As one of the first cities to open its doors to the West in 1979, and with the added advantage of being right next to Hong Kong, Shenzhen has some great department stores and there are some good bargains to be here. Hong Kong residents make regular trips to Shenzhen to do some shopping, and electrical goods are a particularly good buy.

Shenzhen actually leads some of the consumption trends on the mainland and the latest fashions and products from Hong Kong and Guangzhou are readily available throughout the city. Electronic and electrical appliances, clocks and watches, jewelry and leather are all good buys.

There are four main commercial districts within Shenzhen city. The area around the railway station is particularly good for clothes. The district between the Shanghai Hotel and Seg Electronics Co. mainly sells electrical appliances, which are a particularly good bargain here. If it is smaller commodities you are after, try the streets around Dong Men and the "old district". Famous-brand products from clothes to cosmetics are available in the flashy department stores such as the Xiwu Department Store and the International Commercial Market along the roads between Shenzhen Grand Theater and the People's Bridge. Boundary Street in the Shatoujiao District is another good area to purchase fine quality products. Wall Mart, the American hypermarket chain also has a branch downtown.

The Mix
The Mixc is a large shopping mall housing designer clothes, fashion accessories, cosmetics, a supermarket, a cinema and an ice rink. This is an up market shopping center in the same vein as Citic City Plaza. The biggest difference is that Ole, the basement level supermarket, stocks a greater variety of Western food and cooking products than Jusco, its counterpart at Citic City. Having said that, most of the products are imported and come at a high price. Therefore, before going on a spending spree here be sure to check out local supermarkets to make certain that what you are buying cannot be produced to the same quality or at all in China. It is also probably best to eat before entering the supermarket and for this Mixc provides shoppers with Pizza Hut, a Japanese noodle restaurant, Taco Bell Grande, Haagen Dazs, Illy Coffee Shop and Starbucks.
Opening Hours:10am–10pm
Address: Shennan Middle Rd, Luohu District
How to get there: The Mixc is opposite the Diwang Mansion on Shennan Middle Road. It has its own exit from Da Ju Yuanmetro station and can also be reached by bus nos. 12, 101 113 and 204.

Womens' World
Sorry guys, Women's World is not a place where you can buy a woman. It is, in fact, the name of a department store with shops selling women's clothing, footwear and cosmetics. Although there are a few brand stores here, most of the outlets are one-off fashion boutiques. The target market is the local white-collar gal who wants something different and unique and is willing to pay more than the bargain prices at Dong Men but does not want to fork out the tonne of cash needed for the designer wear on offer at Mixc and Citic City Plaza.
Address: Huaqiang North Rd, Futian District
How to get there: Women's World is on Huaqiang North Road near SEG Electronics Market. Take the metro to Huaqiang Lu station and leave from exit A. Turn left at the intersection of Huaqiang Middle Road and Huaqiang North Road. The entrance to Ladies' World is on the left after the next intersection.

Dong Men
Dong Men is a shopping district consisting of department stores, supermarkets, shops and stalls. It is centered on two parallel pedestrian streets with several smaller streets and alleys traversing it, creating a labyrinth in which every available space is used to sell something. Shops range from holes-in-the-wall to retail chains like Baleno, Giordano and the odd foreign brand shop, such as Addidas. Fashion wear, sports wear, jewellery, shoes, handbags, toys, CDs, DVDs, video games, traditional medicine...the list goes on and on. Touts guide punters to massage houses, nail salons and tattoo parlours. Occasionally, monks offer palm readings. Except for retail chain stores with prices clearly displayed, bargaining will be required.
If you do nothing else in Shenzhen, fit in a visit to Dong Men. It's a wonderfully vibrant area to explore and a lot of the city's young go there to stroll around, hang out and eat from its snack stalls and restaurants. It can be crowded at any time of the week but on weekends and holidays it seems like the whole population of the city is trying to squeeze into a few small streets.
How to get there: This area can be reached by bus no 102,113,103, and 203. Head down one of the pedestrian streets that run perpendicular to Dong Men Zhong Lu (Dong Men Central Road) near the Dong Men footbridge. (There are more shops on the opposite side of Dong Men Zhong Lu). From there just wander and follow the crowd. By Metro, get off at Lao Jie station and leave from exit A. Turn left and you'll soon be in the thick of it.

Citic City Plaza Seibu Shopping Mall
For a calmer shopping experience, the spacious, air-conditioned Seibu Shopping Mall at Citic City Plaza is one of Shenzhen's better-known malls. Its stores include Louis Vuitton, Polo Ralph Lauren, Fendi, Hugo Boss, Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Versace, Calvin Klein and Christian Dior. You can even buy a Cadillac here. The stalls outside sell souvenirs, plants and toys and Hagen Daas, Starbucks, KFC and Pizza Hut provide refreshments. Jusco, the Japanese department store, is located in the basement level and has a supermarket stocked with foodstuffs from both East and West, although their selection of Western products is not quite as good as Ole at The Mixc.
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm (Jusco stays open until 11pm)
Address: Shennan Middle Rd, Futian District
How to get there: Buses 14, 101, 204 and 215 stop at Citic City Plaza. The Ke Xue Guan metro stop, exit D, is a two minute walk away. The mall can be entered from Shen Nan Middle Road or Nan Yuan Road.

SEG Electronics Market
SEG Electronics Market is the kind of place that techies enter and vanish never to be seen again. It's housed in two buildings (a third one functions as the SEG Digital Market) on Huaqiang Bei Lu. The largest building has eight floors and is on the corner of Huaqiang Bei Lu and Huaqiang Zhong Lu. Next to that on Huaqiang Bei Lu is a building with four more floors of electronic products. Behind these two buildings, and accessible by walking between them is SEG Digital Market.
The electronics market stocks mostly computers and computer accessories. The digital market is good for entertainment devices like MP3s, personal stereos and DVD players. Having said that, the distinction is often blurred and you might want to check out each building no matter what you are in the market for. Aside from computer hardware and software, SEG also stocks just about every electronic-related product imaginable from telephone leads to RC toys. It is also possible to have electronic products repaired here.
Many of the stalls have prices displayed on their products but it is still acceptable to bargain. If there are no prices displayed it is highly advisable to bargain. Examine what you are purchasing very carefully and ask for a receipt. Obviously, buying laptops of dubious origins from the shady characters that stand outside the market is not recommended.
Opening Hours: 9am–6pm
Address: Huaqiang North Rd, Futian District
How to get there: The best way to get to SEG is by metro. Exit A of Huaqiang Lu station will bring you out on the corner of Huaqiang Bei Lu and Huaqiang Zhong Lu. The market is on the opposite side of the street. If you take a taxi tell the driver to take you to Huaqiang Bei Saige Electronic Market.

Luohu Commercial City
Inside this"city"are numerous shop units, some large and some nothing more than cubby holes. On offer are clothes, shoes, jewellery, fashion accessories, CDs, DVDs and, er, dental surgery. There are also cobblers and tailors at work here. Bargaining is necessary.
Opening Hours: 10am -10pm
Address: Luohu Border Crossing, Luohu District
How to get there:Luohu Commercial City can be found in the building on the opposite side of the square to the train station, above Luohu Bus Station and Lao Jie Metro station, at the Luo Hu border crossing.