the MTR (subway system) to find the place you want to go.

Here’s a quick guide to making the most out of a shopping trip to one of the world’s largest cities.

Everything - Louhu Commercial Center (Louhu - MTR Station and Railway Station)

It’s the main reason people come to Shenzhen, it’s very easy to find there’s an entrance from inside the Louhu station at the border. There are five floors stocking the best and worst of consumer goods from around the world. There are tailors who will happily whip up clothes to order (and cloth merchants to get the material from first) at a fraction of a cost of Hong Kong, though be warned you’ll need a couple of fittings to get everything just right. And then there’s copies of everything you could ever want at bargain prices. The rule here is haggle for everything if you’re paying much more than 25-40% of the initial price asked, you’re paying too much.

Electronics - Hua Qiang Bei (Hua Qiang Lu – MTR Station)

If electronics are your thing then Hua Qiang Bei will be paradise, but be aware that while components are as cheap as chips – prices for phones, cameras and computers are better over the border in Hong Kong even allowing for the fact that all the software you’ll get here is pirated.

Art – Da Fen Painting Village (Da Fen – MTR Station)

You can find copies of every painting or piece of art in the world in Da Fen, and it’s what the place excels at. If there’s a famous work you’ve always wanted on the wall, then you can have it made for considerably less than $25 million USD. You can revisit and check on progress and you’ll only pay once you’re happy. In amongst the expert forgers you’ll also find some real Chinese artists with varying styles from past to present. It’s a great day out and the area is picturesque too.

Tea and Antiques – Tea Village and Antique Village (Xin Xui – MTR Station)

Unknown to most visitors but a five minute walk from the MTR and you’ll find where the cool Chinese spend their weekends. Drink and buy tea galore, or pick up some antiques – though be careful about the provenance as there’s a lot of reproduction work on display too.

Luxury Goods (Not Fakes) – Mix-C (Da Ja Yuan – MTR Station) and KingGlory Plaza (Guo Mao – MTR)

If you’re looking for the finer things in life, then you’d be better off staying in Hong Kong where prices are much lower but if you’re not dissuaded by that then the two most modern shopping centers in town are the Mix-C which is opposite the Diwang Tower (which used to be Shenzhen’s tallest building) and the KingGlory Plaza in Luohu. All the brand names are here, and all the products should be legitimate (though take a careful look – just in case)

Shop like the Locals – Dong Men (Lao Jie – MTR Station)

If you want to shop like the Chinese do then head over to Dong Men, it’s teeming with millions of people looking for every product under the sun. You’ll find plenty of bargains if you can put up with the loss of personal space.

This piece is by Nick Kellingley, the author of http://shardsofchina.wordpress.com amongst other things. Shards of China charts his experiences of living and working in Shenzhen, the biggest city that no-one has ever heard of, in Southern China. If you found this article interesting, please check out his blog.