If China is the factory of the world, then Shenzhen is the capital. This city is to manufacturing what New York City is to global finance. There’s simply no comparison.
On top of that, Shenzhen is currently the only city in Mainland China that offer 5-day visa on arrival to numerous nationalities.
This is covered
- What kind of suppliers can I find in Shenzhen?
- List of Shenzhen Wholesale Markets
- How to get to suppliers in Shenzhen
- Visa Requirements
What kind of suppliers can I find in Shenzhen?
Electronics
Shenzhen is the undisputed capital of electronics manufacturing, not only in Mainland China but in the entire world. Shenzhen has a huge ecosystem of OEM electronics manufacturers, domestic and international component suppliers, hardware incubators, wholesale markets, and service providers.
You probably already own numerous devices assemble in Shenzhen, including the very phone or laptop you read this article on.
Watches
Shenzhen is home to more than 3000 factories and component suppliers in the watch industry. Most are located in Bao’ a district in the north-eastern part of Shenzhen.
Apparel & Textiles
Shenzhen remains a cluster for textiles manufacturers, especially in the sportswear and other technical garments. Most textiles suppliers are located in Bao’ an and Longgang districts.
List of Shenzhen Wholesale Markets
Huaqiangbei Electronics Market
Huaqiangbei Electronics Market is one of the most well-known markets when it comes to wholesale electronics components. This wholesale market is located at Huaqiangbei aka Huaqiang North, the sub-district of Futian District, Shenzhen – the largest electronic manufacturing hub and market in the world.
If you are like me – someone who is a technology geek when it comes to getting hands on the latest electronics product; loves to compare prices to get the best bargain; you must visit Huaqiangbei Electronics Market.
Want to shop for some other electronics products? This market also covers other subcategories so make sure you do not miss out on exploring the other small markets.
Products
- Computer displays and components
- Bluetooth Speaker
- SSD Hard Disk
- Bitcoin Miner
Address (English): Huaqiang North, Futian, Shenzhen, China
Saige (SEG) Electronics Market Plaza
Saige (SEG) Electronics are for those who are looking to buy computer components, hard disks, USB hard drives. You can even customise your PC catering to your own needs.
Feiyang Times Mansion
Feiyang Times Mansion is popular for those who are looking to sell their old iPhone or iPad and buy a new one at a reasonable cost. You can also find an ‘electronics dr.’ to fix your broken electronics and refurbish them as good as new.
Electronics Science and Technology Mansion
Electronics Science and Technology Mansion is a place where you can buy all the electronics necessities. From phone accessories to Bluetooth speakers, going to this marketplace will be an eye-opening experience where there are thousands of models of the product you are looking for.
Finally, it is easy to get there, it is a huge complex of marketplace consists of multiple buildings located close to the Huaqiang Lu Metro Station.
Shenzhen Clocks And Watches Peitao Market
Are you a watch lover? Or are you a Time-Master gathering your tools to time travel? Before you go back to the future, make sure to pay a visit to the Shenzhen Clocks and Watches Peitao Market. This wholesale market consists of over 2000 shops.
From alarm clocks, watches, to wall clocks with the most simplistic mechanism; you can find these products made with different types of material. Stainless steel watches, sports watches and also other watch components and accessories are available for you to choose.
Products
- Stainless Steel Watch
- Watch components
- Clock Hand
- Packaging
Address: Man Ha Shang Ye Guang Chang, Futian District, Shenzhen, China
Shuibei Jewelry Park
Constructed back in 2004, Shuibei Jewelry Park aka Shuibei Jewelry City is a large market where jewelry manufacturers are gathered here. This wholesale market is located in the Luohu district of Shenzhen.
The wholesale and retail jewellery market in the Shuibei Jewelry Park is also the largest marketplace for professional jewelry trade with more than 500 companies. These manufacturers cover from wedding rings, diamond necklace, silver accessories.
Products
- Gems Rings
- Diamond Necklace
- Gold Chain
Address: Luohu, Shenzhen, China
Century Plaza Wholesale Clothing Trade
Century Plaza Wholesale Clothing Trade aka Century Square is located at the Jindu Fashion Wholesale City. Getting there is easy, simply take a bus or the metro to the Dengliang Metro Station or the Haiye Metro Station, then switch to a 5-minutes taxi ride to Century Square.
From leather bags, jackets, jeans to shoes, you can find manufacturers that supplies supply the latest popular trends in both men’s and women’s fashion. Simply hop into any of these stores, you can get nice-quality, fashionable western, Korean style clothes at a fairly affordable cost.
Products
- Leather Bags
- Women’s and Men’s Fashion
- Boots
Address: Century Square, Nanshan, Shenzhen
Shenzhen Baima Clothing Wholesale Market
Shenzhen Baima Clothing Wholesale Market is established in 2003, located in the Luohu District in Shenzhen. This wholesale market is located on mainly sells branded apparel, garments and clothing. Wholesales and retails can be found here for famous brands that are from South Korea, Japan, and the US,.
On the other hand, this is a good place to start if you are looking for discount clothes.
Feeling that if one day is not enough to shop in Baima Wholesale Market? You can even book a hotel to stay for one or two nights so you can take your time to go all-in on ‘crazy shopping’.
Products
- Superhero T-shirts
- Cosplay Costumes
- Hats & Caps
Address: Hongzhan Commercial City, Luohu District, Shenzhen, China
Buying brand name products
Contrary to what many people believe, Apple, Sony and other brands are more expensive in Mainland China compared to the United States and Europe. As such, you should not visit one of these electronics wholesale markets hoping to find cheap brand name electronics.
In some cases, you may even end up paying 20% more than you would in nearby Hong Kong.
Product Compliance
Many electronic products and components sold at Shenzhen wholesale markets are not specifically made to comply with overseas product regulations, such as the Low Voltage Directive (EU) or UL standards (US).
Product compliance is serious business when importing electronics from China, so you must make sure that your products are compliant before you place an order. That said, you’re better off visiting an OEM electronics factory in Shenzhen, rather than a wholesaler if you intend to buy custom designed or private label devices.
That said, Wholesale markets are an incredibly valuable resource at a prototype development stage, as you can purchase small volumes of components.
How to get to suppliers in Shenzhen
There are different ways to go from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, which depends on the travel cost, time and also convenience level. Below, you can find these different ways to go to Shenzhen.
a. Traveling to Shenzhen via Hong Kong
Going from Hong Kong to Shenzhen is quite convenient, one of the cheapest and fastest ways that you can get there is MTR. In Hong Kong, the MTR is one of the most widely used public transport.
Before you go, make sure to do enough research on which wholesale markets are you deciding to go; where the location(s) is the closest to decide which station to get off in Lo Wo or Lok Ma Chau border crossing points from the East Rail Line.
b. Direct flight to Shenzhen Bao’ an International Airport
We all know that time is money, that is why you are also recommended to fly directly to Shenzhen Bao’ an International Airport. In this way, you will not have to deal with the hazard of navigating your way to Shenzhen. On the other hand, you can also hire a translator or pick-up service before you arrive. So you enjoy a stress-free shopping experience when you’re in Shenzhen.
c. Traveling from Guangzhou to Shenzhen
Guangzhou is a big province, a lot of people also pay a visit to Guangzhou to go to the wholesale markets to find their product manufacturers. You are also encouraged to go there before coming to Shenzhen.
Going from Guangzhou to Shenzhen is quite easy, there are different ways – High-Speed Trains, Train and also going from Flight. It does not take too much time to travel between the two as the cities are very close to each other.
d. Shenzhen Metro System
The Shenzhen Metro is one of the fastest and most convenient transportation options in Shenzhen, it is also very economically-friendly if you are navigating between the city and Hong Kong for sightseeing purposes.
There are 3 types of common tickets – Single Journey Ticket, Shenzhen Tong Pass and One-day Travel Pass.
For a single journey ticket, it is a green or yellow plastic token. On the other hand, the Shenzhen Tong Pass allows you to travel around the East part of the city with a 5% discount and can be top up again. The third type is a One-Day Travel Pass, you can travel around without limitations in 24 hours.
Visa Requirements
Before you go to Shenzhen, make sure to apply for a visa before arrival. For tourist from most countries, the fee of applying for Shenzhen VOA is CNY 168. However, not all countries pay the same cost. For instance, UK citizens pay CNY 304 for the Shenzhen Visa 5-day visa.
If you are planning to apply for a visa upon arrival, you can apply for the Shenzhen 5-day visa aka the Shenzhen 5-day VOA. This allows you to stay in Shenzhen for up to 5 days. Tourists from most of the countries are eligible for Shenzhen 5-Day Visa on Arrival.
Below, you will find the countries that are eligible for this visa:
- Algeria
- Australia
- Austria
- Canada
- France
- Germany
- Korea
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Romania
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- United States
- United Kingdom