Shenzhen Shopping

A little of everything. Many areas are privately operated, like a flea market in america. So each vendor will make your own deal. I haggled a watch from Y400 to y200 ($25)
It's all done on a calculater, so you don't even have to speak Chinese.

there's a new mall in town called coco park. it's huge, it's got modern architecture and a big space in the central area where there's always somekind of event happening.
some of the stores aren't opened yet. and at first it's difficult to get around. it's floor layout is not that of a typical mall where you just go straight, up or down. it has a U shaped floor layout. most clothing shops open now are chinese brands. however there is a nike, adidas, reebok, puma, and other sportsswear stores.i like the coffeeshops though because they have outdoor seatings.

What to buy: anything, for there all kinds of shops - jusco is soon to open (as of date of writing) famous grocery, cinema, lots of restaurants - papa johns, watami, foccacino italian restaurant, lots of sportswear shops - nike, adidas, reebok, fila, puma, etc.

Book City as popularly called by locals (or Book Civic Cultural Center as written on their brochure) is a mall composed of bookstores, coffee shops, a big music store, art shops, a few restaurants, etc. It's located close to the Shenzhen Municipal Building and Children's Palace. Also nearby is the Lotus Hill Park. So plenty of options after shopping. What makes the place special is that there is one bookstore that entirely sell English books. Most bookstores in China only have a rack or two of English reading materials. There's also a Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Illy. The English bookstore is called Yingwen and is right across Illy Cafe on the Ground Floor.

What to buy: Books

What to pay: Book prices range from 30 to as much as RMB500. Mid price range from 90 to 100+

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The Sunggang Stationey & Toy Buildings are two buildings carrying everything stationery - from greeting cards, to calendars, to photo albums and other office supplies to toys from stuffed toys to magic toys and RC controlled helicopters and trucks.
Bargaining is a must even though prices are already cheap.

What to buy: RC cars, trucks, etc., stuffed toys. Price range from 100 up...

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Here's the entrance to the shoes mall at the Dongman district. Great shopping but very hot inside in the summer. Also, not very safe if there is ever a fire, stores are so packed inside I wonder how they ever past fire inspections!

looking for cheap hand painted reproduction of van gogh's starry night? how about commissioning a portrait? dafen oil painting in buji, shenzhen is the place to go.
you can buy small portraits for as cheap as 50 rmb. bigger ones are around rmb600. dafen is an entire town full of painters and shops that sell all kinds of paintings. also available are art books, frames and other art supplies.

What to buy: depends on your taste...go for whatever painting attracts you

What to pay: 50 to 600 rmb or more

This shopping area in Shenzhen is just amazing! Apart from a very interesting market it is an area of thousands of little shops with all kinds of everything. Only so,so for the fuller figure, but for those of size 12 or less it is just fantastic. Some designer/copies, but not as good as LoHu commercial centre. The upside of shopping in Dongmeng against LoHu is that it is peaceful...no hassle and an extraordinary maze (and I mean a hugh maze) of shops and outlets. The downside is that is easy to get lost...there is quite a shortage of English language and a lot of the shops dont take Credit Cards. There are ATMs but are they there when you want them? Good idea to take along plenty of cash. We felt quite safe there, unlike Lohu. It is just one MTR stop from Lohu station and another 5 minute walk across the road from the GuangDong Hotel.

What to buy: All kinds of everything

What to pay: Some places bargain, but a lot seem to be fixed price

What to buy: Some visitors will venture as far as the Dongmen Wholesale District where mostly the locals go. If you won’t mind the crowd and the language problem try Dongmen as the prices will start at about ½ of Lo Wu; but then you have to be very careful of your wallet as foreigners will standout like beacons in the dark (with $$ sign on top).