Thursday 4 February 2016

Shopping in China


Beijing Shopping/open hours

Groceries and other items
Western food items such as cereals, dairy products, chocolates and coffees are now commonly found in local supermarkets. Beijing also has an increasing number of international supermarket chains like Tesco, Carrefour and Wal-Mart, all of which stock these items in abundance. Supermarkets opening hours are from 8am to 10pm daily. There are a number of smaller grocery stores stocking a good range of imported groceries and toiletries, Jenny Lou’s being a particularly popular store. Jenny Lou’s, Jenny Wang, April Gourmet, all expatriate favourites, can be found in most “expatriate-heavy” areas. Those stores normally open from 8am to 10pm, many locations of Jenny Lou’s store open until mid-night daily.

Fresh fruit and vegetables can be found in abundance at  local markets. Beijing has a particularly good market for fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, grains and spices - San Yuan Li market. Fresh meat is best bought at any of the large supermarkets, or at the French or German butcher, both of which are popular among the Beijing expatriate community. There are also some individual butchers making good sausages without preservatives, additives or MSG and offering delivery to various collection points across the city.

Clothing
Beijing has a wide range of clothing shopping options, from local markets (where clothes can be bargained down to cheap prices), to high street chains such as Zara, GAP, UNIQLO, Next, Promd, C&A, H&M, Mango, to luxury designer goods in Beijing’s many high-end malls (think Jimmy Choos, Gucci, Chanel, Guess, Giorgio Armani). Local markets such as the Silk Market attract large crowds of tourists who come in droves to get cheap designer knock offs. Although many bargains can be picked up at the markets, do not expect too much in terms of quality or durability. Bargaining is expected in the markets and is in fact part of the experience, but not in shopping malls or department stores where most items have a fixed price. French chain Decathlon is a good store for all things sports related, including sporting clothing and equipment.

For baby clothing and goods, there is a baby/toddler/kids store called Counting Sheep Boutique, which stocks new imported goods from well-known baby brands. For other options, Mothercare and Babygro, which  have several location.  Okaidi - in big malls and Leyou - have everything for newborns and toddlers, the SKP (Shin Kong shopping center), China World Shopping Mall, The Place mall, Solana mall and others have a large selection of children’s shops with everything you might need.


People in China tend to be smaller than people in the West so expect to wear a size or two bigger in China than you would at home, for example, a woman who wears an M at home could change to an XL in Beijing. People with large shoe sizes should bring enough good quality shoes for all seasons, as large shoes can be difficult to find in Beijing. 

Furniture and home decor
In Beijing, most apartments or houses are rented at least partially furnished. If you want to buy some extra items, however, there are many options when it comes to shopping for home décor and furniture. Stores, such as Dara, have an interesting range of furniture, often blending east with west.

Gaobedian in the South-East of the city is a good place to shop for people who like Chinese influenced custom-made pieces, or just want to have some custom made furniture. There are several streets in this area full of furniture makers. If you'd rather something simple and familiar, Beijing houses two IKEA stores. The second IKEA was opened in 2013. If you need to buy a mattress in Beijing, please be aware of the fact that mattresses tend to be quite hard in China. Illinois Furniture and Casa Pagoda are other, more upscale options. There are several large furniture centers both in the north and south of the city, offering a large selection of modern and traditional furnishings, in a wide range of quality. Cheng Wai Cheng (open hours: 9am to 6pm on week days, 9am to 7pm on weekends), off the south 4th ring road, is just one of these options. Similarly, mega-centers exist for lighting and other housing options. Furthermore, B&Q is great for those people who enjoy DIY or are looking to build up a home tool collection.



Shenzhen – Shopping/Opening Hours

Shenzhen was one of the first Chinese cities to open its doors to the outside world.. As a fast developing metropolis, it has a good selection of department stores and shopping centers, where everything from basic commodities to high-quality brands can be found. Shenzhen actually leads some of the consumer trends in China and the latest fashions and products from Hong Kong and Guangzhou are readily available throughout the city. Electrical appliances, fashionable clothing, jewellery and seafood are some of the best choices for you to buy in Shenzhen.

It is easy for you to find a place to do some shopping since Shenzhen is divided distinctly into several zones of shopping centers. It is no wonder that Dongmen Pedestrian Street is the No.1 shopping center of Shenzhen. Various kinds of shops, restaurants and cinemas are open here. In Hua Qiang Bei you will find numerous electrical products. The famous Women’s World, which is an ideal place for purchasing clothing, is also located here. Other shopping zones like Nanshan, Renmin Nan and Shen Nan Zhong respectively have their own characteristics

Shop Trading Hours
Shop trading hours are from about 9am until anywhere between 7pm and 10pm. Shops are open every day of the week.

Supermarket & Groceries
Supplies of western imported food can be found in several small shops located in Shekou. Shekou is home to many foreigners so almost anything can be found there. Shenzhen does have some international supermarket chains, like Tesco, Wal-Mart (more than 10 outlets), Carrefour (8 locations in the city), Metro, Sam’s club super store (for membership only), Jusco (Japanese brand), Ole Supermarket and local brand supermarkets. Many imported western foods can be found in those stores, as well as different brands of cheese, pasta, spices, cereals, olive oil, and some imported wine. Baby food in jars is also becoming more readily available in Shenzhen.

Fruit and vegetables are available in street markets, small street shops and supermarkets. Meat is available in small shops and street markets, however, hygiene in such places is very low. We strongly recommend that you buy meat at one of the above mentioned larger supermarkets.

Alcohol
Imported alcohol is very expensive. The range of wine is limited but growing steadily. Local beer is of good quality and can be purchased in almost all shops. Imported beer is widely available as well (Heineken, Carlsberg, Corona, German brand beers, etc). Beverages like cola, sprite, orange water and soda water are easily available. Supplies of tonic water, bitter lemon and cola light can easily be found in the above mentioned shops carrying imported goods.

Furniture
Furniture can be found in the bigger shopping malls. Home Decoration Malls usually have the latest in furnishings. These malls are very easy to spot. Besides western furniture, there is a large supply of Chinese style (antique) furniture for sale but prices for real antiques are very high. A good place to start would be Select and Order located on Gong Ye road right next to the SOS Clinic.

Shopping Area / malls / department stores
Shenzhen has a wide range of shopping options, from local markets to high-end malls and department stores. Local market places like Huaqiang Bei area is the most prosperous shopping area. It has dozens of markets, for electronic products, home appliances, timepieces, clothing and jewellery . Some markets places have hundreds of shops, from flagship stores selling big brands to small boutiques where you can bargain. Shenzhen is a shopping paradise for both residents and visitors.

Dong Men area is also a famous shopping district, consisting of department stores, supermarkets, shops and stalls. It is centered on two parallel pedestrian streets with several smaller streets and alleys traversing it, creating a labyrinth in which every available space is used to sell something. Shops range from holes-in-the-wall to retail chains like Baleno, Giordano and the odd foreign brand shop, such as Adidas. Fashion wear, sportswear, jewellery, shoes, handbags, traditional medicine…the list goes on and on.


Suzhou

Whatever you're in the stores for, Suzhou has the place for you. One of Europe’s largest discount outlet developers, Value Retail, opened its first complex outside Europe in Suzhou. The Village, located on the western shore of Yangcheng Lake offers a number of European luxury shopping experiences such as “hands-free” shopping and fine dining services. 
Japanese retailer Aeon opened its largest Chinese shopping mall in Suzhou's southern Wuzhong district near Taihu. The store is the company's largest outlet in China. The shopping mall will include 190 specialty stores, restaurants, kids' play area, a supermarket and a 4D movie theater.
Shops are open from 10am-10pm in most shopping malls.
There are also other places for expats to shop for books, furniture, clothing and household goods. Here we list a few for your information.


Book Store
Foreign Language Book Store    
580 Ren Min Lu, OT 

Furniture Shop
Coco Mat (Swedish style furniture store)
206 Xinghai Jie, SIP

Department Stores
International Department Store
Shi Lu

Matro Shopping Centre 
Guan Qian Jie & Ren Min Lu, OT

Tailor shops

Wuzhijian Western Clothing

12-14 Diyi Tianmen

The Pas Western Clothes

338 Yangyu Xiang

Shanghai

Shopping in Shanghai is a very enjoyable experience. Big brands are setting up branches and small unique shops exist in many corners of the city. You can find many international and local brands in Shanghai. There are also many expat- run online shops and markets for imported items from all over the world. Here we will provide a list of stores for expats who are looking for convenient shopping or who want to have a taste of home.

Shops are open from 10am-10pm in most shopping malls.

Furniture and Appliances
There are some excellent furniture warehouses in Shanghai, many of them concentrated along Hongqiao Lu on the way to the airport and in western Changning.

Asia View
No. 233 Shaanxi Nan Lu

Markor Furnishing
No. 388 Fushan Lu.

Ikea
No. 126 Caoxi Lu, by Zhongshan Xi Lu.
No. 550 Linyu Lu, by Hunan Lu.

Books and Magazines
Garden Books
No325 Changle Lu, French concession

Shanghai Foreign Language Bookstore
No. 390 Fuzhou Lu
  
Imported & Organic Food
City Shop
The largest supermarket chain in Shanghai offering a range of imported foods and necessities, from packaged food and drink, to fresh fruit, to toiletries and more.

Green & Safe
A one-stop-for-all organic shop with a deli counter that serves a variety of salads, sandwiches, and pasta, as well as a grocery store with a selection of local and imported organic goods.
Xuhui: No. 6 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu.
Changning: No.1438 Hongqiao Lu, near Manao Lu.

Ole supermarket
Imports over 70% of its products from overseas, with a great seafood counter and cheese selection.
Gateway B/F, No.1 Hongqiao Lu