Shopping in Beijing

What to buy as souvenirs and where to buy them in the city? Here offers some suggestion!

As the capital city of the Five Dynasties of China, this city has a history of over thousands of years. It was known as a metropolis with developed businesses and a prosperous economy since ancient times. Many skillful craftsmen settled the area long ago, and passed down their excellent skills generation by generation. We can still find the traditional handcrafts with typical eastern features in the many shopping streets and markets. To enjoy Beijing shopping, you can buy many things. Cloisonné, Ivory Carving, Jade and Lacquer are known as the four best traditional handiworks of this city. In addition, Curios, Silk, Pearls, Snuff Bottles with Pictures Inside, and Artificial Flowers are also worth buying and well liked by tourists. Candied Fruits and confectionaries of all kinds will make your mouth water, and are wonderful presents for friends. 

Hongqiao Pearl Market

These stores should be your first stop when shopping in Beijing. Starting from July 1st, 2015, Tax refund policy has been carried out in the city. Since then, overseas/ Hong Kong/ Macau/ Taiwan visitors to the city can get 9% of their cost back if spending over CNY 500 at designated tax free stores, hence making these stores the first choices for Beijing shopping. Currently, there are 96 designated stores in the city, mainly located in Xidan Commercial Street and Wangfujing Street.
 A visitor will also find many large and middle sized shopping complexes scattered about the city. Just flow along with the flocks to pedestrian streets and experience the authentic atmosphere of this city.
Popular Business Centers:

To buy traditional handicrafts with typical eastern or Beijing features, visitors can have a try in those antique markets.  Large-scaled shopping malls with luxury goods of super brands are everywhere to be found in the city center, such as Friendship Store, Shin Kong Palace, Lufthansa Center and Parkson.
 Some feature shops of hundreds years are really worth visiting. It's also a good choice for your shopping in Beijing. For example, silk shop Rui Fu Xiang was opened in 1893, shoe stores Nei Lian Sheng began 150 years ago. Prints of old Beijing are still visible through these time-honored brand shops.
 Sipermarket is also a good choice for Beijing shopping! Many large international and national supermarkets established their chain shops in this city, including Wal-mart, Metro, Watsons, Carrefour, Auchan, Lotus Supercenter and Century Mart.
 Shopping in Beijing for notions and other small commodities, relatively cheap wholesale markets are best choices if you mind the price rather than clamor and bargaining, where costumes and shoes, electronic and digital products tea or flowers all can be found.

 

Xinhua Bookstore

Books are another important way to know more about the city, the country and a perfect means to spend their free times. Famous and authentic bookstores in this city will offer help to foreign buyers to find what they want more easily.

 Tips:
The summer hours for most shopping malls in Beiing are 08:30 - 21:30; in winter they are closed either a half or one hour earlier than in summer. All the emporia, hotels and large restaurants in city center and Tourism Appointed Stores have foreign exchange counters and ATM. Credit cards (including Visa, MasterCard, AE, Dinersclub and JCB) are also acceptable there. Bringing some cash is always necessary in the event that you'd like to buy something from the street vendors.

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