Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Electronics, computer and photography equipment
There's not much point buying big-name-brand electronics here, or anything
that's near the top of the range; prices are the same as in the West, and you'll get
less after-sales support. But it is worth checking out the
local brands
that
you've never heard of (Lenovo is the biggest) and mid-range brands from Japan
and Korea such as Acer.
A basic Chinese
laptop
costs as little as ¥2500, though it may well have build
quality issues. For twice that you can pick up one from a Korean company that
will usually have an international warranty and will still cost two-thirds what it
would cost in the West.
Simple
MP3 players
can be had for ¥200,
memory sticks
for computers,
camera and phones start at around ¥100, and you can get similar value for
accessories
such as headphones, USB cameras, portable RAM, mobile phone
adaptors and keyboards.
The best places to shop for such bargains are the giant
tech-souks
Cybermart
(
赛博数码广场
;
saì bó shù m
gu
ng ch
ng
; 282 Huaihai Zhong Lu, at its intersec-
tion with Huangpi Nan Lu), Metro City (
美罗城
;
m
!
i luó chéng
!! ; 111 Zhaojiabang
Lu, by Caoxi Bei Lu, in the basement of the mall shaped like a giant bubble;
Xujiahui subway) and Pacific Digital Plaza (
太平洋数码广场
;
tài píng yáng shù m
2
gu
ng ch
; 117 Zhaojiabang Lu; Xujiahui subway). Shop around, as many of
the stalls sell the same things, and barter (though this isn't the fake market -
you'll get at most fifteen percent off the asking price). Test everything
thoroughly and remember that for the majority of this stuff the warranty is not
valid internationally.
For
photography equipment
, head to the third floor of the Huanlong
Department Store, at 360 Meiyuan Lu, by the train station (
黄龙百货
;
huáng lóng
ba
huò
). Prices are not as good as in Hong Kong but still cheaper than the West.
Plenty of the stores sell second-hand and studio gear, but don't get anything
printed here as you can't be sure of the quality.
ng
Furniture
Middle-class locals might be flocking to the new IKEA, but foreign expats, it
would seem, just can't get enough retro Chinese furniture, with four-poster
beds, carved screens, and lacquered chairs the most popular of many lines. All
shops will arrange shipping home. The majority is, of course, reproduction. See
also Henry Antique Warehouse (p.139) and Paddy Field (p.142).
Art Deco
凹凸库家具
āo tū kù jiā jù
Building 7, 1st Floor, 50 Moganshan Lu. See map,
pp.80-81.
This was one of the first shops to
arrive inside the Moganshan Art complex,
and shows the wa
y it will probably develop.
A grand collection of old furniture from the
1920s to the 1940s collected b
y husband
and wife team Ding Yi and Wang Yiwu
.
No. D Gallery
D号创意艺术廊
dí hào chuàng yì yì shù láng
2F, No. 15, Peninsula Garden, Lane 1518,
Xikang Lu, daily 11am-7pm; 223 Jianguo Xi Lu,
daily 11am-9pm;
www.numberd.com. See
maps, pp.80-8
1 & pp.70-71.
Art Deco and
retro Chinese furniture; more tasteful than
its com
petitors.
W
144
