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Most travelers want to take home some bargains or mementos. With many
options available, shopping in China can be time consuming, confusing
and exhausting. The following tips may help you to enhance your shopping
experiences in China.
 What to
buy in China
Do not rush to buy everything in the a day or two. Each city or region
in China has its own specialty items. The following is a list of the
popular specialties in several major cities of China.
Beijing: Cloisonné; Fresh water pearls
Xi'an: Terra Cotta soldier models; Tangsancai or the china hand painted
in the Tang Dynasty style; antique furniture
Shanghai: Silk rugs and carpets
Hangzhou: Longjing Tea; silks and silk products
Suzhou: silks and silk products; porcelain dinnerware
Guilin: scroll paintings; southern China sea pearls
Yunnan: mounted butterflies; pure teas; Dali Batik or tie-dyed fabric
Xinjiang: carpets and rugs; jade articles
Tibet: Thang-ka, or sheep skin wall rugs
Shopping
is not obligated in China
Do not feel obligated to shop, although your tour guides may often take
you to various shopping facilities if you travel in a tour group. If you
do not want to take a prearranged shopping trip, just say so to the
guide. Some of the tour guides may be quite enthusiastic, thinking that
is what you want. In this case, do not feel being embarrassed to tell
them directly and immediately that you do not want to go shopping. When
you are in a store, you will often find that several attendants try to
persuade you to make a purchase at the same time. That does not mean you
have to buy; it is oaky to say no, or just to browse around.
Be
cautious of fake items and knock-offs
Shopping should be a great experience in China and you can expect to buy
many things at the bargain price. However, some prices for certain
merchandises of famous international brands may be too good to be true.
Antique seekers should be aware that many seemingly beautiful and
valuable items can be fake. You should only buy the antiques bearing
official certifications and permits for exportation. If you are found
exporting the antique items that are not permitted to leave the country,
the penalties could be very severe. You should keep all receipts,
certificates and any other official documents that you received when
purchasing the antiques. The official definition for antique is an item
that has the age of at least one hundred and twenty years.
Bargaining and Price Comparison in China
Bargaining is a national pastime in China so you will find that most
retailers, except for department stores and large shopping malls, have a
bargain based pricing system. On the other hand, you should check the
import restrictions and duty schedules in your home country as some
items may be subject to significant importation taxes at the port of
entry in your home country, which could result in higher final costs
comparing to what you can buy in your local market.
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