Ever curious to see where all the merchandise you see on the street and in your favorite boutique shop comes from? The likelihood that your favorite store’s vendor can be found at a wholesale market is remarkably high. One of the great things about being in Beijing is that you too can shop at the same wholesale market and find some bargains.
When typical foreigner expats or tourists think of bargaining for knick knacks and souvenirs, they think of the typicalHongqiaoPearl Market nearthe Temple of Heaven, Silk Market near Pinganli (Subway Line 1), andSanlitun’sYashowClothing Market. Fear not Beijingers, as you can go where the locals go. Two wholesale markets that we’ll discuss today are theBeijing ZooWholesale Market and Tianyi Shopping Center. Both are located in the same vicinity, and after you visit the Beijing Zoo’s wholesale market, you can board a bus for about 4 stops until you reach Tianyi (located on Fuchengmenwai Street).
Beijing Zoo’s wholesale markets are legendary for fashion and if you’re interested in trendy clothing. There is more than one, but the first major one is located directly across from the Beijing Zoo and located above the bus depot. Others are in the same area. Just look around and explore. Here, you can definitely see many individuals picking up large quantities of you-name-it jeans, tops, and accessories to resell. Don’t worry, you don't have to buy as much in quantity for shop owners also welcome individual buyers, though you will not get the same wholesale price. The merchandise at the stores are always changing in accordance with the seasons. Come here in the summer, and you will not be able to score on coats, jackets, or scarves. One downside of this place is that because it’s a wholesale market, you can’t expect to find changing rooms and sometimes you will have to take a gamble because you can’t try anything on. You’ll have to guess the fit by sizing everything up by eye.
Tianyi’s wholesale market (天意新商城) is a great place to find knick knacks and everyday items. You won’t find a great selection of clothing, but you will find everything else. From the outside, this place looks a little out of place. There are oversized Christmas decorations everywhere, and they’re placed here permanently. In addition to toys and jewelry on the first floor, make your way upstairs to find other goodies. Some floors are dedicated to electronic gadgets, cell phone accessories, earrings, cookware, and etc. This place normally sells in bulk, but individual shoppers are welcome as well. Just make sure to bargain, but don't expect the shoppers to start with outrageous prices like at the Silk Market. Shop owners here normally sell in bulk so they’ll start at more reasonable prices and will budge just a little. One tip to know is that most of this merchandise is resold on Taobao, so if you have access to the internet, a quick browse online will give you a better idea of how much to bargain for.
Shopping in wholesale markets is a fun experience. You may stumble upon buying something you never thought you’d buy, like a pair of rollerblades or an electronic Hello Kitty personal weight scale. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, you’re going to have an enjoyable afternoon browsing through these wholesale markets.
