Last reviewed 2026-10-20. This is the short version: eight things, each with the reason to buy it and the reason not to.

Things to buy in China

Most "what to buy" lists are the same twenty items in the same order. This one is eight items, and for each one there is a catch, because the catch is the only part you cannot get from a shelf.

Source: Xinhua, "Why global travelers flock to China with empty suitcases", 2 October 2026 — english.news.cn; and Xinhua Chinese-language commentary, 9 October 2026 — news.cn

Worth it

1. Drones and action cameras

Why: home-market pricing, and models that reach China before export markets.

The catch: radio and drone rules differ by country, and warranty coverage is often mainland-only. Ask about the serial number's coverage before you pay — and check your own country's drone rules before you fly it there.

2. AI glasses and wearables

Why: the category where Chinese manufacturers are ahead on hardware, and one of the fastest-growing purchases of the year.

The catch: display, translation and assistant features often depend on services that are restricted outside China. Test the exact feature you care about in the shop, on the unit you are buying.

3. Foldable phones

Why: the most price-advantaged flagship category.

The catch: model variants differ in band support and charger type, and a warranty honoured only in China is close to no warranty. Confirm the exact model code.

4. Designer toys and blind boxes

Why: cheap, light, giftable, and genuinely hard to buy outside China at the same price.

The catch: restocking is unpredictable. If you want a specific figure, go early in the week and ask about holds.

5. Sportswear and running shoes

Why: design quality has moved up sharply, and the price gap versus exported versions is real.

The catch: sizing runs small. Try them on. Cross-border returns are not a realistic plan.

6. Domestic beauty and skincare

Why: the most consistently well-reviewed haul category, and cheap enough to experiment.

The catch: ingredient lists are in Chinese, and liquid restrictions on aircraft are not negotiable. Photograph and translate before you open anything.

7. Tea and teaware

Why: the best value-to-risk ratio of anything on this list.

The catch: agricultural import rules apply at your border. Sealed, commercially packaged is safer than hand-filled.

8. Made-to-measure clothing

Why: the largest absolute saving available to a normal traveller.

The catch: it takes days, not hours. Two fittings is the realistic minimum. Get the fabric composition on the invoice.

Not worth it

• Airport souvenirs. The same object, at several times the price, bought in the one place where you cannot compare.
• Anything you have not turned on. An electronics purchase you did not test in the shop is a gamble you cannot claim on from home.
• Traditional medicines bought as gifts. Regulated as medicines in many destinations, and frequently seized.
• Anything bought to fill a refund threshold. Spending 300 yuan to recover 25 is not a strategy.

The two questions to ask in every shop

1. "Is this store a designated tax refund store?" If yes, ask for the invoice and the refund application form at the till. If the answer is vague, assume no.
2. "Is this model warranted in my country?" Ask for the serial number coverage, not the brand promise. "The brand has service centres everywhere" is not an answer to this question.

The refund conditions are worth reading before you shop rather than at the airport, because one of them — goods must be unused — changes what you should buy and when.