How to Save Money When Buying China Plastic Chair

Louvre or LFC Mall entrance in Shunde.

Author photo

Where to Buy Furniture From China

Furniture is a major cost for any home or office that can be considerably reduced by buying and importing furniture from China at wholesale price. An individual may balk at the prospect of going to China to buy furniture, however, prices are substantially lower than retail prices in the home country to justify a trip to China for buying furniture. If you plan to buy furniture for a home with a 3,000 square foot area, you should be able to buy all furniture in a week’s time.

China has an entire city devoted to manufacturing, wholesale and retail of furniture. Shunde 顺德, about 40 km south of Guangzhou, is also known as "Furniture City." It is well connected with Hong Kong and Guangzhou by a network of trains, ferries, subway, and buses. It can be reached by taxi from Guangzhou in one hour, even during rush hour.

Shunde

Shunde is home to over 1,500 furniture manufacturers and 3,500 Chinese and international furniture dealers displaying their products in 200 modern buildings covering an area of over 3.0 million square meters. The sheer size justifies the nickname Furniture City, which covers 5 kilometers arranged in a grid of 12 rows and 20 streets grossing over US $2 billion in trade.

How to Reach Shunde

From Guangzhou:

Guangzhou Bai Yun International Airport has a regular bus service to Da Liang, Shunde Jia Xing City Plaza, which is minutes away from the furniture market. The first bus leaves at 7:30 am and the last one at 9:30 pm. The ticket price is RMB 47 (US $8) for an 80-minute bus ride. There is regular bus service from Guangdong Bus Terminal or Fangcun Bus Terminal for those taking a bus from the city.

In addition, most taxis in Guangzhou will take you to Shunde for RMB 200 (US $35). On the way back you can get plenty of taxis heading back to Guangzhou for RMB 150 (US $25). It is also possible to hire a chauffeur-driven car for a full day for RMB 400 to 500.

It is possible to take the metro, Guangfo line to Foshan. Just get down at the last station and take a cab to furniture markets (RMB 25).

From Hong Kong:

China Ferry Terminal in Hongkong has a regular ferry to Shunde five times a day, tickets priced between HKD 240 to 295.

One can also take a bus from HKIA to Foshan. There are many bus companies at the ground level selling tickets to Foshan/Shunde. Foshan bus terminal to Shunde can be easily reached by taxi (RMB 50, US $8). Most of the bus company also sells tickets for Shunde for HKD 250 and it would take four hours to reach there.

Where to Stay

While Shunde is home to thousands of furniture retailers it does not have lots of hotel and restaurant options. There are a few Western-style hotels in Foshan, which is a half-hour drive from Shunde. Swissotel, Crown Plaza, and Sheraton are in Foshan, but expect a lower standard of service in these places.

Most visitors stay in Guangzhou and endure an hour taxi ride to Shunde every day.

Hotels in Shunde

Hilton Hotel

00 86 757-83069999

127, North Ling nan Avenue, Foshan

Crown Plaza

00 86 757 82368888

118 Fen Jiang Middle Road, Foshan

Swissotel

00 86 757 82362888

1 Chen Men Tao Road West, Foshan

The Louvre Furniture Mall

While there are over 200 buildings selling furniture in Shunde, the most notable ones are:

Lecong International Furniture Exhibition Center, also known as the Louvre/LFC. This is the biggest and most famous furniture mall in Shunde. It has a total area of over 300,000 square meters housing hundreds of furniture wholesalers and retailers in its massive seven-story building. There is an information counter located in the middle of the main hall where you can get information about a specific shop from English-speaking staff. They also provide free wifi and a meeting area. The top floor of the building has a restaurant that serves Chinese and Western dishes.

The maps of shops are easy to follow, and they are arranged by style of furniture, including modern, classic, Art Deco style, neo-classic, and traditional Chinese. The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors have office furniture and home decor items, while the other floors are devoted to home furniture for bedrooms, sofas, and dining sets.

Sun-link Furniture Wholesale Market Tel: 0757-28833888 is located next to Lecong International Furniture Exhibition Center and has many shops scattered around in warehouse shades. The prices are cheaper than LCF, but the quality isn't as high. It is a good choice for those looking to buy furniture on a low budget.

Tuanyi International Furniture City is opposite the Louvre furniture mall/LFC and has a good selection.

Louvre Furniture Exhibition Center

Furniture Malls in Shunde

LFC/Louvre Furniture Mall should be a first stop for importing furniture from China

Author photo

Louvre Furniture Mall for imported furniture in Shunde, China.

Author photo

Red Star Furniture

Red Star Macalline Brand Furniture is opposite the Fortune Hotel.

Picture taken by me

Red Star Macalline Brand Furniture is located opposite the Fortune Hotel. This is a popular choice with foreign furniture buyers. They offer single-point check out similar to the LFC, but the prices are much lower in this mall.

Foshan International Furniture Expo Mall

IFEM or Foshan International Furniture Expo Mall opened to the public in 2013.

Foshan IFEM

Will you buy furniture from China?

Buying Tips

• While most of the shops in the LFC Mall have staff who can speak some English, other showrooms and malls may not. In general, all shops in the Louvre provide invoices and sales contracts in English and Mandarin (Chinese).
• Ask staff to include the model number, description, delivery, packing conditions, and price of your purchases clearly. Most of the shops will provide you an "ex-works price," which means it is your responsibility to consolidate all your purchases, load in the container, and ship to your country. It is advisable to hire the services of an agent who can provide export shipment and logistics services.

Customs Duties

Everything that you bring into your country is subjected to import duties. The good news is that anyone importing into the USA or EU will pay a 0% to 5% rate of duty for most products. You can clear goods from customs by yourself, but it is advisable to hire a customs broker to do the paperwork for you. Here is the rate of duty applicable for most common products:

• In some Asian countries, the rate of duty can be as high as 30%; however, import for furniture from China is still a viable option for them. I have helped many Asian and CIS nationals buy furniture from China and they all saved a substantial amount of money by importing furniture from Shunde.

Custom Duties for Common Furniture Items

Wooden chair

0%

0%

Wooden Sofa

0%

0%

Garden Umbrella

4.7%

6.5%

Rattan Furniture

2%

0%

Fitted Kitchen Unit

2.7%

0%

Furniture made of plastic

0%

0%

Furniture Made of metal

0%

0%

Fittings for furniture: ornament

6.5%

3.4%

Seats with height adjuster

0%

0%

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I have to book, load, and ship furniture imported that I buy in China?

If you are buying most of the items from one shop they can do it for you for a small fee. Otherwise, you need to hire an agent to handle import from China. Typically these agents will charge 5% of the total purchase value to handle all aspects of shipments.

All containers from China for furniture purchased in Shunde will ship from Shenzhen port. Actual container freight depends on the country where you want to import. It can be between US $2,500 to $4,000 for a 40-ft container, a size that would fit most containers for an entire home of 250 square meters/2,500 square feet.

What about quality? I heard that Chinese quality is terrible.

This is not entirely true. Major electronics products including iPhone, Sony, and Nokia are made in China. There are good factories and there are those that produce poor quality for a low price. This is largely true for major discount chains with manufacturing facilities in China that have the sole intention of offering low prices.

However, there are many quality producers which export furniture from China under OEM license. In malls like the Louvre (LFC), Red Star Macalline Brand Furniture, or TuanYi, only shops with high-quality products are allowed to display and sell.

Does it make economic sense to import furniture from China?

If you are buying for the entire home (250 square meters/2,500 square feet) with a budget of USD $50,000 or more, it makes sense to buy all of the furniture in China. The price in your home country could be easily three or four times the price in China. Besides buying furniture, you will have the chance to see this exotic country!

A trip to Shunde makes sense if you are buying lots of furniture, but if all you want is a sofa or table, you might as well buy from a store near your home that can offer personalized service and hassle-free installation. Of course, it is not as easy to buy furniture from a far-away country and go through the hassle of dealing with shipment and imports, but in the end, it is worth it when you compare prices at home. In general, a piece of furniture that costs USD $1,000 in China can cost $4,000 to $6,000 in your home country.

Is Importing Furniture a Cheaper Option?

Outdoor lighting.

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Import from China

© 2014 Kamal Mohta

Jahangir on July 25, 2019:

Hello

I am a furniture retailer in United States and looking for manufacturer of exporter of Mariner Furniture from China.

Can you help?

Rutul Patel on July 21, 2019:

I am interested in buying furniture for my house in India. Can you calculate the shipping price for me and let me have the furniture shops which sell nice dining table

Daphne Senne on December 03, 2018:

I am interested in buying furniture for my house in Botswana. Can you calculate the shipping price for me and let me have the furniture shops which sell nice sofas.

Sharif shaikh on August 27, 2018:

I want to buy bedroom set from China to india

shashika eshan on June 27, 2018:

i want to import furniture from china to sri lanka. can you guide me about it.

sameer on March 15, 2018:

dear all

I think instead of importing it from china why all u don't support our furniture export to china.do something that will make u feel proud about your responsibility toward your secure and prosperous country. India really want people like u all to support export to other country, and furniture market in India is very big if we will build all it here i am sure it will be a big chance to create job here and become a manufacturer, leader in industry instead of being an agent of china.

Suresh sahani on March 08, 2018:

Hello Kamal,

i am interested in starting a business of importing furnitures from China to India for a good market . Will I get support from the China dealers???

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on November 29, 2017:

Hello @Nikhik @ manish mehta Please email your query to admin@chinaimport.co

Ptosh on July 25, 2017:

Hello Kamal,

Thank you for sharing such a great article. I have read that Shenzen area has a better quality furniture market. Is that true? In your opinion for bulk purchasing with good quality, which is a better market; Shunde or Shenzen? Please advice.

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on June 23, 2017:

Bhaumik, Thanks for reading my hub. You should consider visiting factories around Foshan if you plan to buy furniture for resale. You may contact me at admin@chinaimport.co

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on March 16, 2017:

@ Aminudeen Thanks for reading this article. Indian customs charges around 30% import tax on CIF value (Cost of furniture+ Insurance + Freight)

@ Sama ZAHIR Abbas please email admin@chinaimport.co

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on January 21, 2017:

Please send your query by email to admin@chinaimport.co

Adel on January 11, 2017:

What about Hong Kong?

Do you recommend it for buying furniture or Guangzhou is better and less expensive?

Aben on October 19, 2016:

Good place. Thank you Kamal

Kevin on September 03, 2016:

Is there a less expensive option then having to pay for an entire shipping container. I only hope to buy a few pieces.

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on August 18, 2016:

Thank you, Rai Ajai Kumar, Hemant and Dinesh for reading my article. If you are interested in import furniture from China, please contact me by email admin@chinaimport.co

Dinesh Bhojraj Padole on August 18, 2016:

How do I make payments there if I finalize to buy. I am planning to buy furniture for my bungalow in India ... My budget is around 40000Usd. Is it advisable to buy from China of this value. What would be approximate shipping and delivery charges to my hometown in India

M.A.HAJI HAROON RASHEED on August 13, 2016:

VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

hemant dedhia on July 18, 2016:

hi!

your article is very interesting

we need to buy home furniture & decor for around 1100 carpet 3 flats in mumbai.

just help me to know that will we get made to order furniture or ready made furniture only

my email is hvdedhia@gmail.com

Yasir on March 09, 2016:

Hi last time I purchased 40 feet furniture container from shunde foshan market plz tell me cheaper price factories address in shunde,

Akram on October 14, 2015:

Hi,

Your article is interesting and enjoyable.

In your opinion, Do you think it's worth to travel to China and buy furniture and import it back home.

Waiting for your advice.

Thanks

eli on September 24, 2015:

.i have a full hotel to furnish back home in lebanon.it about 55 rooms. ill be visiting shundee in few months.i need someone to help me in the shipment and customs.

tommy on September 16, 2015:

We are sourcing company in China for handling all operation for furniture. we have office in HK and China..Kindly advice for enquiries

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on August 27, 2015:

Hello Anna, thanks for reading my article. Please visit www.chinaimport.co and email me what you need to import from China.

krishna on August 23, 2015:

Hi, i have tried contacting you on chinaimport.co email id but i have no response. I need help with regards to hospital furniture. please revert back

Anna on August 17, 2015:

Hi ! I am from USA & would like to purchase furniture for my enitre house of 5000 sft. I need someone who can take me around & take care of customs & do door to door delivery in NJ

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on July 21, 2015:

Sultan Mirza, thanks for reading this article. You can visit www.chinaimport.co and contact us.

Mirza on July 19, 2015:

Hi i am from india and i am dealer of furniture in india and how can i import in india from china i want to visit to China can you help me. And where can i get cheapest rates for furniture

Sultanmirza72@gmail.com

Thank you

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on July 18, 2015:

@ Lam You can get traditional Chinese furniture in Louvre mall, Shunde. @ Sachin, Ramesh please visit www.chinaimport.co Thanks for reading and commenting.

Lam on July 11, 2015:

hi

thanks for the info. i would like to buy traditional chinese sofa made with woodand leather sofas, decorations . where can i get that?

m.ramesh on June 26, 2015:

I Am From India , I Want To Import Furnitures, I Need All At One Place , Cheapest Price With Good Quality , Which Companies Is Best ?

and please tell me how much custom i paying

Let Me Know . My mail: ramesh190673@gmail.com

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on June 11, 2015:

Nurlign, thanks for reading. You can visit www.chinaimport.co for more information.

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on June 11, 2015:

Madhur, All wholesale malls open 7 days a week except public holidays. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.

Madhur Agrawal on June 05, 2015:

Thanks for the wonderful article.

Just a query which all days these malls are open during the week.

Regards

Madhur

Nurlign on June 03, 2015:

Greetings Mr Jamal,

Thanks for the brief article. I am planning to visit Guangzhou to buy home furniture in the coming July. And I've already made hotel reservation, but I'd like to contact you through your personal email to discuess about.......

Regards,

Nurlign

snamballa on May 05, 2015:

Hi Kamal ,

Firstly thanks for informative article and the comments you are posting, i am from india and want to go visit shunde personally for buying furniture, lightings , electronics and Sanitary on a wholesale for my hotel(30 rooms) and 2 banquet halls (chairs, tables , partitions) which we are constructing . Can you please provide me some insights on how to buy/ Import to india . I think its best for me to directly approach factories rather than getting stuff from malls, please make me understand pro's and cons.

My email is : snamballa@gmail.com

skype id : syamnamballa

Your inputs are really appreciated.

Best regards

Syam

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on April 22, 2015:

Thanks DJ for reading my article. You may also want to read https://hubpages.com/travel/Tips-for-visiting-Guan... to get information of Guangzhou.

DJ on April 21, 2015:

Thanks for this informative article. We've just bought a new house and my friend who's in the furniture industry suggested I go there myself and I can get the furniture for the entire house from one city, Shun De. I have a medium sized apartment of 1600 sq. ft, but like you said it'll give us an opportunity to visit this beautiful country, too.

Thanks again for sharing this usefiul info.

With regards,

DJ

sajid Ali on April 19, 2015:

I want import furniture

Gidens me

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on March 08, 2015:

@atulrao It is better that you negotiate the price yourself. You may want to look at the tips of negotiation in China in my other post https://toughnickel.com/industries/How-to-bargain-...

You may need an agent for shipment consolidation and export documentation services.

Mayur aiya on March 08, 2015:

Hi I have about 215 sq meters house I plan to come to gunghouz do you think I can buy good quality and major stuff for my house in 25000 usd approx pls advise . Mayur@fblindia.in

atulrao on March 07, 2015:

Thanks for such a brief......How about negotiation in case if individual want to buy furniture. Or its better to take a service .

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on February 23, 2015:

@Uduak Akpabio, thanks for reading. Qatar Airways and Emirates have regular flight service between Lagos and Hongkong. You may book a flight to Hongkong and proceed to Shunde furniture city. I believe there is no need to engage services of a travel agent because Shunde is well connected with Hong Kong. Car rental agencies in HK airport may provide chauffeured car for HKD 3000 which is expensive, in my opinion.

The other alternate is to reach Guangzhou directly from Lagos (Qatar, China Southern) and take a regular taxi to Shunde from airport costing about US$30.

uduak Akpabio on February 23, 2015:

I own an interior decor company in Nigeria, I am interested in visiting to import furnitures for my clients but I've never been to china, can you link me up with a reliable travelling agency to help me arrange this business trip?

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on February 04, 2015:

@manjunath, it is not possible to buy furniture from China without making a personal visit, specially when you plan to resale in your country. Shunde is home to over thousands of manufacturers and wholesalers dealing in furniture. A visit would be the first step towards the import of furniture for resale. Thanks for reading and commenting.

manjunath on February 03, 2015:

I am from India, and i am the dealer of furnitures so i want to buy it from china and i want to market it in india but i cant visit china so please helpme

Email id: manjunathashok4@gmail.com

shaja on November 29, 2014:

I Am From India , I Want To Import Furnitures, I Need All At One Place , Cheapest Price With Good Quality , Which Companies Is Best ?

Let Me Know .

My Email : sshaja66@gmail.com

THANKS

SHAJA

Kamal Mohta (author) from Guangzhou on October 28, 2014:

@ Med Thanks for reading my article. I hope it is useful to you in buying furniture from China. In my personal opinion, it is possible to get good prices in Louvre Mall too. Moreover, quality is guaranteed by the mall management so in case of any dispute you will have some protection. For cheaper alternatives, you can always try Sun Link or Red Star Macalline, both near Louvre Mall.

A word of advice, although prices are cheaper in above markets, but there is a big difference in quality that they show and what they deliver. In the end, cheap may turn out to be more expensive. If you plan to buy from Sun Link or Red Star Macalline, please get quality standards spelled out in the sales contract very clearly. It would also be a good idea to do pre shipment quality check. Do not rely on so called QC agencies, do it yourself.

med on October 27, 2014:

Hello,

thank you for this useful article, i already visited Yiwu and Guzhen, now i plan to visit Shunde , i know that there's more than 200 markets for furniture , can you please provide me with the name of some markets selling cheap furniture , LFC and Louvre are very expensive

thanks

steven on April 13, 2014:

wellcome to china

Currently, consumers find themselves amidst thousands of goods with the label “Made in China.” Ranging from electronics to towels and shoes, such goods are part of everyday life. Items created in China have acquired a negative reputation over the years, though. For some reason, most consumers equate Chinese-made goods with poor quality. Others even assume that these items pose health hazards. While some truth exists here, the fact is that there’s nothing wrong with China manufacturers.

Assumptions of Low Quality, Dangerous Chemicals, and More

When it comes to products made in China, consumers need to stop making assumptions. Not all Chinese goods are low quality, poorly built, and downright dangerous. In fact, most items produced in the country are built to a company’s exact specifications. Consumers want to blame the country, but they need to start shifting blame to the given specifications. An item that’s designed poorly in the first place will contain numerous defects. Obviously, this isn’t the fault of the manufacturer.

An Example of Manufacturing Perfection: The Apple iPhone

Take, for instance, the beloved Apple iPhone. These days, most iPhone models are manufactured and assembled in China. Perhaps no other smartphone is known for its build quality and luxury feel. The device shows what China manufacturers are capable of today. Unfortunately, consumers tend to overlook the marvels of Chinese manufacturing’s efficiency and quality. Some problem manufacturers do exist, but more often, it’s the companies who must be careful with their product specifications.

Ordering Companies Set Specs; Manufacturers Simply Follow the Specs

All goods that carry the “Made in China” label are built to specification. If a company orders furniture and customers later buy low quality furniture, then that company ordered lackluster furniture. However, the manufacturer in China did nothing wrong in following the orderer’s specifications. It’s a simple situation in which blame is cast in the wrong direction. China manufacturers can create high quality consumer goods time and time again. Of course, businesses want to save money and may opt for cheaper materials for their products, but this is a risk that they must determine regardless of where they choose to manufacture.

Seeing the Truth: Custom Manufacturing for Small Businesses

In today’s world, any business can take advantage of custom manufacturing in China. Even hesitant business owners often discover how reliable China manufacturers are upon receiving their first order. When a business owner orders custom items with quality materials, they receive exactly what they ask for. Therefore, a small business owner will often be surprised at how closely manufacturers match specifications. Chinese manufacturers are dedicated to improving their unjustly tarnished image, and they work closely with businesses today for custom manufacturing.

A Tarnished Reputation on The Mend

Some of the world’s most popular consumer goods are made in China right now. This includes the iPhone, high-end televisions, and even simple consumer products. Sometimes, consumers are shocked to find out that their favorite products are created in another country. Some China manufacturers produce comparable, sometimes better, goods than their American counterparts. Even though China gets a bad reputation for its manufacturers, more and more people are starting to see how misguided their preconceptions are.

Here at ITI, we know that all manufacturing partners we work with produce high quality goods and are capable of customizing to any desired specs. Contact us today to learn what manufacturing in China can do for your business.