Qi Pu Road (Wholesale District)

Qi Pu Road is known as the wholesale district of Shanghai.

This is the place where some fashion retailers purchase their stocks, at wholesale prices and then applying the necessary markup when it goes to shelf.

I first learnt about the area when Jennifer told me thats where she obtained the stocks for her fashion retail outlet. On many occasions, I wanted to tag along with her on one of her stock runs there, just to see how business is conducted at the street level. Unfortunately, our available timings never matched and she has since wind down her retail business to concentrate on investing in stocks.

One fine day, I asked if she would be free to go to Qi Pu Road. Incidentally, a friend of hers needed her to be there as she is able to get a good discount from some of the distributors.

We met at Huai Hai Road and took a cab there. Journey is about 15 mins or so.

The area was congested, worned out and pretty polluted. I guess the environment is really no frills to keep costs low!

We went into a building about seven storeys high and its packed with shops selling anything from bags to clothes to leather goods.  All item pricings are negotiable. Lets say you are a retailer and is interested in a specific number of a particular shirt. Chances are, the seller there would have this already available in multicolor, sizes and volume packed in boxes for you. Some of the shops there dont even bother to unpack their goods from the boxes or crates. Of course, the more you self service,  the cheaper it gets.

The shops are equally frills free. Jennifer spotted a dress she liked and negotiated a wholesale price for it but met with a small problem. She wanted to try it but there was no fitting room in the shop. What the shop owner did was to bring out a curtain, tie one end of it onto a section of his shop and asked a young girl to hold on to the other end of it. And so, Jennifer tried the dress in the improvised "fitting room". Understandably, in double quick time !

Factory overuns are peddled in the shops there too. Jennifer remarked that the same bedlinen sets which she bought months earlier were being sold at 50% off.

If you are not really into brands or service, you may just be able to get a few good deals there! I havent got the exact address but most taxi drivers would know the area if you mention to them the Qi Pu Road wholesale district. However, its difficult to get a taxi out due to the congestion frequently faced in the area. Well,there is always a price to pay for a lower price tag.

Happy Shopping~

Comments

[something_picasso]

Thanks for the intro, I'm not one for buying in bulk, but a couple of my friends are going to Shanghai over the Summer so I guess I'll pass the information along.

What retailers buy from this wholesale district, exactly?

[David]

Hi Picasso,

Fashion retailers are usually there.

[Alan]

No wonder my wife and I could not find any cheap clothes in Shanghai when we were there in Feb. We wander around Shanghai city but could not find something similar to weekend market in Bangkok. We thought of going to Xiang yang market but the taxi driver told me it was already close down.

[Darren]

Where can one get wholesales chinese embroidery, home and decor items in shanghai? I will be buying things in bulk, so wholesales qty will be good for me.

thanks!

[David]

Hi Darren,

I am not too sure but I suspect the stall owners at Qi Pu Road would be able to source for you. For chinese embroidery, there should be some there as well.

[CL]

Hi Darren
Can try buildings surround Yu Garden. There a no. of buildings but I can't remember the names of these buildings. Have to walk out of the Yu Garden.

Before Christmas, they sell very cheap Christmas decoration stuffs. December 2006, I bought a 35cm christmas tree at 5 yuan.

[Anuj Sharma]

Hi Every one,

Can you please help me with address of whole sale market of curtain and upholstery. please reply at anuj@dicitexdecor.com. Your help shall be highly appreciated.

Regards

Anuj Sharma

[yannie]

Hi everyone,

I am going to shanghai this sept and looking for anyplace where I can find wholesale toys and inflatable swimming rings? such as the swim ring we use at waterpark.

Thanks and ur help is really appreciated

[David Tan]

Hi Yannie,

I dont have contacts for those but you can find most of the online at www.alibaba.com.

I did a quick search on swimming rings and quite a few results showed up!

[wholesale clothing]

Thanks for the information. Your post really helped. i really love to shop especially if it's wholesale. this place was great for my outlet,but i think one thing they forgot to do is to have a fitting room. right? anyways, i wish i could go there and visit that place. thanks for sharing this, keep it up!

-altheya-

[Ben]

Hi,

I'm visiting Shanghai and Beijing over summer with friends. We would really like to know, places where we can get cheap brand clothes and electronics since it's the home of production.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks,

Ben

[David Tan]

Hi Ben,

For Shanghai:

Factory overruns for clothing, you can try Qi Pu Road or Huaihai Road for some shopping

Electronics, you can try:
Metro City Mall
1111 Zhaojiabang Road Xuhui
near Caoxi Bei Road, Metro Line 1 Hengshan Road Station
肇嘉浜路1111号
近漕溪北路, 地铁1号线徐家汇站
6426-8888

[Ben]

Thanks will do, can't wait to fly out!

[Wholesale drop ship companies]

With Inventory Source, you can set your store up once and then completely forget about managing your inventory. You can focus on running your business and generating sales, and feel confident that your website is filled with the most up-to-date inventory availability and pricing information, direct from your supplier.

[Kelly]

Hi, I'll be staying in Sofitel Hyland during my trip to Shanghai.
Please adv how far is Qi Pu Road from where I will be staying.
Greatly appreciate your kind advise.
Kelly

[David Tan]

Hi Kelly,

not too far...about 15 to 20 mins taxi ride..depending on traffic conditions..

[JOHN IPPOLITO]

IM LOOKING AT COMING TO SHANGHI IN THE NEXT 3 WEEKS TO DO SOME WHOLESALE BUYING ON BABY SWIMWEAR MOST PEOPLE I HAVE EMAILED HAVE SAID YOU NEED TO PURCHASE 500 LOTS WHAT HAPPEN WHEN YOU ONLY WANT MABE 100 I NEED TO NO WERE I CAN GET AN INTERPRETOR THAT SPEAKS ENGLISH IN SHANGHI I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE COST SHOULD BE FOR SOME ONE TO TAKE ME AROUND TO THE RIGHT PLACES AND GET THE BEST PRICE ANOTHER THING IM FINDING IT HARD TO GET A CHEAP FLIGHT AND CHEAP ACCOMADATION FOR AROND 1 WEEK TIME AND TO STAY 7 NGHTS COULD SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME KNOLEDGE THANKS

[David]

Hi John,

You can try some contacts found in this link : http://www.shanghai-ed.com/classifieds/list.php?c=Jobs+Wanted

[wholesale clothing]

I think I want to go there, You know I really really like wholesale clothing. thank you for this info, thanks for the post.

-mikee