The moniker, "Shanghai is the paradise of shopping," refers to the crowded and colossal shopping department stores in the commercial circles of Nanking Road, Huaihai Road, Pudong Lujiazui and others, which are renowned throughout the nation. If you want to experience the joy of a shopping paradise expediently, it is highly advisable for you to check out Shanghai's many stores.
Major Shopping Centres
There are many shopping centers in every district; in addition, Nanking East Road, Nanking West Road, Huaihai Road, Xujiahui and Pudong Lujiazui are called Shanghai's five commercial circles. Shopping Malls converge into these places, not only the historic noted stores like First Department Store or Yong'an Department Store, but also a large number of joint-venture malls, such as Paris Spring, Westgate Mall Isetan, Jiuguang Department Store, Pacific Mall, and Parkson Shopping Center. Shanghai owns shopping malls of the highest grades that are hard to reach for other cities, and famous Henglong Square and CITIC stand out as Shanghai's top luxurious malls. What's more, many masterpieces seen on TV and in fashion magazines can all be obtained here.
The building structure and indoor decoration of quite a few malls have a superb flavor. Customers wander leisurely to select goods in the commodious and elegant spaces. Myriad foreign brands inhabit into Shanghai's well-known malls. You can find all kinds of cosmetics, clothes, jewelries and so on. The classes of brands, however, are different from one mall to the other, according to its grade. Average middle-class branded products can be bought in other cities as well, but in, for example, Henglong Square, CITIC, Meilongzhen Square, Parkson and other classy malls, you will find many brands that are not available in other places. Take the cosmetics brand Benefit, loved by girls, for example. There is only one shop in Parkson across Eastern China that carries this brand. Furthermore, Zhengda Square possesses an exclusive Esprit store with the greatest and the most complete products in Asia.
Honored as the Chinese First Shopping Street, Nanking East Road embraces ancient stores like Shanghai's First Department Store and exclusive stores for teenagers like Baodaxiang, Yong'an Mall, and others. Newly built shopping centers include Shanghai Zhidi Square, Bailian Shimao International Square (its unique modern innovative construction style is one of the lime lights of Shanghai), Shanghai New World City, and Hongyi International Square. Also, Laifushi Square in People's Square stands at the convergence of Subway Line 1 and Line 2 and is one of the preferable "meeting" places for Shanghai's youngsters.
Henglong Square and CITIC known as Shanghai's top-grade malls are settled in Nanking West Road, an upscale business street. City Jiuguang Department Store, Jinying International Shopping Center, Westgate Mall Isetan and others are top-grade malls.
Known as the "Oriental Champs Elysees," Huaihai Road was originally called Xiafei Road and was the most fashionable shopping block. Paris Spring, Parkson Shopping Center, Pacific Mall, and Great Time Shanghai Square were then built, much to the approval of the city's white-collar workers. The department stores are filled with titanic-sized shopping crowds in discount seasons or national holidays.
Xujiahui is also a modern commercial center and a perfect setting for public activities. Ganghui Square, Orient Mansion, Huijin Department Store, and Shanghai Liuhai Pacific Department Store and are distributed densely. The other feature here is the first choice for foreign visitors who buy electronic products. Bainaohui, Pacific Digital Square, and Saibo Digital Square, surrounding Meiluo City, collect numerous digital-brand proxies. You are guaranteed to buy the latest products of national and international brands at appropriate prices if you select with patience and can bargain.
Pudong Lujiazui contains huge department stores like First Babaiban, Times Huarun and so on. Zhengda Square, the largest-scale shopping mall in Asia, is the apex of vogue. Yichulianhua Supermarket is on the basement (underground) floor, and the shopping center on the third floor carries world-class, top clothing brands. Delicacy Square is on the fifth and sixth floors, including not only Sino-west fast-food tea houses and juice bars, but also haute cuisine restaurants with elegant environments and menus from all over the world. The entertainment center is on the seventh to ninth floors, including the Xingmei Movie City, one of the top-class cinemas in Shanghai. Many people go there to relax after a full day of shopping.
In addition, First Babaiban is an upscale shopping center in Shanghai that many residents favor. Its thorough design and layout are unique, going beyond the traditional and obvious. It also combines the warmth and elegance of European and American shopping centers with the brevity of oriental department stores, taking into consideration not only the casual atmosphere but also emphasizing diverse, personalized service. It makes consumers feel the room is their own. The Children's Place is on the eighth floor, and the recently built cinema's eight halls are equipped with state-of-the-art projection systems, screens, comfortable chairs, and sound.
Pudong Lujiazui contains huge department stores like First Babaiban, Times Huarun and so on. Zhengda Square, the largest-scale shopping mall in Asia, is the apex of vogue. Yichulianhua Supermarket is on the basement (underground) floor, and the shopping center on the third floor carries world-class, top clothing brands. Delicacy Square is on the fifth and sixth floors, including not only Sino-west fast-food tea houses and juice bars, but also haute cuisine restaurants with elegant environments and menus from all over the world. The entertainment center is on the seventh to ninth floors, including the Xingmei Movie City, one of the top-class cinemas in Shanghai. Many people go there to relax after a full day of shopping.
In addition, First Babaiban is an upscale shopping center in Shanghai that many residents favor. Its thorough design and layout are unique, going beyond the traditional and obvious. It also combines the warmth and elegance of European and American shopping centers with the brevity of oriental department stores, taking into consideration not only the casual atmosphere but also emphasizing diverse, personalized service. It makes consumers feel the room is their own. The Children's Place is on the eighth floor, and the recently built cinema's eight halls are equipped with state-of-the-art projection systems, screens, comfortable chairs, and sound.
Where to Find Special Treasures in Shanghai
Shopping in Henglong Square is an art in itself. If you can choose the right place, you will find fashionable and inexpensive products.
Shanghai's greatest clothing wholesaling market is on Qipu Road. Almost every young fashionable girl wants to find clothes they like while accompanied by their friends. Shops in more than 10 buildings on the Road sell clothes, bags and shoes. Small stores and boutiques on Shanghai's streets also purchase clothes, shoes, hats, and bags.. Batches of clothes are foreign-traded and nearly all are for export, so the styles are unquestionable. Ornaments and accessories, such as earrings and so on, are plentiful and reasonably priced. You can buy necklaces or earrings for 10 to 20 Yuan but more than 100 Yuan in other boutiques. If you can bargain precisely, Qipu Road is a valuable place to find quality goods.
Located in the underground of People's Square, Dimei Shopping Center, Hong Kong Famous Brands Street and the Subway Stores in Xujiahui Subway Station and Xiangdai Underground Square in Huaihai Middle Road are also some of Shanghai's most renowned fashionable places for finding treasures. These shopping squares, located near subway stations, follow the lead of the latest in vogue, and some even broadcast the world's fashionable news.
Dimei and Hong Kong Famous Brand Street follow the fashion magazines and websites and stand on the frontier of each new trend. These shops cater to youngsters and girls. Parlors in the shopping centers are varied and luxurious. There are literally hundreds of shops and ornament counters.
Xujiahui Subway Mall has two floors with hundreds of parlors selling stationery, clothes, bags and ornaments. Generally, it has everything you could expect to find. Shanghai girls buy clothes and beautiful ornaments here.
Xiangdai Shopping Center stands on Huaihai Road, stringing Hong Kong Square, Pacific Mall and other high-class office buildings together. The white-collar workers nearby can easily go window shopping in Xiangdai in the afternoon. Similar to Hong Kong Famous Brand Street, Xiangdai brings a lot of shops together. More importantly, the ornaments are rather exquisite and the prices are ten times higher than those in Hong Kong Famous Brands Street.
Yimei Fashion Square, situated at the exit of Subway Line 2 Jing'ansi Station, is also a favorable place to search for fashionable clothes for Shanghai's young girls. The underground square is filled with many competitive clothing stores, of which the grades are fairly higher and more exquisite than those of Qipu Road and Subway Mall. The style of apparel, shoes and bags keep up with the trends. Shopkeepers may tell you that certain clothes have been shown on Rayli or that a pair of shoes has been recommended by Vogue. If you spend around 100 Yuan, you can buy very good clothes here.
Apart from the malls, Shanghai West Workers' Culture Palace, also called West Palace, is an equally ideal destination to search for treasures. Clothes, shoes, hats, bags and gifts are all available here. There are also considerable cartoon parlors and the greatest CD market in China, which becomes very busy during festivals and holidays.
Yimei Fashion Square, situated at the exit of Subway Line 2 Jing'ansi Station, is also a favorable place to search for fashionable clothes for Shanghai's young girls. The underground square is filled with many competitive clothing stores, of which the grades are fairly higher and more exquisite than those of Qipu Road and Subway Mall. The style of apparel, shoes and bags keep up with the trends. Shopkeepers may tell you that certain clothes have been shown on Rayli or that a pair of shoes has been recommended by Vogue. If you spend around 100 Yuan, you can buy very good clothes here.
Apart from the malls, Shanghai West Workers' Culture Palace, also called West Palace, is an equally ideal destination to search for treasures. Clothes, shoes, hats, bags and gifts are all available here. There are also considerable cartoon parlors and the greatest CD market in China, which becomes very busy during festivals and holidays.
Where to Stay in Shanghai
There are plenty of comfortable accommodation in Shanghai for all kinds of budgets. Shanghai apartments and hotels can be found easily online nowadays.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tobias Carlson wirtes mostly about Asia and Australia.