FAQ on Shopping
Shopping FAQs
- Could you give me some tips on shopping in China?
- Will your tour guide take me to any factories or stores?
- I bought a jade bracelet for my daughter at the Jade Factory the day we went to the Great Wall and I found it elsewhere (same quality) for almost a third of the price I had paid. Why didn't your guide tell me about this?
- Am I allowed to bring back purchased electronics to the United States in my luggage?
- Where can I find ladies fashion wholesaler in shenzhen?
- During the Spring Festival, are shops in Hong Kong still open for business? Are business hours the same as usual?
Could you give me some tips on shopping in China?
Shanghai: Silk carpets
Hangzhou: Longjing Tea; Silk
Will your tour guide take me to any factories or stores?
We allow guides to take clients to one factory each day. It is quite possible that the factory will include the restaurant where you will eat lunch. Do not feel an obligation to buy. Our guides offer shopping opportunities as a courtesy as well as a way to supplement their income. The factories they select are very usually very interesting and we get good feedback from clients about the demonstrations in these factories. Please do not feel any obligation to buy and if you do not wish to visit a factory you are able to refuse.
I bought a jade bracelet for my daughter at the Jade Factory the day we went to the Great Wall and I found it elsewhere (same quality) for almost a third of the price I had paid. Why didn't your guide tell me about this?
There is a huge industry in china in the sale of fake or enhanced jade. This is illegal but it does not alter the fact that it is a common practice. The factory outlet that you have been taken to is Government controlled and therefore must sell real products. It is very difficult to tell the difference between real and the other, even experts can be fooled and this is the reason that the Government has licensed particular outlets. In China, as in most other parts of the world, 'if it seems to be too good to be true' well then, it probably is.
Am I allowed to bring back purchased electronics to the United States in my luggage?
There is no problem in taking electronics back to the USA. You would need to consider excess baggage (if you intend to take a lot) and duty which would be collected by US Customs on entry. The passenger would need to check the duty free limit which each passenger is allowed. The passenger would also need to ensure the electronics are packed well to prevent breakage. In addition, when you make the decision, you need to double check the electronics you buy can also work in the USA (voltage, etc.). Another thing is, electronics in the US could well be cheaper that in China except for fake brands which may be unreliable. Hong Kong is better but even there they may not be a lot cheaper than in the US. You can see our "shopping in China" page.
