A little background for anyone new here; longtime readers can skip this bit.
You can think of Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center as a “permanent version” of the China International Import Expo (CIIE). For those few days each year when the CIIE is on, great products from around the world pour in. Once the expo ends, many of the exhibits don’t need to be shipped back home; they stay on display and are sold year-round at Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center. It’s run by Orient International Group, a state-owned enterprise, and everything there is officially imported with duties paid, so you basically don’t need to worry about quality.
But there’s one rather frustrating thing I mentioned last time: they still don’t have an online store for regular consumers like us, or a mini-program where you can place orders directly. Want to buy something? You have to make the trip to a physical store yourself. They’ve opened more than twenty branches outside the area, but how would the average person even know about them? And even if they did, they’d have to make a special trip. The details are explained here:
A place with no online store, hiding 85,000 imported products
So I did something about it: since I go there often anyway, I’ll take photos on-site and run errands for you. Last time I photographed a batch of discounted items—the list is in this post:
No online shop, no mini-program—I'll run errands and bring home the good stuff from Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center (with a list of 26 discounted items)
I went again today and focused on creative goods and handmade crafts—I want everyone to know this place isn’t just full of food and drinks; it’s packed with all kinds of weird and wonderful things from around the world.
Everything below was photographed on-site today. I’ve sorted it by country for you—just looking at where it’s from feels like a trip halfway around the world:
🇺🇸🇯🇵🇩🇪 USA / Japan / Germany · Stationery Fans, Get Ready to Lose It
Pokémon-series fountain pens and character collectibles (Japanese IP), German LAMY fountain pens, Japanese PLATINUM mechanical pencils, American Crayola washable watercolor markers, plus a duck-themed pen set, astrology-chart notebooks… The stationery section was so well-stocked I almost thought I’d come to buy wholesale.
🇳🇵 Nepal · The Warmth of Handmade
Handmade needle-felted wool dolls from Nepal—so soft, with that unmistakable handmade look. Just having one on your desk feels soothing.
🇵🇪 Peru · Quirky-Cute Crafts
Peruvian leather, fur, and plush crafts: an Mr. Avocado standee and all kinds of little plush animals. They’re adorably weird—young people should love them.
🇦🇷 Argentina · A Treat for Football Fans
Argentina national team (AFA) figurines, including several of Messi’s jersey numbers. Fans will probably find it hard to walk away.
🧒 Imported Kids’ Products
Portable potty seats, drawing-friendly silicone bibs, sticker books, puzzle books—the perfect gear for outings with little ones. Moms know.
💧 HERBERT Pure Titanium Cups
Ridiculously lightweight and keeps drinks warm—great for outdoor lovers and office workers alike.
🥤 The Whole Coca-Cola Collaboration Collection
Coca-Cola collaboration neckband Bluetooth earphones, semi-in-ear earphones, bone-conduction earphones, plus collab polo shirts and T-shirts—wear Coke on your ears and your body.
🇺🇸 USA · Dinnerware & Insulated Cups
A white ceramic dinnerware set from the USA (with the China International Import Expo quality-product label) and insulated cups—put them on the table and instantly elevate the whole setup.
🎁 Picture Frames / Badges / Embroidered Patches
GIFTNOOK 3D wooden shadow box art—a gift that comes with its own special sense of occasion.
🇰🇷 Korea · Fragrance & Personal Care
COCODOR perfumes in several scents (black cherry, freesia, English pear, blackberry, and more), Pororo goat’s milk body wash, and PAPA RECIPE face masks—the whole Korean beauty lineup girls should know.
🇬🇧🇮🇹 UK / Italy · Scented Candles
British brand HEYLAND WHITTLE (HW) reed diffusers, said to be the sort supplied to Buckingham Palace, and Italian Tesori d'Oriente scented candles—the fragrance from one lighting lasts for nearly half a month.
🇿🇲 Zambia · Wooden Combs & Pendants
Bora handmade African rosewood combs (the same ones featured at the China International Import Expo, made in Zambia), plus all kinds of natural wood pendants—the craftsmanship feels amazing.
🇺🇸 USA · Toy Cars
Hot Wheels Premium die-cast cars—the grown-up’s comfort toy. Collectors will get it.
🇬🇧 Tea Tin (AHMAD TEA)
AHMAD TEA Winter Slow-Sipping Collection tea tin, with Earl Grey flavored tea—just the thing for a British afternoon tea.
🌬️ All Kinds of Little Finds
Great-looking, tons of styles—just grab one and you can’t go wrong.
【Korea】Body wash
【Korea】Soothing sticks and soothing gel, 【USA】Watercolor pens
【Germany】Limited-edition Pokémon fountain pen set, LAMY x Dunhuang Museum “Ride a Horse Through Dreams” Safari fountain pen
【Nepal】Needle-felted wool
【Peru】Leather and fur crafts
【Japan】Pens, 【Italy】Notebooks, 【Taiwan, China】giant fantasy bubble sword
Argentina national team figurines, 【Korea】six-piece baby food container set
Pure titanium tea sets and cups
Coca-Cola collaboration collection, plus baseball caps and scarves from Argentina, Portugal, and France
【USA】36-piece dinnerware set, cups
Shanghai landmark paper-cut shadow boxes, badges, embroidered patches
Decorations and jewelry
【Korea】Popular fragrance products
【Zambia】Solid wood combs and round-bead bracelets, 【Italy】magic combs
【Italy】Scented candles, 【UK】candles
【Thailand】Scented candles, 【UK】reed diffusers
【Thailand】Toy cars
【United Arab Emirates】Selected British No. 1 black tea (flavored tea), Winter Daydreams Collection ball-shaped tin
After seeing all this, doesn’t it feel less like an import supermarket and more like a miniature United Nations?
I’ll keep filming more later: beauty products, cosmetics, red and other wines—those are the real highlights. The discounts are even steeper than today’s, with lots of items marked down to 50% or 60% of the original price. I’ll take my time; tell me what you’d like to see and I’ll prioritize it.
Did anything here catch your eye at first glance? Or is there something you want to see that I haven’t filmed yet? Just DM me or leave a comment. If you want to buy something, same as always—I can pick it up for you. I’ll film it at the original price and include the receipt with your order.