For newcomers from abroad, Suzhou can be a challenging place to shop in. Until very recently, there were no shopping malls to speak of, just numerous department stores with luxury brands on display. Indeed, much of Suzhou’s commercial space seems polarized between expensive, upscale shopping centers, and small, mom-and-pop operations. Fortunately the last year or two have ushered in new mid-range options for customers who don’t need big brand names (fake or otherwise) to appear on their purchases. We’ll cover antiques, souvenirs, and cultural goods in another article. For now, let’s take a look at Suzhou’s shopping environment for everyday necessities.

Starting off downtown, Guanqian Jie has long been lauded by locals as Suzhou’s main shopping area. In a way that’s true, but it’s mostly for tourists. If your idea of a good time is bumping into excited travelers (who seem to walk endlessly up and down this pedestrian street with squid skewers in hand), smelling stinky tofu as the noxious fumes waft through the hot summer  (or freezing winter) air, all while exposed to the elements, then enjoy it by all means. However, despite a few valuable stores, Guanqian Jie seems to offer many more headaches than solutions to your shopping needs. The few notable places that are worth the visit are the stationery store on the second floor of the sports clothing store, at the middle entrance of Guanqian (near the train ticket office), and the oddly named Moman, an underground collection of shops selling gifts and accessories. You can find the staircase leading down to it in a small park across from U-Town, the main electronics market downtown.

Guanqian Jie Shopping Area观前街 View In Map
Add: Guanqian Jie, Pingjiang District, Suzhou ?
地址: 苏州市平江区观前街

U-Town 友通数码港  View In Map
Add: 456 Ganjiang Xi lu, Pingjiang District, Suzhou
地址: 苏州市平江区干将西路456号

Speaking of electronics, and as someone who has made innumerable trips to the U-Town and Linkup electronics markets to purchase computer accessories and upgrades, thank goodness Best Buy is finally here! The Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) location isn’t ideal for everyone, but if you happen to live east of downtown, Best Buy will save you both a long trip as well as the hassle that small electronics markets can bring. The selection at Best Buy isn’t exactly mind-blowing, but if they happen to have what you are looking for, you can make your purchase in a comfortable store without bargaining, confident that you didn’t get ripped off with fake merchandise. The previously mentioned markets, while cheaper, require you to suffer through crowded, tight spaces, and risk paying for a product that will break down in under a year.

Best Buy, INCITY Plaza 印象城购物中心 View In Map
Add: 1699 Modern Avenue, SIP, Suzhou
地址:苏州市工业园区现代大道1699号
Tel: 0512 6280 2222
Opening hours: 07:30 to 22:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 68 to Xingming Jie Bei, walk one block west on Modern Avenue; or, Bus No. 2, 26, or 518 direct to INCITY

Linkup Electronics Market 领华数码城 View In Map
Add: 688 Zhuhui Lu, Suzhou
地址：苏州市竹辉路688号
Getting there: Take Bus No. 27, 28, 39, 935 to Guangdian Zongzhan stop and walk around 100 metres

Best Buy itself is located in INCITY Plaza, which is also a great destination for mid-range international clothing brands such as H&M, Zara, Dickies, Levis, Quicksilver/Roxy, and many others. You won’t find the high-end brands that are available in many other shopping areas like the indoor Rainbow Plaza or the massive Times Square area, but INCITY is comparable in cleanliness and comfort. In other areas of the city, you can also find abundant independently-owned stores that sell copies, fakes, and factory samples of major brands. The most notable locations for these are the women’s fashion-heavy Shiquan Jie, Lindun Lu next to Guanqian Jie, and Wusa Lu with its emphasis on sports apparel and shoes.

Rainbow Shopping Mall 天虹百货 View In Map
Add: 368 Suya Road, SIP, Suzhou
地址: 苏州工业园区苏雅路368号
Getting there: Take Bus No. 178, 307 and 818 to Dushi Huayuan Stop, and walk about 200 metres

Times Square Shopping Area 圆融时代广场 View In Map
Add: 268 Wangdun Road, SIP, Suzhou   
地址: 苏州工业园区旺墩路268号
Getting there: Take Bus No. 108, 138, 156 and 219 to Harmony Times Square (SIP)

For shopping of the daily necessity variety, one must look toward the hypermarkets for one-stop shopping solutions. Downtown Suzhou is devoid of such options, other than scattered supermarkets and convenience stores. If selection is what you crave, flock to Auchan, Walmart, one of the four Carrefours, or a Bairunfa/Darunfa. Auchan and the latter two are perceived by locals to have the lowest costs, meaning they’re constantly teeming with crowds of shoppers. Wal-Mart feels almost empty at times, which can be relaxing, but has woefully small selections on many items. Carrefour has a decent offering of items without being constantly mobbed.

Auchan 欧尚 View In Map
Add: 205 Jinjihu Road, SIP, Suzhou  
地址: 苏州市工业园区金鸡湖路205号
Opening hours: 08:00 - 22:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 32, 47, 100, 108, 118, 200, 204 and many other bus lines to Auchan Supermarket (欧尚超市) Stop

Wal-Mart, INCITY Plaza 沃尔玛 View In Map
Add: 1699 Modern Avenue, SIP, Suzhou
地址:苏州市工业园区现代大道1699号
Tel: 0512 6280 2222
Opening hours: 07:30 to 22:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 68 to Xingming Jie Bei, walk one block west on Modern Avenue; or, Bus No. 2, 26, or 518 direct to INCITY

Carrefour SIP/ SND 家乐福东环店 /家乐福三香路店 View In Map
Add: 266 Fengyi Street / 183-184 Sanxiang Road, Suzhou 
地址: 苏州市葑谊街266号 / 三香路183-184号
Opening hours: 08:00 - 22:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 10, 64, 145, 262, 306 and 325 to Sports Center (体育中心) Stop

If the idea of visiting a hypermarket makes you cringe, you can always look toward foreign-oriented supermarkets in the SIP. Jiuguang Department Store’s basement level, Summit, Silver Palate, and Enjoy City are all relaxed, if not expensive, shopping environments.

Jiuguang Department Store久光百货 View In Map
Add: 268 Wangdun Road, SIP, Suzhou
地址: 苏州市工业园区旺墩路268号
Opening hours: 10:00 - 21:30
Getting there: Take Bus No. 108, 138, 156 and 219 to Harmony Times Square (SIP)

Summit Classic Life Club 苏州顶峰超级生活会馆 View In Map
Add: East 1F, 128 Jinjihu Road, SIP, Suzhou
地址: 苏州市工业园区金鸡湖路128号加城大厦1楼东
Tel: 0512 6767 1575
Opening hours: 10:30 - 23:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 28, 100, 142, 207 and 307 to Jiacheng Building Stop

Silver Palate 味源 View In Map
Add: Room 105, Building 58, Xinghai Street, Suzhou 
地址: 苏州市星海街58号23幢105室
Tel: 0512 6287 5622

Enjoy City Supermarket 城市之间 View In Map
Add: 1F, Building 17, Horizon Resort II, Xinghan Street, SIP, Suzhou
地址: 苏州市星汉街天域二期商业街17幢底层
Tel: 0512 6253 8582
Opening hours: 8:00 - 22:00
Getting there: Take Bus No. 26, 28, 47, 108 and 818 to International Plaza (国际大厦, Xinghan Jie)

In short, Suzhou is in a mode of transition from being full of independently owned shops, to inviting more international brands to come in. Unfortunately, that list has generally been limited to upscale luxury brands, with prices sometimes double their rates overseas. However, the “middle-tier” of options is gaining momentum; hopefully we’ll see more convenient, affordable, and genuine shops open as Suzhou continues its rapid development.

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Keywords: Where to go shopping Suzhou shop in Suzhou shopping tips Suzhou