The “China Haul” Boom on Shanghai's Nanjing Road: Overseas Visitors Snap up Chinese Tech

“Arrive with an empty suitcase and leave with it full.” Some shoppers reportedly bring as many as three suitcases each on shopping trips to China. “China Haul” videos, in which visitors unbox and show off their purchases, have recently become a major talking point on overseas social media. Displays of tech gadgets, fashion incorporating traditional Chinese motifs, beauty products and traditional Chinese medicine and wellness items fill the screen and draw crowds of viewers.

The “China Haul” craze is translating into real activity in Shanghai's malls and brand stores.

At Anliu Space Tech AI Hub inside the historic Yongan Department Store on Nanjing Road, street-facing windows display DJI drones, smart glasses and the SenseRobot AI Go-playing robot. Many international visitors stop to look, then step inside to try the products, ask staff detailed questions or make a purchase. According to the department store's home-appliance section manager, foreign visitors currently account for around 70–80% of customers, with particularly strong interest in smart glasses and massage devices.

Visitors to China are no longer looking only for souvenirs with a distinctly Chinese character. Whether a purchase will be useful in everyday life back home has also become an important consideration. This shift goes hand in hand with the growing popularity of technology-focused tourism.

Demand among inbound visitors for hands-on technology experiences has become even more pronounced this year. Xu Pengkai, a Shanghai tour guide serving overseas visitors, offers experiences involving electric vehicles, robots and AI glasses, as well as drone food delivery and self-driving cars. During busy periods, he reportedly has only about four days off a month.

Chinese high-tech products such as AI glasses, smart massage devices and earbuds with translation features are steadily replacing conventional souvenirs on international visitors' shopping lists.

A representative of Yongan Department Store says the customer mix on Nanjing Road has changed noticeably over the past two years.

At Huawei's Nanjing Road flagship store, international visitors routinely stop at the tri-fold smartphone display and try the devices for themselves. Some also buy audio products, with clip-on earbuds attracting particular interest for their unusual way of fitting around the ear.

Smart cars on display, including LUXEED and Stellato models, are also popular hands-on exhibits. A couple from France expressed keen interest in the latest technology in Chinese vehicles: “It's fascinating to see so many different cars. We like being able to try how the seats move and see what technology is inside. They're quite different from the cars we see in France.”

The growing number of visitors to China helps explain why more international tourists are seeking out places that offer a taste of “life in the future.” In the first three quarters of this year, Shanghai's border checkpoints recorded 5.138 million foreign arrivals, up 18.5% year on year. Of those, 3.431 million entered under visa-free arrangements or the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, accounting for 66.8% of the total.

The shopping boom is also visible in the figures. From January to September this year, sales of goods eligible for departure tax refunds in Shanghai rose 52% year on year, while sales under the instant-refund scheme reached 1.4 times the level of the same period last year. More than 2,700 shops are now registered for tax refunds.

“Arrive with an empty suitcase and leave with it full.” Wireless microphones, drones, smart glasses and other high-tech products are taking up more space in visitors' luggage. Behind the “China Haul” boom is the strength of China's advanced manufacturing sector and its steady stream of new products.

Photos courtesy of Wang Ziyin

Sources: CCTV News and the “Shanghai Huangpu” WeChat official account