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SHOPPPING in SHANGHAI

Shanghai is a "shopping paradise"! One of the first things you will notice about Shanghai is how trendy the young people are. Shanghai is famous for its clothing and fashions. The local fashion and garment industry has been the trendsetter in China for many years. Products are of great quality and come for a good price. Nevertheless, in high class boutiques, you will not find bargains on high fashions and imports.
The major Shopping areas of Shanghai are Nanjing East Road, Huaihai Road, and Xujiahui. These three areas are all known for their mid-scale to high class department stores and boutiques. Also, Shanghai offers two smaller clothing and souvenir markets: Xiangyang Market with its clothing deals (much like Silk Alley in Beijing), and Yuyuan Market with its folk atmosphere.

Shanghai also has a few bird and flower markets that make life here that much more pleasant.

Shanghai has some traditional art forms and crafts to offer you. Follow these links to learn more: chinese silk, gold and silver jewelry, rugs and tapestries, and jade and ivory carvings.

What to Buy

Silk
Shanghai is one of China's most important regions for silk production and export. Of course, then, the city is a great place to pick up some deals while in China. The variety of silk fabrics available is astounding. Silk of various grades, satin, damask silk, silk gauze, brocade, crape, velvet, spun silk, and sheer silk are all available. Printed and embroidered silk are also very popular and plentiful. As Chinese silk is famous throughout the world for its elegance and beauty, silk itself is an excellent reason to come to Shanghai. But always bargain when silk shopping. Shopkeepers will never give a "Chinese" price if you have a "foreign" face

Filigrees
Shanghainese are good at business and are growing wealthier by the day. Jewelry stores filled with gold, platinum, and silver can be found all over the city. The most favored metals are gold and platinum. Also, when giving wedding gifts or birthday presents, Shanghainese might give gold statues that may cost as much as USD 1,000.

Weaving and Embroidery In Shanghai,
one can find excellent weaving and embroidery in many different styles. Shanghai rugs are finely detailed creations with traditional motifs and designs, and are mainly made by hand with wool. Rugs and carpets of silk are also made in Shanghai.
Silk tapestries made in Shanghai are characterized by their smooth feel and traditional Chinese scenes and subjects such as mountains and lakes.

Jade and Ivory Carvings
Shanghai jade and ivory carvings are relatively famous throughout China. While ivory collecting may not be of particular interest to some for its ecological harm, jade is quite another matter. Jade, a beautiful stone, comes in an array of colors and can be carved in many styles. In Shanghai, popular styles include figurines, birds, beasts, and decorated bottles. In fact, jade bottles are very Chinese and might make an excellant addition to your home's decor.

Where to Buy

Main Shopping Centers

Nanjing Road (Huangpu & Jingan district)
Known as "China's No.1 Business Street", with over 100 old name specialized shops, and Shanghai No.1 Department Store located here, selling general merchandise.

Huaihai Road (Luwan & Xuhui district)
Selling mainly high and medium class goods, many specialized shops and boutiques for famous brands, popular for garments and footwears in particular.

Sichuan North Road (Hongkou district)
Selling large assortment of daily necessities, mainly made in China, price range fit for wage earners with strong sense of good value for money.

Yuyuan Commercial City (Nanshi district)
Known as "Kingdom of Shanghai Arts & Crafts and small Articles", selling articles ranging from antiques, jadeware, gold & silver ware, jewelry, to bottle caps, silk threads etc.

Xujiahui (Xujia district)
Selling products of all price levels, shops, restaurants, amusement parks, offices and apartments under one roof.

Zhangyang Road (Pudong New district)
Located in the New Century Tower, "First Shanghai Yaohan" is the largest department store in Asia. Another major department store, "New Shanghai" occupies floor space twice as big as the total floor space of all shops on Nanjing Road.

Nightless City (Zhabei district)
Selling tourist souvenirs, arts & crafts, native produce, daily necessities, coins, stamps, discs etc. A combination of shopping and tours with business, known as "The Pearl at Shanghai Land Entrance Gate".

Characteristic Streets

Cultural Street at Fuzhou Road
Traditional paper, ink, quilled pens, ink stands, professional books, stationery etc.

Clothing Street at Huating Road
Garments of low price fashions.

Hardware Street at Beijing East Road
Hardware, electrical appliances and materials machine spare parts, accessories and electrical tools.

Antique Market at Dongtai Road
Second-hand porcelains, precious metals & stones, various folk cultural relics.

Second-hand Arts & Crafts Market at Jihe Road
Second-hand arts & crafts, souvenirs etc.

Flowers & Birds Market at Jiangyin Road:- Flowers, plants, fish, insects, birds and miniature pot