Shanghai Shopping

Shanghai Shopping information

Best Areas

One of the most popular shopping areas amongst locals is the Nanjing Lu, which is packed with stores of varying quality selling clothes, shoes, and various Western-style products. It's more a place for fairly run-of-the-mill shopping rather than picking up unique souvenirs, though - for these, you're better off heading for Yu Gardens area, where the little atmospheric lanes are great for traditional souvenirs, antiques, and tea. If you fancy yourself in a traditional Chinese dress there are shops selling beautiful (and quite flattering) silk Qi'pao on Changle Lu between Shaanxi Lu and Maoming Lu. For more mainstream purchases you're likely to be able to find most things at the Super Brand Mall in Pudong, the largest shopping mall in Asia. The Huaihai Lu is the major shopping artery for upmarket Western style clothes and furniture. Large department stores are everywhere in Shanghai, serving the burgeoning middle classes. Some retail centres can be found on Huaihai Lu near Huangpi Lu intersection, Xujiahui junction, Zhongshan park area, or Shuicheng Lu in Gubei. 'Friendship stores' (a bit like small Chinese department stores), of which there are several around the city, are a good place to find traditional Chinese products.

Markets

The biggest and best of the markets in Shanghai is Xiangyang, where you can get anything and everything under the sun. Beware, the market is crowded to the point of bursting almost all hours of the day and night and is a haven for pickpockets. Expect bargaining to knock 60-70% off the asking price. It's just near Shaanxi South Lu metro station. The Jin Wen flower market, between Shaanxi South Lu and Ruijin Lu, is the largest and oldest flower market in Shanghai with a huge area devoted to flowers, plants and accessories (both real and plastic). The antique market on Dongtai Lu has stalls selling all sorts of interesting old Chinese paraphernalia at good prices, though it's debatable just how genuine their antique status is.

What to Buy

Most traditional Chinese souvenirs can be found in Shanghai. Look out particularly for jade jewellery or keepsakes, hanging scroll paintings or decorative calligraphy, and porcelain. Silk products are always a good buy: the Qi'pao (the traditional Chinese silk dress) can make an attractive evening dress in any culture, and you'll find a much better (and cheaper) selection here than back home. Antiques require some research as most products sold here are mass-produced with an antique look. If you don't mind this too much, though, you can pick up some attractive objects which will still look unusual when you get them home, such as old lacquer lunch boxes, wooden bird cages (minus the bird, preferably) and even traditional style furniture (if you're prepared to pay for the shipping). Shanghai is best known for high fashion (by Chinese standards) and Western brand goods, be it pricey original imports or cheap locally produced imitations. Also look out for surplus stores selling quality clothes made in China for well-known brands, for very attractive prices.

Opening Hours

Most shops are open daily from about 10h00 to 21h00 or even later in the summer.

Tax Refund

There is at present no tax refund scheme open to tourists. Foreign consular officials and business people are entitled to certain commercial tax refunds.