China/Hong Kong Shopping
 

Can some inveterate shopper tell me the best place to shop for price and selection, albeit carefully, in either Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong.............Thanks

sammy, you're asking SUCH a general question. it would be helpful if elaborate exactly what you're looking for. clothes? electronics? chinese medicine? brand names?

Some jewelry, most likely pearls, nice silk and, if I am lucky, a beautiful teapot. However, I am not on a quest and shopping will not be a major activity. Thanks in advance for any insight you can provide. S.

Sammy - Fodors puts out a great shopping guide for these three citites. I read it cover to cover and took it with me on our trip in October.<BR><BR>The lady who wrote it really did her research and provided great tips for what to buy where - at the best prices.<BR>Highly recommend the book!<BR><BR>Generally speaking - the further south you go - the higher the prices.<BR><BR>Beijing has great prices - if you shop carefully. The street vendors by the Great Wall are a great place to bargin and purchase small items that are easy to bring back.<BR><BR>Shanghai Art Museum had an outstanding selection of high quality items and prices much better than Hong Kong. We purchased beautiful high quality silk scarves and silk items there for $10-25 USD.<BR><BR>Hope that helps!

To Happy China Traveler: Thanks for your excellent suggestions. I have heard wonderful comments about the Shanghai Museum. Does one bargain there?<BR>S.

The Shanghai Museum and the Shanghai Art Museum are two different museums. The Shanghai Art Museums (of which there are actually 2) contain fine arts, mostly paintings by Chinese artists from recent periods. The Shanghai Museum contains cultural antiquities as well as some paintings, and I think is of much more interest to the average visitor. I don't know about bargaining as I don't usually shop at museum stores, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask. Bargaining is so much a part of Chinese culture that I don't think anyone would be offended by a polite request for a discount (OK except maybe at the Prada store).

Bargining is a must for shopping for non-department store places in mainland China. <BR>If you don't like to bargin, I recommend The Friendship Store in Beijing. They have everything "Chinese" there! The prices might be a little higher, but you don't have to bargin or get harassed. Store clerks speak enough English to help you.

The shops in museums, or vendors at popular tourist sites are the last places anyone should shop who wants to pay a fair price.<BR><BR>Much of the merchandise at the Beijing Friendship Store (Jianguomen) is very optimistically priced and aimed precisely at tourists who know no better, or at local diplomatic residents in a hurry. Of course you should bargain, and discounts (on silk, carpets, and even toys and games in my experience) will certainly be forthcoming--as they should be since everything you see here can be found more cheaply elsewhere.<BR><BR>To answer Sammy's original query, for jewellery and pearls, shop in HK and you'll be able to get authentic goods, whereas in China that's very open to question. For silk and the teapot, buy in China. Teapots are everywhere. For minimum hassle try just about any branch of the ubiquitous Ten Fu (Tian Fu) tea shops which have marked prices (but still, as almost everywhere else, ask for a discount). In markets simply ignore claims of antiquity, authenticity, or uniqueness, and offer a small fraction of the first asking price. For silk, shop where the locals shop--not the Friendship Store. I'm away from home at the moment so don't have the name to hand, but try the silk store on the west side of Qianmen Dajie immediately south of the Qian Men itself.<BR><BR>Peter N-H<BR>http://members.axion.net/~pnh/China.html